The question cube re-imagined – A 5-dimensional model for cultivating coaches’ capacity for curious inquiry in health behaviour change

Abstract

In a lifestyle medicine context, masterful health coaching requires the development of skills in inquiry. While open inquiry is emphasised, there is a broad range of inquiry types which can elicit narrative responses from a patient. In the 1990s, the ‘Question Cube’1 was conceptualised as a means of teaching therapy students ways to ask insightful questions. The elements of this model were: type of inquiry, subject and orientation. This article updates the Question Cube model to include the original three parameters with the addition of tense and mood. By learning the concepts of inquiry formation, students of health coaching are more able to propose thoughtful and insightful inquiries to their patients.