Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology Research

Advance Our Knowledge

Research maximizes our impact.

Through research, our methods as Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology professionals stay at the cutting edge, and are most beneficial for athletes and performers. Here, you can find our research interests, presentations and publications.

Student presents thesis about shared zones of optimal functioning

Recent Updates

Spring 2023

March 10th, 2023: Students got together for our second soical event of the semester and played different card and board games!

Spring 2023 SEEP seminar

Feburary 23rd, 2023: We held our first SEPP seminar this past week. Career services presented a resume buidling workshop for our students to help boost their resumes!

First 2023 social event

February 9th, 2023: On Tuesday our we held our first social event of the 2023 spring semester. Students engaged in playing a competitive game of Jeopardy on a variety of topics!

Fall 2022

Abbi Byrne presenting to Pewaukee High School

December 12, 2022: Last week one of our first-year students Abbi Byrne was able to present to Pewaukee High School about her experiences within the SEPP program and provided information on self-talk and the benefits associated with it.

Group of students at a table doing crafts

December 9, 2022: This past Thursday we held our final social event of the semester. At this event students and faculty participated in an activity involving affirmation jars, and also engaged in team-building activities based on group painting!

Professional and career development seminar

November 18, 2022: We held our third professional and career development seminar of the semester. Current students were able to hear from alumni about their experiences within the program and what their career paths look like now!

Students, alumni, and faculty at AASP conference

November 4, 2022: Last week some of our current students, alumni, and faculty were able to attend the AASP conference in Fort Worth, Texas. They were able to hear from professionals, connect with current students in other programs, and hear from powerful keynote speakers throughout the week. In total there were eight presentations given from our graduate students and staff at the confrence.

Nature Walk

October 14, 2022: Once a month we hold a social event for our program. In the month of October, we went on a nature walk, to help relieve stress for midterms coming up and learned about the psychological benefits of nature!

first-year students at the Title IX-Then and Now Panel

September 15, 2022: Our first-year students attended the Title IX-Then and Now Panel where they heard from past and current female athletes on how Title IX has impacted them personally and women's athletics throughout the past 50 years.

UWGB Psychology faculty members' podcast "Psychology and Stuff"

Our University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Psychology faculty members' podcast "Psychology and Stuff" featuring Professor Chu and Professor Morrissey, was the April featured podcast on AASP social media.

Exercise is Medicine Gold Campus logo

Our Exercise is Medicine-on Campus initiative earned gold level recognition! This achievement is given to college and university chapters who have put in efforts above and beyond to encourage physical activity on their campus. As part of the initiative, our SEPP students offer exercise psychology consulting sessions to students, faculty and staff. It also gives students an opportunity to be involved health promotion research projects.

Professor Jo Morrissey

SEPP professor Professor Joanna Morrissey was selected to be one of the editorial board reviews for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology's newest student research journal, Journal for Advancing Sport Psychology in Research (JASPR).

Student Publications

Chu, T. L., Bachmeier, E., & Mair, T. (2022). “Still an “old boys’ club”? Certified Mental Performance Consultants’ gender-typed sport specialization and employment setting. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology. Advance online publication.

Bachmeier, E. E., Garst, B., Pingel, M. J., Morrissey, J. L., & Leininger, L. J. (2021). Effectiveness of an Exercise is Medicine-On Campus® virtual program on perceived stress levels of faculty and staff. Journal of Physical Activity Research, 6(1), 59-64. https://doi.org/10.12691/jpar-6-1-8

Rahawi, N. S., Espitita Gonzalez, A. D., Bachmeier, E. E., Morrissey, J. L., & Leininger, L. J. (2021). Evaluating students’ perceived stress, sleep quality, and physical activity in Exercise Is Medicine®-On Campus student-led health consultation program. Journal of Physical Activity Research, 6(2),72-77. https://doi.org/10.12691/jpar-6-2-1

Student Presentations

Chu, T. L., Myers, B., & Treacy, A. (2022, October). How did the COVID-19 Pandemic influence NCAA athletes’ psychological skills and states? A mixed-method exploration. Lecture session presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 37th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.

