Dr Elizabeth Pummell
Faculties, departments and locations
- Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
- Department of Applied and Human Sciences
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry
- Penrhyn Road
Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Email:
- [email protected]
About
I studied psychology at the University of London (Royal Holloway College) before completing a masters in sport and exercise psychology at Loughborough University, where I was awarded a doctorate, under the supervision of Professor David Lavallee.
Following a period working for the trainer of Great Britain's junior and young rider eventing teams, I focused my doctoral research on the transition junior athletes undertake to senior level, and how this can be best supported.
I am a British Psychological Society chartered sport psychologist, and HCPC-registered practitioner psychologist.
I very much enjoy putting research into practice. I have worked with athletes from a number of sports, but specialise in work with equestrians and tennis players, helping them make the transition to higher-level performance.
Before joining Kingston University, I was Head of Sport Psychology for the elite training programme at one of a small number of international high performance tennis centres in the UK. I am still active within tennis, having worked closely with the International Tennis Federation, leading a review of the structure and function of the junior and professional circuits, and for whom my work has led to broad changes in the international tennis circuit, with the aim to facilitate the transition from junior to senior tennis.
Qualifications
- PhD Sport Psychology (Loughborough University)
- PGCHE (Kingston University)
- MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology (Loughborough University)
- BSc (Hons) Psychology (Royal Holloway, University of London)
Domains
My recent research has focused on the following strands:
- athlete well-being
- athlete development/ career transition
- the psychological benefits of physical activity
- eating disorders
- the psychology of ultra-marathon running
Industry links
- International Tennis Federation
Publications
Mapping doping-related criminal legislation together: an informed stakeholder consultation
Lockett, Isaac, Exner, Jan, Pummell, Elizabeth and Petróczi, Andrea, 2026, Performance Enhancement and Health (14), 2, Published
Tracking the shift from health to harm: development and validation of a short screening tool for orthorexia nervosa
Mitrofanova, Elina, Mulrooney, Hilda, Pummell, Elizabeth and Petroczi, Andrea, 2025, Appetite (214), Published
Sanctions to sentences: a systematic analysis of two decades of discourse on doping criminalisation
Lockett, Isaac, Pummell, Elizabeth and Petroczi, Andrea, 2025, International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, E-pub ahead of print
Using behavioural reasoning theory to explore reasons for dietary restriction: a qualitative study of orthorexic behavioural tendencies in the UK
Mitrofanova, Elina, Pummell, Elizabeth K.L., Mulrooney, Hilda M. and Petróczi, Andrea, 2021, Frontiers in Psychology (12), Published
Performance determinants, running energetics and spatiotemporal gait parameters during a treadmill ultramarathon
Howe, Christopher C.F., Swann, Nicola, Spendiff, Owen, Kosciuk, Anna, Pummell, Elizabeth K.L. and Moir, Hannah J., 2021, European Journal of Applied Physiology (121)pp 1759-1771, Published
Does ORTO-15 produce valid data for 'Orthorexia Nervosa'? A mixed-method examination of participants' interpretations of the fifteen test items
Mitrofanova, Elina, Pummell, Elizabeth, Martinelli, Laura and Petróczi, Andrea, 2021, Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity (26), 3pp 897-909, Published
Emotional intelligence and mood states impact on the stress response to a treadmill ultramarathon
Howe, Christopher C.F., Pummell, Elizabeth, Pang, Susan, Spendiff, Owen and Moir, Hannah J., 2019, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (22), 7pp 763-768, Published
Preparing UK tennis academy players for the junior-to-senior transition: development, implementation, and evaluation of an intervention program
Pummell, Elizabeth K.L. and Lavallee, David, 2019, Psychology of Sport and Exercise (40)pp 156-164, Published
Salsa dance and Zumba fitness: acute responses during community-based classes
Domene, Pablo A., Moir, Hannah J., Pummell, Elizabeth and Easton, Chris, 2016, Journal of Sport and Health Science (5), 2pp 190-196, Published
The health-enhancing efficacy of Zumba® fitness: an 8-week randomised controlled study
Domene, Pablo A., Moir, Hannah J., Pummell, Elizabeth, Knox, Allan and Easton, Chris, 2016, Journal of Sports Sciences (34), 15pp 1396-1404, Published
Physiological and perceptual responses to Latin partner-based social dance
Domene, Pablo A., Moir, Hannah J., Pummell, Elizabeth and Easton, Chris, 2014, Human Movement Science (37)pp 32-41, Published
Psychology section editorial
Arnold, Rachel and Pummell, Elizabeth, 2014, Vestnik - Sankt-Petersburgskogo Universiteta, Seriya Geologiya i Geografiya (1)pp 13-16, Published
Salsa dance and Zumba fitness: acute responses during community-based classes
Domene, Pablo A., Moir, Hannah, Pummell, Elizabeth and Easton, Chris, 2014, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (46), 5pp 667-667, Published
'I can't lose this match!': CBT and the sport psychologist
Puig, Juliette and Pummell, Beth, 2012, International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (8), 2pp 54-62, Published
Jumping to the next level: a qualitative examination of within-career transition in adolescent event riders
Pummell, Beth, Harwood, Chris and Lavallee, David, 2008, Psychology of Sport and Exercise (9), 4pp 427-447, Published
Pharmacy and sport science university students' perceptions of COVID-19 and its impact on their behaviour, their studies and their careers.
Ooms, Ann, Micallef, Ricarda and Pummell, Elizabeth(2021). [Published]
How does Covid-19 affect pharmacy students' perceptions of on-campus learning?
Micallef, Ricarda, Ooms, Ann, Pummell, Elizabeth, Swann, Nicola and Moir, Hannah(2021). [Published]
How does Covid-19 affect pharmacy students' perceptions of on-campus learning?
Micallef, Ricarda, Ooms, Ann, Pummell, Elizabeth, Swann, Nicola and Moir, Hannah(2021). [Published]
Sport Science student perceptions of learning and teaching during the COVID19 pandemic
Moir, Hannah, Ooms, Ann, Pummell, Elizabeth, Swann, Nicola and Micallef, Ricarda(2021). [Published]
Sport science students' perceptions of learning and teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic
Moir, Hannah, Ooms, Ann, Pummell, Elizabeth, Swain, Elizabeth and Micallef, Ricarda(2021). [Published]
Trait emotional intelligence, mood states & cortisol response to a treadmill ultramarathon
Howe, C.C.F, Pummell, E., Pang, S., Spendiff, O. and Moir, H.J.(2018). [Published]
Untargeted metabolomics profiling of ultramarathon exercise simulated on a treadmill in healthy adults
Alshehri, Ahmed, Howe, Christopher, Muggeridge, David, Mullen, Alexander B., Boyd, Marie, Spendiff, Owen, Pummell, Elizabeth, Moir, Hannah J. and Watson, David G.(2017). [Published]
Penalty shootouts in women's soccer: the influence of kicking order, kick number, and positional role
Parris, Kirstie, Pummell, Elizabeth and Brouner, James(2015). [Published]
The effectiveness of PETLLEP imagery on competitive swimming
Roberston, T.A. and Pummell, B.(2011). [Published]
Gallery of work
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Changing the face of international tennis
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British Educational Research Association Conference 2021
Identifying the impact of the COVID pandemic on university students
Videos of my work
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Sport psychology in action
A video produced for the British Psychological Society