Q Methodology as an evaluation tool: Evaluating coaching and mentoring in the pastoral ministry

T Hammond International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring 2016

It has been said that evaluating coaching/mentoring interventions is notoriously difficult (Klasen & Clutterbuck, 2002). In addition, evaluation in the pastoral ministry is difficult where objective outcomes are problematic to identify. Arguably the desirable outcomes are growth, development and self-efficacy of the pastor. Formative evaluation asks: does the coaching/mentoring environment provide conditions that promote or hinder growth and development? This data is best provided by subjective self-reporting of recipients. A Q-sort was devised to assess subjective experiences and impact of coaching/mentoring environments. The factor analysis identified three coaching/mentoring environments. Q Methodology is demonstrated to be a useful evaluation tool.