Case studies: Sport and exercise psychology lecturer: Ailsa Niven

Aisla teaches and researches in the areas of both sports psychology and exercise psychology...

My job is quite varied so a typical day may involve giving a lecture, reviewing some research data and meeting with an athlete in the evening. My job includes teaching on undergraduate degrees in sport and exercise science and psychology, undertaking research and doing small amounts of sports psychology consultancy. I teach and research in the areas of both sports psychology and exercise psychology.

Sports psychology focuses on how psychology can be applied to enhance the performance and wellbeing of people involved in sport. Exercise psychology focuses on understanding how psychological factors influence whether an individual chooses to participate in exercise (about 60-70% of our population choose not to do enough exercise) and also what the psychological consequences of being physically active are. For example, does exercise lead to increased mood/decreased stress?

My current research mainly focuses on understanding the reasons girls stop being physically active during adolescence and how we can encourage them to continue being active. This involves collecting data in the field, analysing data and writing reports and papers, supervising other researchers and collaborating with practitioners in the field. One project is investigating the use of dance mats in schools to increase the activity levels of girls.

Currently, there are few specific jobs that have the label 'exercise psychologist' but there are a number of roles where knowledge of exercise psychology is applied to both facilitate behaviour change and to have an understanding of the consequences of exercise. The client base could be very varied. For example, exercise consultants involved in GP referral schemes may work with clients who have experienced a heart attack and use psychology to help understand some of the barriers the client may face and help them change their behaviour to become more active.

Personal trainers in a gym will likely use knowledge of behaviour change to encourage clients to become (and remain) more physically active. Alternatively, an exercise psychologist may advise on how to develop larger scale interventions within workplaces to change exercise behaviour, such as how to increase active commuting to work.

Individuals applying exercise psychology may work with clients who want to be more active and help them identify barriers they may face, as well as the pros and cons of being active compared with not being active. They also help clients set some realistic goals to increase their activity levels, and then review progress at a later date. Additionally, individuals applying exercise psychology knowledge may present research to employers on the benefits of physical activity and its effects on reducing stress in the workplace.

Exercise psychology is in a relatively developmental stage and, as noted, there are currently few specific exercise psychology jobs. The majority of the UK population is insufficiently active and dealing with this problem is likely to become an increasing priority. There will most likely be jobs in areas including health promotion and exercise referral schemes that will be suitable for individuals with exercise psychology knowledge. Health psychologists are starting to appear in the NHS, and with time there could also be a place for exercise psychologists.

Working in a job that applies exercise psychology would be both challenging and very rewarding as you help individuals progress towards a healthier lifestyle. I'd encourage any student interested in this career area to find a degree that offers a good grounding in general psychology and also the opportunity to study sport and exercise psychology. Gaining practical experience in an exercise setting (e.g. gym instructor) will help students gain the 'real world' knowledge. To achieve full chartered or accredited status in this area, students would also need to undertake postgraduate study and supervised experience.