ACE Health Coach Certification Practice Test

When a health coach summarizes what a client says and checks for understanding, which communication skill is being used?

1. Active listening

2. Motivational interviewing

3. Positive listening

4. Empathetic questioning

The correct answer is: Active listening

Active listening is the communication skill being demonstrated when a health coach summarizes what a client says and checks for understanding. This skill involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and then remembering what is being discussed. By summarizing, the health coach not only shows that they are engaged in the conversation, but they also validate the client’s feelings and perspectives, ensuring that they have accurately captured the client's thoughts. This process allows for clarification of any misunderstandings and reinforces the client’s message, fostering a supportive coaching environment conducive to personal growth and development. Other communication skills, while related, serve different purposes. Motivational interviewing is a collaborative conversation style aimed at strengthening a person's own motivation for change, while positive listening and empathetic questioning focus on aspects like affirmative feedback and exploring feelings, respectively, without the summarization element inherent in active listening.