Dr Peter Olusoga PhD, C.Psychol
Senior Lecturer
Summary
Dr Peter Olusoga is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology. His current research focuses on stress, burnout, and well-being in sports, with a particular interest in high-performance environments and elite coaching. In addition to research, Dr Olusoga is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS), and a sport psychology consultant.
About
Dr Peter Olusoga is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology. Peter completed his award-winning PhD, exploring stress and coping in elite sports coaching, at Sheffield Hallam in 2012. His current research focuses on stress, burnout, and wellbeing in sports, with a particular interest in high-performance environments and elite coaching.
In addition to research, Dr Olusoga is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS). Peter has a background in sports coaching and completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Sheffield in 2001, followed by an MSc in Sport and Exercise Science at Sheffield Hallam University in 2006, staying on to complete his PhD entitled "Stress & Coping: A Study of Elite Sports Coaches." This work won the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) 'Dissertation of the Year' award in 2012.
Peter is a Fellow of the HEA and teaches on several modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He also has several years of supervisory experience, having supervised undergraduate, MSc and Doctoral level students. Peter gained his status as a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) in 2010.
Areas of interest: Stress, burnout, and well-being, the psychology of sports coaching, mindfulness, race and racism.
- Anxiety, Stress and Coping
- Burnout
- Psychology of Sports Coaching
- Mindfulness
Teaching
Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Psychology
Courses
BSc Psychology, MSc Psychology
Publications
Journal articles
Simova, M., Olusoga, P., Brown, C.J., & Chroni, S.A. (2024). Understanding well-being in high-performance coaches: A constructivist grounded theory approach. International Sport Coaching Journal, 1-11. http://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2023-0009
Kenttä, G., Dieffenbach, K., Bentzen, M., Thompson, M., Côté, J., Mallett, C., & Olusoga, P. (2023). Position Paper: Rationale for a Focused Attention on Mental Health of High-Performance Sports Coaches. International Sport Coaching Journal. http://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2022-0123
Hemingway, K., Butt, J., Spray, C., Olusoga, P., & Beretta De Azevedo, L. (2023). Exploring students experiences of secondary school Physical Education in England. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. http://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2023.2256771
Carter, L., & Olusoga, P. (2023). Prologue. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 35 (1), 1-4. http://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2022.2149635
Thompson, S., Olusoga, P., Rogerson, D., Ruddock, A., & Barnes, A. (2022). “Is it a slow day or a go day?”: the perceptions and applications of velocity-based training within elite strength and conditioning. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching. http://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221099641
Rumbold, J., Dunn, J.G.H., & Olusoga, P. (2022). Examining the Predictive Validity of the Grit Scale-Short (Grit-S) Using Domain-General and Domain-Specific Approaches With Student-Athletes. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.837321
Kentta, G., Bentzen, M., Dieffenbach, K., & Olusoga, P. (2020). Challenges experienced by women high performance coaches and its association with sustainability in the profession. International Sport Coaching Journal / ISCJ. http://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2019-0029
Turner, M.J., Aspin, G., Didymus, F.F., Mack, R., Olusoga, P., Wood, A., & Bennett, R. (2020). One case, four approaches: The application of psychotherapeutic approaches in sport psychology. The Sport Psychologist, 34 (1), 71-83. http://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2019-0079
Olusoga, P., Bentzen, M., & Kenttä, G. (2019). Coach burnout: A scoping review. International sport coaching journal, 6 (1), 42-62. http://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2017-0094
Barnes, A., Rumbold, J., & Olusoga, P. (2017). Attitudes towards protective headgear in UK rugby union players. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 3 (1), e000255. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2017-000255
Olusoga, P., & Kentta, G. (2017). Desperate to quit: a narrative analysis of burnout and recovery in high-performance sports coaching. The Sport Psychologist, 31 (3), 237-248. http://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2016-0010
Bennett, J., Bickley, J., Vernon, T., Olusoga, P., & Maynard, I. (2017). Preliminary evidence for the treatment of performance blocks in sport: The efficacy of EMDR With Graded Exposure. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 11 (2), 96-110. http://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.11.2.96
Bennett, J., Rotherham, M., Hays, K., Olusoga, P., & Maynard, I. (2016). Yips and Lost Move Syndrome : assessing impact and exploring levels of perfectionism, rumination, and reinvestment. Sport and exercise psychology review, 12 (1).
Bennett, J., Hays, K., Lindsay, P., Olusoga, P., & Maynard, I. (2015). Yips and Lost Move Syndrome : exploring psychological symptoms, similarities, and implications for treatment. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 46, 61-82.
Slack, L.A., Maynard, I., Butt, J., & Olusoga, P. (2015). An evaluation of a mental toughness education and training program for early-career English football league referees. Sports Psychologist, 29 (3), 237-257. http://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2014-0015
Slack, L., Butt, J., Maynard, I., & Olusoga, P. (2014). Understanding mental toughness in elite football officiating : perceptions of English Premier League referees. Sport and exercise psychology review, 10 (1), 4-24.
