Behavior Change, Sport and Health Psychology

Overview

Research group type

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

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.

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Self‐enactable technique use and physical activity : A comparative qualitative study of habit formation and maintenance

Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being.

Hintsa, Eleonoora

Hagger, Martin S.

Lintunen, Taru

Hamilton, Kyra

Knittle, Keegan

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Sport and School Burnout in Norwegian Lower Secondary School Student-Athletes : A Person-Oriented Approach

Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology.

Saarinen, Milla

Phipps, Daniel J.

Jordalen, Gro

Bjørndal, Christian Thue

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Theory of Planned Behavior Constructs as Mediators of Relations Between Personality Traits, Trust, and COVID-19 Preventive Behavior Adherence

Social Science and Medicine.

Wollast, Robin

Phillips, Joseph B.

Hagger, Martin S.

Hamilton, Kyra

Ann, DeSmet

Luminet, Olivier

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Trajectories of Sport Exhaustion, Cynicism and Inadequacy Among Adolescent Student-Athletes : A Three-Year Longitudinal Study of Social Influences in the Finnish Dual Career context

Psychology of Sport and Exercise.

Kuokkanen, Joni

Phipps, Daniel J.

Saarinen, Milla

Korhonen, Johan

Romar, Jan-Erik

Gustafsson, Henrik

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

Understanding alcohol use around water : A qualitative analysis of the experiences of young males

British Journal of Health Psychology.

Sas, Sabryna V.

Keech, Jacob J.

Peden, Amy E.

Hagger, Martin S.

Hamilton, Kyra

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