How does being a Chartered Coaching Psychologist inform one’s self-concept clarity?

An important psychological construct that influences our lives is our self-concept. The self-concept is informed by our social encounters, roles, relationships and experiences reinforced by self-reflection. It includes all our self-beliefs and feelings about ourselves and is described as a resource for self-understanding and motivation. Related to this, is the concept of self-concept clarity (SCC), which is a structural feature of the self-concept reflecting people’s subjective sense that their self-views are clear, cohesive, and consistent over time. During transitions, one’s SCC is often impacted. When the British Psychological Society (BPS) launched the Division of Coaching Psychology (DoCP) in November 2021; a successor to the Special Interest Group in Coaching Psychology (SGCP) established in 2004, and the Coaching Psychology Forum (CPF) created in 2002, new routes to attaining Chartered status of the society were offered. This study explored how being a Chartered Coaching Psychologist (CCP) informs one’s self-concept clarity (SCC). A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken using reflexive thematic analysis involving semi-structured interviews with eight participants. Participants’ clear, coherent and enduring self-views appeared to influence their motives to attain CCP accreditation. Three themes were generated: Going for gold, Peers and community matter and Affirming who I am and want to be. This research contributes to literature on coaching psychologists’ identity. It also highlights the motivational role of SCC in individuals’ career choices.