Olusoga, P., Maynard, I., Butt, J., & Hays, K. (2014). Coaching under pressure: mental skills training for sports coaches. Sport and exercise psychology review, 10 (3), 31-44.
Slack, L., Maynard, I., Butt, J., & Olusoga, P. (2013). Factors underpinning elite sport officiating: perceptions of English Premier League referees. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 25 (3), 298-315. http://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2012.726935
Olusoga, P., Butt, J., Maynard, I., & Hays, K. (2012). Coaching under pressure: A study of successful British Olympic coaches. Journal of Sports Sciences, 30 (3), 229-239. http://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2011.639384
Olusoga, P., Butt, J., Maynard, I., & Hays, K. (2010). Stress and coping: a study of world class coaches. Journal of applied sport psychology, 22 (3), 274-293. http://doi.org/10.1080/10413201003760968
Olusoga, P., Butt, J., Hays, K., & Maynard, I. (2009). Stress in elite sports coaching: identifying stressors. Journal of applied sport psychology, 21 (4), 442-459. http://doi.org/10.1080/10413200903222921
Conference papers
Woodhouse, D., Olusoga, P., Hemborough, D., Newton, E., Pupius, M., & Newton, J. (2018). MindfullySTRONG: Proof of Concept. n/a.
Book chapters
Arvinen-Barrow, M., & Olusoga, P. (2024). Coping with Sport Injury and Rehabilitation. In Arvinen-Barrow, M., & Clement, D. (Eds.) The Psychology of Sport Injury and Rehabilitation. Second edition. (pp. 177-188). London: Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003295709-15
Olusoga, P., & Yousuf, S. (2023). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In Turner, M., Jones, M., & Wood, A. (Eds.) Applying Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic Approaches in Sport. (pp. 26-43). Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003162513-3
Olusoga, P., Kenttä, G., & Bentzen, M. (2021). Coaching Under Stress and Burnout. In Resende, R., & Gomes, A.R. (Eds.) Coaching for Human Development and Performance in Sports. (pp. 371-409). Springer International Publishing: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63912-9_19
Olusoga, P., & Thelwell, R. (2016). Coach stress and associated impacts. In Thelwell, R., Harwood, C., & Greenlees, I. (Eds.) The psychology of sports coaching : Research and practice. (pp. 128-141). Abingdon: Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315689210
Theses / Dissertations
Bennett, J.E. (2015). The psychology of the yips and lost move syndrome in sport. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Maynard, I., Olusoga, P., Lindsay, P., & Hays, K.
Slack, L.A. (2013). Mental toughness in elite football officiating. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Maynard, I., Butt, J., & Olusoga, P.
Olusoga, P.F. (2011). Stress and coping : A study of elite sports coaches. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Maynard, I., Butt, J., & Hays, K.
Presentations
Kilby, L., Olusoga, P., Bennett, C., & Freeman, E. (2021). Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Social Science: If we are all so ‘woke’ why are we still so ‘stuck’ with the status quo? Presented at: PSP Annual Conference, Sheffield
Woodhouse, D., Hembrough, D., Olusoga, P., Darwin, J., Newton, E., & Pupius, M. (2018). MindfullySTRONG: attention, awareness and flow. Presented at: LARASA International Congress: Leisure Transforming our World, Durban
Woodhouse, D., Hembrough, D., Olusoga, P., Darwin, J., Newton, E., & Pupius, M. (2018). MindfullySTRONG: Attention, Awareness and Flow. Presented at: Ninth International Conference on Sport and Society, FIU, Miami
Other activities
Associate Editor: Journal of Applied Sport Psychology
Associate Editor: The Psychologist
Co-Editor on Journal of Applied Sport Psychology Special Issue: The Current Status of Racism in Sport Psychology and Liberatory Practices for Dismantling Systemic Racism” Guest Editors Leeja Carter, Long Island University, Brooklyn, USA; Peter Olusoga, Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
PhD Examinations
Internal (SHU):
Mark O’Sullivan (2022 – Sheffield Hallam University). Learning in Development Research Framework for Athlete Development and Sport Science Support.
Dr Mike Stoker (2017 – Sheffield Hallam University). Creating Pressure Training Environments in Elite Sport.
External:
Dr Lee Baldock (2022 - University of South Wales). An examination of the stress and mental ill/well-being experiences of elite football coaches.
Dr Rebecca Jane Prince (2019 - University of Huddersfield). Investigating the risky behaviours of elite athletes.
Dr John Allan (2018 - Leeds Beckett University): Building the psychological resilience of inductees through outdoor adventure residential experiences.
Dr Jarred Parkes (2018 - University of Queensland, Australia). Examining mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies in facilitating sports performance: Benefits and limitations.
Postgraduate supervision
Current Supervisions
Simova, M. 'Exploring the psychological well-being of elite sport coaches'
PhD Completions
Slack, L. PhD. (2013). Mental Toughness in Elite Football Officiating (Winner of the AASP Dissertation Award, 2014).
Bennett, J., PhD. (2015). The Psychology of the YIPS and Lost Move Syndrome in Sport. PhD: Mental Toughness in Elite Football Officiating (winner of the AASP Dissertation Award, 2014)