Balance & Optimising Performance:

RESEARCH

Hannah holds a doctorate in Athlete Well-Being from La Trobe University, as well as undergraduate degrees in Sport Science and Sport Management (with honours) from Deakin University. Dr Mac is also a qualified mindfulness teacher, breathwork coach, and has trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Community Engagement and Creative Facilitation. Hannah’s expertise and areas of interest include:

  • Emotional, mental, social and physical well-being

  • Positive psychology evidence-based techniques to optimise life

  • Strengths, optimism, gratitude, resiliency, and helping others

  • Mindfulness and breathwork

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

  • Motivational Interviewing

  • Elite sport, Paralympic sport and inclusion

  • Behaviour change and transition

  • Strength and need identification and management

  • Qualitative and quantitative research techniques

  • Community engagement and creative facilitation 

As part of her PhD, Hannah completed a Para Athlete Well-Being and Performance Enhancement program. Not only was the program extremely successful, she received feedback that included “I now have light at the end of the tunnel –words cannot express what you had the program have given me”. Rewarding research? Most definitely!

Listen to Hannah speaking about her research as part of the 3 minute thesis competition or on Joy 94.9. Hannah’s interview starts at 27.20mins.

Hannah MacDougall PhD

Hannah’s publications include:

Lundqvist, C., Macdougall, H., Noguchi, Y., Malherbe, A., & Abejean, F. (2021).“When COVID-19 struck the world and elite sports: Psychological challenges and support provision in five countries during the first phase of the pandemic. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action.

Hammond, A., & Macdougall, H. (2020). Developing sport for women and girls with a disability. Developing Sport for Women and Girls, 57-68.

Macdougall, H.K., O’Halloran, P., Sherry, E., & Shields, N. (2019). A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial to Enhance Well-Being and Performance of Athletes in Para Sports. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity.

Macdougall, H.K., O’Halloran, P., Shields, N., & Sherry, E. (2017). Putting the Athlete First: A Comprehensive Assessment of Elite Para Athlete Well-Being. Journal of Well-Being Assessment, 1, 35-47.

Macdougall, H.K., O’Halloran, P., Shields, N., & Sherry, E. (2016). Strengths and Needs of Australian Para Athletes: Identifying the Subjective, Psychological, Social, and Physical Health and Well-Being. The Sports Psychologist, 30, 1-12.

Macdougall, H.K., O’Halloran, P., Shields, N., & Sherry, E. (2015). Comparing the Well-Being of Para and Olympic Sport Athletes: A Systematic Review. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 32, 256 -276.

Macdougall, H. K., Nguyen, S. N., & Karg, A. J. (2014). ‘Game, Set, Match’: An exploration of congruence in Australian disability sport sponsorship. Sport Management Review, 17(1), 78-89.