About

I joined the University in October 2015 having completed my PhD in Sport Psychology, MSc in Psychology of Sport and BSc in Sport and Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University, where I was also employed to coordinate a research project exploring graduate employability. My PhD explored the personal qualities of sport psychologists and how practitioners operate within elite and professional sport environments.

My ongoing research is focused on sport psychologist development, practitioner identity, and student-athlete well-being and my expertise lie within qualitative approaches to data collection. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and coordinate our taught postgraduate provision in Sports, Outdoor and Exercise Science. I teach across psychology and research methods modules, with module leadership responsibility at level seven. 

Teaching responsibilities

• Level 5: Sport and Exercise Psychology, Research Methods for Sport and Exercise
• Level 6: Applied Sport Psychology, Independent Study for Sport and Exercise
• Level 7: Advanced Research Methods (Module Leader), Advanced Sport Psychology (Module Leader), Psychology of Exercise and Physical Activity (Module Leader) Practitioner Development in Applied Sport and Exercise Science

Research interests

My research interests include the personal qualities of effective sport psychologists and the development of practitioners. This includes research exploring the supervision of trainee practitioners and practitioner identity, with additional research interests in student-athlete support and wellbeing. 

Membership of professional bodies

BASES Professional member

Qualifications

• PhD Sport Psychology – ‘Exploring the contribution of personal qualities to the effective delivery of sport psychology service provision’, Liverpool John Moores University (2015)
• MSc Psychology of Sport, Liverpool John Moores University (2009)
• BSc Sport and Exercise Science (Psychology), Liverpool John Moores University (2007)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Recent conferences

• Chandler, C., & McEwan, H. (2019). Exploring supervisory relationships in sport and exercise and health psychology and their impact on practitioner development. Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2019, Solihull, UK
• Eubank, M., Chandler, C., & Nesti, M. (2015). The Person Behind the Practitioner: The Importance of Understanding ‘Me and My Own Stuff’. 14th European Congress of Sport Psychology, Bern, Switzerland
• Chandler, C., Eubank, M., & Nesti, M. (2014). An Idiographic Approach to Exploring the Personal Qualities and Experiences of Effective Sport Psychologists. 4th International Conference for Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, Loughborough, UK
• Chandler, C., Eubank, M., & Nesti, M. (2012). Personal Qualities in Applied Sport Psychology Practice: Sport Psychologist Reflections. The BPS North East & North West of England Branch Conference, Manchester, UK
• Chandler, C., Eubank, M., & Nesti, M. (2011). Unique Environments and the Personal Qualities of Sport Psychologists: A Sports Medic Perspective. 16th Annual Congress of the ECSS, Liverpool, UK.
• Chandler, C., Eubank, M., & Nesti, M. (2010). Effective Qualities of Sport Psychologists: A Sport Medic Perspective. 2010 Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology Conference, British Psychological Society, London, UK
• Chandler, C., Bradford, J., & Cui, V. (2010). Developing Employability for 21st Century Graduates: Understanding, Attitudes and Perceptions of Academic Staff, Students and Employers. 9th Annual Teaching and Learning Conference, LJMU, Liverpool, UK

Recent publications

• Roscoe, C. M. J., Pringle, A., Chandler, C., Faghy, M. A., & Barratt, B. (2022). The role of physical activity in cancer recovery: An exercise practitioner’s perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(6), 3600. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063600

• Turner, M. J. et al. (2022). “I must do this!”: A latent profile analysis approach to understanding the role of 4 irrational beliefs and motivation regulation in mental and physical health. Journal of Sports Sciences.  DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2042124

• Verner, D., Chandler, C., & Clarke, P. (2021). Exploring the contribution of personal qualities to the personal and professional development of trainee sport psychology practitioners within the individuation process. Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research, 92, 43-54. DOI: 10.2478/pcssr-2021-0024

• Tod, D., Eubank., M., McEwan, H. E., Chandler, C., & Lafferty, M. (2021). Supervision. In E. Filho and I. Basevitch (Eds.) Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology Research Directions to Advance the Field. Oxford University Press

• Tod, D., McEwan, H., Chandler, C., Eubank, M. & Lafferty, M. (2020). The gravitational pull of identity: professional growth in sport, exercise, and performance psychologists. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action,11(4), 233-242. DOI:10.1080/21520704.2020.1825024

• Chandler, C., Steptoe, K., & Eubank, M. (2020). Assessing the Impact of Psychology Provision in Elite Youth Soccer. In J. Dixon, J. Barker, R. Thelwell, and I. Mitchell (Eds.) The Psychology of Soccer. Routledge

• Chandler, C. (2016). Cross-disciplinarity in sport (and) psychology. The Sport and Exercise Scientist, 49, 7

• Chandler, C., Eubank, M., Nesti, M., Cable, T., & Tod, D. (2016). Personal qualities of effective sport psychologists: Coping with organisational demands in high-performance sport. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 47, 1-21. DOI: 10.7352/IJSP.2016.47.297

• Chandler, C., Eubank, M., Nesti, M., & Cable, T. (2014). Personal qualities of effective sport psychologists: A sports physician perspective. Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research, 61(1), 28-38. DOI: 10.2478/pcssr-2014-0003

Courses

• Doctorate in Professional Practice (Sport and Exercise) (online)