The antecedents to health coaching identified in
this analysis provide direction for further research.
The first antecedent was a situation in which a client
experienced a health concern or a desire for enhanced
health or well-being. Although several authors indicated
that health coaching was appropriate for clients
ambivalent to change, the concept should be studied
more extensively in the context of various behavior
change theories. The second antecedent to health
coaching was the presence of a health coach with
some level of training and a desire to help. Considerable
variation in professional background and supplemental
training was found in the literature. In
addition, several authors introduced the idea of peer
coaching. Therefore, research is needed to determine
which characteristics and qualifications in health
coaches result in the best client outcomes.