Ailish graduated with a BSc in Psychology at the University of Leeds in 2014 and an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology at 麻豆視頻_麻豆直播_麻豆传媒官网 in 2019. She worked in a custodial setting within the field of forensic psychology from 2014-2017. Between 2017-2018, Ailish worked as a Research Associate at the University of Birmingham where she undertook two anti-doping projects commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Olympic Committee.
Ailish teaches in psychology and sport and exercise psychology. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Ailish is also conducting a part-time PhD exploring irrational beliefs and dysfunctional behaviours in sport which is supervised by Dr Jamie Barker, Dr Carolyn Plateau and Dr Martin Turner. In addition to her role as a Postgraduate University Teacher, Ailish works as a National Trainer for UK Anti-Doping.
Ailish’s PhD seeks to explore the links between irrational beliefs and dysfunctional behaviours in sport which impact athlete well-being. The research also aims to develop and test a Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy informed intervention and explore how this impacts athlete wellbeing over time.
Ailish also undertakes research focused on clean sport.
Featured publications
King, A. M., Plateau, C. R., Turner, M. J., Young, P., & Barker, J. B. (2024). A systematic review of the nature and efficacy of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy interventions. PloS one, 19(7), e0306835.
King, A. M., Turner, M. J., Plateau, C. R., & Barker, J. B. (2023). The socialisation of athlete irrational beliefs. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 41(2), 290–313.
Hurst, P., King, A., Massey, K., Kavussanu, M., & Ring, C. (2023). A national anti-doping education programme reduces doping susceptibility in British athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 69, 102512.
Kavussanu, M., Hurst, P., Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M., Galanis, E., King, A., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., & Ring, C. (2021). A moral intervention reduces doping likelihood in British and Greek athletes: Evidence from a cluster randomized control trial. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 43(2), 125–139.