Bomber, A., & Chu, T. L. (2022, October). Practice what you preach: Using psychological skills to enhance consulting and teaching effectiveness as a graduate student. Poster presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 37th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.

Herron, K., Reckner, K., & Morrissey, J. (2022, October): Coaching styles and collegiate athletes’ motivation and burnout. Poster presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 37th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.

Lynch, R., & Chu, T. L. (2022, October). Imagery experiences of athletes with aphantasia, normal imagery ability, and hyperphantasia. Lecture session presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 37th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.

Lynch, R., Roovers, J. & Chu, T. L. (2022, October). Personal disclosure, not always the enemy: The versatile applications of Personal-Disclosure Mutual-Sharing approaches. Workshop presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 37th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.

Myers, B., & Chu, T. L. (2022, October). Evaluation of traditional and PETTLEP imagery interventions for collegiate golfers: A case study-mixed methods design. Lecture session presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 37th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.

Treacy, A., & Chu, T. L. (2022, October). Basic psychological need profiles of high school athletes and their prevalence across team type and race. Lecture session presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 37th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.

Garst, B., & Chu, T. L. (2022, August). The roles of athlete–parent and athlete–sibling dyads in high school athletes’ perceived parenting climates. Poster will be presented at the 129th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Minneapolis, MN.

Bachmeier, E. E. (2021, November 18-19). Effectiveness of an Exercise is Medicine-OnCampus® Virtual Program on Perceived Stress Levels of Faculty and Staff. [Poster]. Western Society for Physical Education of College Women 2021 Conference, Virtual.

Bennett, H., Bachmeier, E., Bluher, A., Compton, B., Halbrook, M., Kraus, A., Owens, R., Rundle, B., & Socolow, R. (2021, October 6-9). Advocating for Trans Inclusion in Sport: The Role of Sport Psychology Professionals/Practitioners. [Workshop]. Association for Applied Sport Psychology 36th Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Chu, T. L., Mair, T., & Bachmeier, E. (2021, October). Who are the CMPCs and what do they do? Lecture session presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 36th Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Bomber, A., Chu, T. L., & Sherman, C. (2021, October). Harmony between the music and the mind: A psychological skills program for musicians. Lecture session presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 36th Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Garst, B., & Chu, T. L. (2021, October). The roles of athlete–parent and athlete–sibling dyads in high school athletes’ perceived parenting climates. Poster presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 36th Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Faculty Publications

Chu, T. L. (2022). Applying positive psychology to foster student engagement and classroom community amid the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 8(2), 154-163. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000238

Chu, T. L., Sommerfeld, B., & Zhang, T. (2022). Developmental differences in youth athlete burnout: A gendered perspective. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 16(1), 42–54. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2021-0017

Chu, T. L., Sommerfeld, B., & Zhang, T. (2021). Developmental differences in youth athlete burnout: A gendered perspective. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2021-0017

Chu, T. L., & Petrie, T. A. (2021). Assessing and maximizing athletes’ psychological skills under time constraints: A model for brief interventions. The Sport Psychologist, 35(2), 168–176. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2020-0119

Chu, T. L., Zhang, X., Lee, J., & Zhang, T. (2021). Perceived coach-created environment directly predicts high school athletes’ physical activity during sport. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 16(1), 70–80. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954120959733

Faculty Presentations

Chu, T. L., Petrie, T. A., Mikesell, M., & Moore, E. W. G. (2022, October). The relationship of social support, self-compassion, and resilience to psychological distress in NCAA female athletes during COVID-19. Lecture session presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 37th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.

Chu, T. L., Sommerfeld, B., & Zhang, T. (2021, September). Perceptions of need satisfaction, need frustration, and motivational regulations between athletes in specializing and investment years. Oral session presented at the International Society of Sport Psychology 14th World Congress, Taipei, Taiwan.

Chu, T. L., Petrie, T. A., & Albert, E. (2021, October). Collegiate athletes’ gender is related to their perceived coaching climates. Poster presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 36th Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Escandell, S., & Chu, T. L. (2021, October). Head coaches may influence high school athletes’ psychological needs and motivation more positively than assistant coaches. Poster presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 36th Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV.