IAHC Business and Ethics in Health Coaching 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to IAHC ethics standards, a health coach who becomes romantically involved with a current client is violating which ethical principle?
- Confidentiality
- Professional boundaries (Correct answer)
- Informed consent
- Non-maleficence
Correct answer: Professional boundaries
IAHC requires strict professional boundaries; dual relationships with current clients undermine objectivity, trust, and the coaching relationship's integrity.
Question 2: An IAHC coach discovers a client is engaging in a behavior that is potentially dangerous to themselves. The coach should:
- Keep full confidentiality and continue coaching as normal
- Assess risk level, address it within the session, and refer to appropriate health or emergency services if needed (Correct answer)
- Immediately end the coaching relationship and report to authorities without speaking to the client
- Post about the situation anonymously on social media for advice
Correct answer: Assess risk level, address it within the session, and refer to appropriate health or emergency services if needed
IAHC ethics require balancing confidentiality with duty of care; coaches must assess risk, discuss it with the client, and refer to professionals when safety is at stake.
Question 3: Which practice is required by IAHC to protect client privacy in a health coaching business?
- Sharing client progress with their employer for accountability
- Obtaining written consent before sharing any client information with third parties (Correct answer)
- Posting client success stories publicly unless the client objects verbally
- Storing client records permanently on a personal email account
Correct answer: Obtaining written consent before sharing any client information with third parties
IAHC ethics require explicit written informed consent before disclosing any client information, protecting privacy and the trust foundation of the coaching relationship.
Question 4: An IAHC-certified coach is contacted by a client's spouse asking for coaching notes. The coach should:
- Share relevant notes to support the client's health
- Decline and explain that client information is confidential without the client's written consent (Correct answer)
- Send a summary that omits sensitive details
- Refer the spouse to the client's physician
Correct answer: Decline and explain that client information is confidential without the client's written consent
IAHC confidentiality principles prohibit sharing client information with anyone, including family members, without the client's explicit written authorization.
Question 5: When marketing health coaching services, IAHC ethics prohibit coaches from:
- Listing their IAHC certification credentials
- Guaranteeing specific health outcomes such as 'lose 20 pounds in 30 days' (Correct answer)
- Publishing client testimonials with written permission
- Offering a free initial discovery session
Correct answer: Guaranteeing specific health outcomes such as 'lose 20 pounds in 30 days'
Guaranteeing specific outcomes is unethical and potentially fraudulent; individual results vary and coaches cannot promise clinical results.
Question 6: An IAHC health coach recognizes that a client's presenting issue exceeds coaching scope and requires mental health care. The ethical action is:
- Continue coaching while addressing mental health informally
- Refer the client to a licensed mental health professional and adjust or pause the coaching scope (Correct answer)
- Seek online supervision and continue
- Tell the client coaching can handle any wellness concern
Correct answer: Refer the client to a licensed mental health professional and adjust or pause the coaching scope
IAHC coaches operate within their scope of practice and have an ethical obligation to refer clients to licensed professionals when clinical needs arise.
IAHC Business and Ethics in Health Coaching 1
According to IAHC ethics standards, a health coach who becomes romantically involved with a current client is violating which ethical principle?