Abstract
The professional backgrounds, training, experiences and practices of professional and non-professional coaches in Japan were investigated. Coaches (N = 478) participated in an online survey. Among them were professional (n = 195), and non-professional coaches that were actively coaching in their jobs (n = 178). Results indicated clear differences between professional and non-professional coaches. Professionals had longer, certified training in coaching. They also tended to participate in coaches’ associations, had longer coaching experience, committed more time for coaching each month, and received a higher income through coaching. However, certain professional coaches had never studied at a training institute for coaches, nor had any coaching certificate. Also, 40% of professional coaches earned less than ¥1,000,000 per year, and spent less than 20 hours doing coaching each month. Although less than 8% of coaches had majored in psychology in undergraduate or graduate schools, most of them were interested in psychology and expected that psychology would be useful for coaching.
