Behavior Change, Sport and Health Psychology

Overview

Core fields of research

Physical activity, health and wellbeing

Research areas

Behaviour change, health, and well-being across the lifespan

Faculty

Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences

Research group description

Our group conducts research into psychological factors that underlie health behaviors, performance and well-being outcomes. In addition, we develop, evaluate and implement theory and evidence-based interventions to improve these outcomes in practice. Further details are forthcoming...

Current

Projects

Related projects

Project

Early Detection of Mental Health Issues among Finnish Athletes

Screening mental health risks among Finnish athletes with translated Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS), referred to as the Finnish Mood Scale (FIMS).

Project

ProAct - A collaborative theory-based intervention to promote physical activity among sedentary parents and their children

Given links between physical activity in children and adults to better health and reduced disease risk, this project aims to test the efficacy of a behavioural intervention to increase physical activity participation in low-active children and their paren

Project

Better Health at Home – Optimized Human-Centered Care of Predialysis and Home Dialysis Patients (BOC)

Research project to optimize patient journeys in care for chronic kidney disease and home dialysis

Project

Lifestyle and Physical Activity as Part of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment (ELO - Elintavat ja liikkuminen osana uniapnean hoitoa)

Research project investigating effects of lifestyle interventions on obstructive sleep apnea, led by Finnish Lung Health Association (Filha ry).

Project

Head Impacts in Finnish Elite Women's Football

Kuvaus kuvaus kuvaus

Project

Grit in Competitive Sport

Explores grit’s role in athletes’ motivation and long-term goal pursuit.

Project

Perfectionism in Competitive Sports

This project aims to examine how perfectionism related variables are linked to psychological distress and if self-compassion can have a moderating role in mental health of athletes.

Project

BEQAH: Between Quantum Algorithms and Hardware

Project BEQAH

Members

Research group

Group leaders

Keegan Knittle

Associate professor

Montse Ruiz Cerezo

Senior Lecturer

Martin Hagger

Professor

Members

Taru Lintunen

Professor, Emerita

Daniel Phipps

Senior Researcher

Juuso Jussila

Grant researcher, conducting grant-funded research

Eeva Kettunen

Postdoctoral Researcher

Marja Kokkonen

Senior Lecturer

Ella Hellsten

Doctoral Researcher

Eleonoora Hintsa Figueiredo

Grant researcher, post-graduate study right

Tuija Hyyrynen

Doctoral Researcher

Hanna-Mari Toivonen

University Teacher

Sanna Turakka

Doctoral Student

Fanny Brandstack

PhD Student

JYU

Will Critchley

PhD Student

JYU

Lasse Eini

PhD Student

JYU

Malin Ekholm

PhD Student

University of Helsinki

Weldon Green

PhD Student

JYU

Konsta Kuusinen

PhD Student

JYU

Hanna Lahti-Renkola

PhD Student

JYU

Inna Syrykh

PhD Student

JYU

External members

Kyra Hamilton

Professor, Title of Docent

Griffith University

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Mary Hassandra

Associate Professor, Title of Docent

University of Thessaly

Publications

Publications

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

More Than Just Steps : Harmonious Passion, Self-confidence, and Emotion-related Feelings in Female Amateur Dancers

Journal of Dance Medicine and Science.

Bortoli, Laura

Romano, Giovanni

Robazza, Claudio

Marini, Sofia

Di Liborio, Massimiliano

Ruiz, Montse C.

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

MuSt Theory in Action for Self-Regulation : A Practical Guide and Case Study

Journal of Sport Psychology in Action.

Robazza, Claudio

Di Liborio, Massimiliano

Bortoli, Laura

Ruiz, Montse C.

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Parent's Motivation and Behaviour to Protect Their Children From COVID‐19 : A Prospective Test of Self‐Determination Theory

Lifestyle Medicine.

Chan, Derwin K. C.

Wan, Alison W. L.

Zhang, Chun‐Qing

Hagger, Martin S.

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Personalized Interactive Music Systems for Physical Activity and Exercise : Exploratory Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

JMIR Human Factors.

Danso, Andrew

Kekäläinen, Tiia

Koehler, Friederike

Knittle, Keegan

Nijhuis, Patti

Burunat, Iballa

Neto, Pedro

Mavrolampados, Anastasios

Randall, William M.

Hansen, Niels Chr

Ansani, Alessandro

Rantalainen, Timo

Alluri, Vinoo

Hartmann, Martin

Schaefer, Rebecca S.

Ihalainen, Johanna K.

Rousi, Rebekah

Agres, Kat R.

MacRitchie, Jennifer

Toiviainen, Petri

Saarikallio, Suvi

Chastin, Sebastien

Luck, Geoff

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Predicting Engagement and Retention During an Online Theory‐Based Intervention to Promote Physical Activity Among Inactive Parent‐Child Dyads

European Journal of Sport Science.

Phipps, Daniel, J.

Green, Weldon, T.

Lintunen, Taru

Hagger, Martin, S.

Knittle, Keegan

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Predicting Online Academic Behaviors and Performance in Psychology Higher Education Using an Integrated Social Cognition Model

Psychology, Learning & Teaching.

Phipps, Daniel J.

Hannan, Thomas

Vasandani, Minalli

Keech, Jacob J.

Green, Heather J.

Hamilton, Kyra

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Predicting Physical Activity Intentions, Habits, and Action Plans in Finnish Parent–Child Dyads

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports.

Phipps, Daniel J.

Saarinen, Milla

Green, Weldon T.

Lintunen, Taru

Knittle, Keegan

Hagger, Martin S.

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Progress on theory of planned behavior research : advances in research synthesis and agenda for future research

Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

Hagger, Martin S.

Hamilton, Kyra

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Psychological and socio-structural determinants of intentions to use drug checking services

Journal of Health Psychology.

Piatkowski, Timothy

Hamilton, Kyra

Hagger, Martin S.

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Psychological Determinants of Health Behavior

Annual Review of Psychology.

Hagger, Martin S.

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Relative effects of implicit and explicit attitudes on behavior: A meta-analytic review and test of key moderators.

Psychological Bulletin.

Phipps, Daniel J.

Hagger, Martin S.

Hamilton, Kyra

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Self-confidence, mental toughness, and psychobiosocial experiences in elite rugby players

Psychology of Sport and Exercise.

Robazza, Claudio

Vitali, Francesca

Bortoli, Laura

Ruiz, Montse C.

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