Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as a coaching research methodology

Abstract

This paper suggests that interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) is a valuable research method for coaching research. The paper positions coaching as a social activity and highlights its subjective and contextual nature. It aims to establish clear guidance by drawing on both the author’s recent research experience and others’ scholarly work. The author encourages scholars with a similar interest (phenomenology, hermeneutics, ideography) to explore IPA as a potential methodology for coaching research. The clearly laid out guidance here on how to conduct an IPA study will be attractive to the wider qualitative research community. The paper contributes to coaching research by promoting IPA as a methodology that helps to develop subjective understanding within the field.