Team Formulation in Elite Sport

Abstract

This thesis documents the personal and professional development that I have made throughout my journey as a Sport and Exercise Psychologist in Training on the Professional Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Portsmouth. This portfolio demonstrates how I have met the competencies (consultancy, professional standards, research, and dissemination) required by the Health and Care Professions Council for registration as a “Practitioner Psychologist”. The portfolio comprises four case studies, two empirical research papers, a range of sample reflections on my work, and lastly, a reflective epilogue.
The four case studies included in this portfolio provide a representation of my approach to practice and reflections on some key experiences that have shaped my applied work. A common theme across my case studies is the interdisciplinary approach I adopt in my practice, and the value I place in learning from - and collaborating with - others, to enhance my professional practice and development through sport psychology service delivery. The aim of the first empirical paper in this thesis was to extend previous research on Team Formulation in elite sport by exploring the impact of the process on professionals, from a range of roles within interdisciplinary teams, within a variety of elite sports. The second empirical paper is the first to explore the experiences of practitioners implementing Team Formulation in their applied practice. The results of this second study were informed by interviews with sport psychologists and clinical psychologists, who have a diverse range of experience and training, working in elite sport. The reflective diary documents some of the critical moments within my training that contributed towards my personal and professional development. I then present a reflective epilogue which summarises the experiences and learnings I have gained throughout my Professional Doctorate journey. Finally, a practice log of training has been provided to demonstrate the work and experiences that have shaped my development as a trainee over the last four years.

Date of Award	17 Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Portsmouth
Supervisor	Chris Wagstaff (Supervisor) & Alessandro Quartiroli (Supervisor)