Symposium: Coaching for Her: How Coaching Psychology Facilitates Career Development in Chinese Women
Chair: Dr. Qing Wang, Associate Professor in Education and Coaching Psychology
Introduction to the Symposium with Dr Qing Wang, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University
Dr. Qing Wang is an educational psychologist, chartered psychologist, accredited coaching psychologist and a passionate lifelong learner. She completed PhD from University of Bristol and currently works as Associate Professor in Educational and Coaching Psychology at the School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University (ECNU). She established Educational Coaching Research Group (ECRG) at ECNU focusing on coaching psychology research and practice in the field of education. She is Fellow of International Society for Coaching Psychology (ISCP), Associate Fellow and Chartered Psychologist of British Psychological Society (BPS) and Member of International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP). With a genuine interest in coaching psychology for learning, she explores, designs, delivers and evaluates coaching models and approaches with teachers and students in secondary schools, medical schools, vocational schools, universities and in parents’ education.
The Impact of Benevolent Sexism on Female College Students’ Career Aspirations and Career Exploration Behaviours
Presenters: Haixin Lu, Qingyue Zhu, & Jingxin Li
Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that experiences of benevolent sexism positively predict career aspirations and career exploration behaviours among Chinese female college students (which is the opposite to the findings in Western females), with career decision-making self-efficacy functioning as a mediating variable. The present study aims to employ a narrative coaching intervention to support Chinese female college students in coping with benevolent sexism and to promote positive career development. Over the course of a four-week intervention, the coach assisted four participants in enhancing their career decision-making self-efficacy, career aspirations, career exploration behaviours, career identity, and future work self-salience. These improvements were sustained at a one-month follow-up.
Biographies
Haixin Lu is a postgraduate student and her research interests include creative coping and coaching psychology. She designs coaching psychology programmes on social support and creative coping to improve students’ daily coping skills.
Qinyue Zhu has a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from East China Normal University. Her research interests include creativity, creative motivation and coaching psychology. She is about to start her PhD in University of Tübingen (Germany).
Jingxin Li has a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from East China Normal University. Her research interests include coaching psychology, creativity and well-being. She has developed a coaching model that integrates positive psychology and expressive arts therapy to enhance students’ creativity and school well-being.
The Effects of Group-Based Positive Psychology Coaching on Female Teachers’ Career Well-Being in China
Presenters: Huiwen Zhang & Danlin Weng
Abstract
Under China’s ‘Double Reduction’ policy, primary and secondary school teachers have experienced heavier workloads and heightened occupational stress – effects that are particularly pronounced among female educators, who constitute the majority of the teaching workforce. This study developed and implemented a positive psychology group-based coaching intervention to enhance career well-being among 57 female teachers, who were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: an intervention group receiving positive psychology coaching (n = 21), an active control group receiving relaxation training (n = 17) and a wait-list control group (n = 19). Key variables, including perceived fairness, perceived social support, resilience, professional identity, job burnout and career well-being, were measured at baseline (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2) and one month later (T3). The intervention produced significant improvements in all outcomes relative to both control conditions. These findings indicate that positive psychology coaching can mitigate the adverse effects of educational reforms and offers an effective approach to sustaining teacher well-being.
Biographies
Huiwen Zhang has a Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology from East China Normal University. She is interested in coaching psychology and career well-being in primary and secondary school teachers in China. She is now a psychological teacher in Shanghai.
Danlin Weng is a postgraduate student at East China Normal University. Her research interests include coaching psychology, creativity and academic performance.
Entrepreneurial Competence in Chinese Women: Developing a Personalized Coaching Intervention
Presenters: Lingxiuting Zhou, Jiayi Li, & Jing Yu
Abstract
The increasing participation of women in entrepreneurship has garnered significant academic interest. However, research on the development of females’ entrepreneurial competence remains limited. In this study, we designed and implemented an entrepreneurial coaching intervention that integrates cognitive-behavioural techniques, positive psychology and mindfulness approaches, conducted with six female participants. The intervention consisted of six 60-minute sessions, with assessments conducted at four time points: pre-intervention, after the 3rd session, after the 5th session and post-intervention. The results indicate significant improvements in participants’ self-assessed entrepreneurial competence. These findings provide practical implications for the design of coaching interventions and the development of gender equality policies aimed at promoting women’s entrepreneurial development in China.
Biographies
Lingxiuting Zhou has a Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology from East China Normal University. Her research interests include industrial and organisational psychology, as well as the application of coaching psychology in entrepreneurial competence.
Jiayi Li is an undergraduate student majoring in Physics and minoring in Applied Psychology. Her research interests include positive psychology and coaching psychology.
Jing Yu is a postgraduate student in Applied Psychology at East China Normal University. She previously worked in finance before transitioning to psychology. Her research interests include coaching psychology, creativity and creative aging.