York St John team to present at international conference

A York St John University research student will shortly present at her first overseas conference.

First year Sport Psychology PhD student Esmie Smith will travel to Munich at the end of the month with fellow research group members, Sarah Mallinson-Howard and Gareth Jowett from York St John and Dr Andy Hill from Leeds University.

‘Performing Under Pressure’ takes place at the University of Music and Performing Arts between 29 and 31 May. The International and Interdisciplinary Symposium will look into preparation and performance strategies and delegates will include psychologists and academics, along with performers and teachers from the disciplines of music, dance, theatre and sports.

Esmie will present in a symposium alongside her colleagues and supervisor Howard Hall, Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology at York St John. The symposium will explore the psychological mechanisms by which perfectionism leads to burnout. Esmie will discuss her research which relates to the conceptualisation of perfectionism and the relationship between perfectionism and the potentially debilitating effects of this characteristic in sport professionals.

Her studies have been supported by the International Centre of Football Research (ICFR) based at UCFB, which brings together industry leading academics and practitioners to provide research and guidance to the football industry.