Queen's University Belfast

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Coaching Identity and Mental Health Guidelines in Community Sport: A Social Identity Approach

• Coaching Identity and Mental Health Guidelines in Community Sport: A Social Identity Approach: School of Psychology | PHD Applications are now CLOSED
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Overview

Sport coaches are among the most trusted and influential figures in young people's lives, yet many feel ill-equipped when it comes to mental health. This PhD project addresses that gap. Working within Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) community sports clubs in Ireland and Northern Ireland, this project investigates how coaches' sense of identity in their role shapes their willingness and ability to deliver mental health guidance to young males aged 12-25. National mental health guidelines for community sport are due to launch in 2027. The current project is designed to assess if coaches are ready, and confident, to put them into practice. Using a blend of focus groups, physiological wearables, and co-produced toolkits, this project will generate evidence that directly informs how mental health support is embedded into a sports club.

Sport coaches are among the most influential figures in young people's lives, yet many feel underprepared when it comes to responding to a mental health concern in their players. GAA community clubs serve members across Ireland and offer a powerful context for mental health promotion, but coaches report low confidence in navigating sensitive conversations, and few have received formal training. For a coach to be knowledgeable about mental health, and to be confident to signpost young people to services will help young people. This project examines a key but overlooked factor: coaching identity. When mental health engagement is seen as part of what it means to be a coach, we want to test whether that shifts coaches from avoidance toward action (i.e., offering support), and does it measurably reduce their physiological stress response in the process? National mental health guidelines for community sport are expected to launch in 2027. This project is timed to generate the implementation evidence needed to make those guidelines work in practice. The project unfolds across three sequential studies. First, focus groups with coaches, young male athletes, and club stakeholders across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will explore how coaching identity shapes readiness to deliver mental health guidance, with findings co-produced into an implementation framework alongside a stakeholder advisory group. This then informs a pilot intervention study in which approximately 9-12 GAA clubs are randomly allocated to identity-enhanced or standard delivery conditions, with coaches wearing biosensors to capture real-time physiological stress responses alongside self-report measures of confidence and mental health knowledge while they are delivering a mental health programme. Finally, evidence from both studies is translated into a practical, publicly available 'Coaching for Wellbeing' toolkit designed for volunteer coaches and aligned to the national mental health guideline domains.

Funding Information

This is a fully funded PhD studentship supported by Movember Funding which covers full tuition fees and a PhD stipend in line with QUB/DfE rates for 3 years.

Dr Andrew Monaghan

More Information

a.monaghan@qub.ac.uk

Research Profile

Full-time: 3 years

Psychology overview

The School of Psychology has a thriving, well-resourced and engaged PhD community that is central to its research environment. Students are strategically appointed to research projects with the express purpose of enhancing research capacity and development in prioritised areas for which the School aims to enhance world-leading research. MODE OF STUDY / DURATION Registration is on a full-time or part-time basis, under the direction of a supervisory team appointed by the University. You will be expected to submit your thesis at the end of three years of full-time registration for PhD, or two years for MPhil (or part-time equivalent).

Course content

Associated Research The School of Psychology has a postgraduate research community of around 50 PhD students who are very well resourced and supported in their research. The School has made extensive material investments in infrastructure, including two computer labs and access to several suites of dedicated research labs, to support their research. Students are a central part of the research environment of the School and participate in School-level seminars and research meetings. Students are expected and encouraged to publish during their PhD research and are supported in doing so through their research training. Subject-specific postgraduate modules in research design and methods are delivered as part of the PhD training portfolio to complement the generic University training and further topic-specific research training is also available. Other opportunities exist to attract funding from non-governmental sources. Current and previous PhD sponsors include professional services firms, international Governments, charities, and technology companies. We also welcome self-funding students on a full-time or part-time basis. The School of Psychology at Queen's ranked in the top 10 psychology departments in the UK for research intensity in REF 2014 and provides an excellent environment in which to carry out PhD research. One distinctive aspect of the PhD experience in the School of Psychology is the high level of spontaneous peer-support, initiative, and engagement among this community of Doctoral researchers. This is valued and fostered by the School through its support of the postgraduate conference and postgraduate week activities as well as wide-ranging involvement of research students across many aspects of School life. Our PhD community also organizes numerous social events each year that are very popular amongst both staff and students. There is a range of sources of funding available for PhD students. Every year the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland (DEL) funds a number of PhD students to undertake research on pre-specified topics within the School of Psychology. These topics and the names of the associated supervisors are typically advertised online in December with a closing date in February. Last year's topics spanned research topics across Development, Social, Cognitive and Biological Psychology. Selected applicants are invited to interview and the successful candidate is offered a fully funded place with fees paid and an annual maintenance stipend for the three years of the PhD. Eligibility criteria can be found at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/delterms Students who wish to self-fund or explore external funding sources are advised to peruse our staff webpages (http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/Staff/) and to contact potential supervisors to discuss potential topics. Most students continue within academia to take up postdoctoral research positions, fellowships or lectureships in psychology. Some continue into clinical or educational psychology training while others take up research positions in the private and public sectors.

Introduction For further information on career opportunities at PhD level please contact the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences Student Recruitment Team on askEPS@qub.ac.uk. Our advisors - in consultation with the School - will be happy to provide further information on your research area, possible career prospects and your research application.

Professor Teresa McCormack Director of Postgraduate Research School of Psychology

Entrance requirements

Graduate The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Psychology from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School.

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country .

Evidence of an IELTS score of 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University, is required (taken within the last 2 years).

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs .

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1 | TBC

Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 | TBC

England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 | TBC

EU Other 3 | £28,900

International | £28,900

1 EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled or pre-settled status, are expected to be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly Student Fees Regulations. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB are expected to be charged the GB fee, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.

2 It is expected that EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI will be eligible for NI tuition fees. The tuition fee set out above is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.

3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. All fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

More information on postgraduate tuition fees .

Psychology costs

Depending on the area of research chosen there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees.

Additional course costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may also be other extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies . Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £100 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges. Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen. There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, and library fines. In undertaking a research project students may incur costs associated with transport and/or materials, and there will also be additional costs for printing and binding the thesis. There may also be individually tailored research project expenses and students should consult directly with the School for further information.

Some research programmes incur an additional annual charge on top of the tuition fees, often referred to as a bench fee. Bench fees are charged when a programme (or a specific project) incurs extra costs such as those involved with specialist laboratory or field work. If you are required to pay bench fees they will be detailed on your offer letter. If you have any questions about Bench Fees these should be raised with your School at the application stage. Please note that, if you are being funded you will need to ensure your sponsor is aware of and has agreed to fund these additional costs before accepting your place.

How do I fund my study?

Find PhD opportunities and funded studentships by subject area.

We offer numerous opportunities for funded doctoral study in a world-class research environment. Our centres and partnerships, aim to seek out and nurture outstanding postgraduate research students, and provide targeted training and skills development.

The Government offers doctoral loans of up to £26,445 for PhDs and equivalent postgraduate research programmes for English- or Welsh-resident UK and EU students.

Information on Postgraduate Research scholarships for international students .

The Funding & Scholarship Finder helps prospective and current students find funding to help cover costs towards a whole range of study related expenses.

How to Apply

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply .

If you're interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.

To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here .

You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.

Download Postgraduate Prospectus

Research areas