Dr Phil Birch
Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology
About
Phil is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology in the Institute of Applied Sciences. After completing his PhD in 2014 which developed instruments to measure mental toughness in sport, Phil joined the team at the 香港六合论坛. Phil is currently a member of the Research Ethics Committee and the Institute of Applied Sciences CHASER research planning group for the Research Excellence Framework submission in 2028. Phil is also External Examiner for BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences at University of Hertfordshire.
Phil鈥檚 research activity rapidly accelerated in 2019 when he published a 鈥榝irst of its kind鈥� study examining stress and coping in professional esports players. According to a 香港六合论坛 Press Report, the study was covered by over 80 global media outlets reaching an estimated 186,650,644 viewers which resulted in an advertising equivalency value (estimated value of coverage) of 拢1,073,241.20. Phil has continued this burgeoning area of research and has amassed over 10 publications examining the psychological demands placed on esports performers, with a specific focus on stress, coping, self-regulation (including heart-rate variability), and mental health. Phil has also advanced understanding of think aloud protocols in sport and has published numerous studies.
As a result of his success, Phil has delivered two invited keynote lectures at International and National conferences and is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the newly formed Human Kinetics publication Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports. Phil also received the 2023 Outstanding Service award from Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports to reflect his author and editorial contributions.
Phil leads a range of undergraduate sport and exercise psychology modules and leads the postgraduate module titled Advanced Performance Psychology. Phil supervises a range of undergraduate and postgraduate research projects, including a fully funded PhD student.
Education
- PhD Student in Sport and Exercise Psychology, 香港六合论坛 (2010 鈥� 2014)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching, 香港六合论坛 (2007 鈥� 2013)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Skills, 香港六合论坛 (2007 鈥� 2008)
- MSc Psychology of Sport and Exercise (Distinction), 香港六合论坛 (2006 鈥� 2007)
- BSc port and Exercise Science (First Class), 香港六合论坛 (2003 鈥� 2006)
Membership of Professional Bodies
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Member of the Executive Board for Association for Continuing Education in Esports
Research
Phil鈥檚 main area of research interest is performance psychology in traditional sports and esports.
Phil is currently examining stress, coping, and mental ill health in esports athletes and the use of think aloud protocols in both traditional sports and esports.
Phil鈥檚 research activity in the psychology of esports field is reflected by his role on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports.
Keynote presentation
Birch, P. D. J. (2023). Performance Psychology in the Arena of Esports. Keynote presentation delivered at British Association of Sport and Exercises Sciences (BASES) Student Conference, April, 2023.
Birch, P. D. J. (2021). Research to practice: Stress, coping and mental ill health in esports. Keynote presentation delivered as part of the keynote panel on Mental Performance in Esport: Considerations for Practitioners for Association for Applied Sport Psychology鈥檚 36th annual (online) conference, October, 2021.
PhD Supervision
As of April 2022, Phil is primary supervisor for a fully funded PhD student who is examining the psychophysiological demands of esports performance using heart rate variability to capture self-regulation.
Phil is actively looking for motivated individuals to supervise for PhD programmes on topics related, but not limited to, psychometrics, stress, coping, self-regulation (including heart-rate variability), mental health, and think aloud in both tradition sports and esports. Please review the following link for fees [Link] and then contact Phil if interested [p.birch@chi.ac.uk].
Research Output
Articles
Birch, P. D. J., Smith, M. J., Arumuham, A., Ortiz de Gortari, A. and Sharpe, B. T. (2024) Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports. pp. 1-23. ISSN 2836-3523 (In Press)
Sharpe, B. T., Obine, E., Birch, P. D. J., Pocock, C. and Moore, L. (2023) Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. pp. 1-22. ISSN 2157-3905
Runswick, O. R., Rawlinson, A., Allen, P. M., Sharpe, B. T., Pocock, C., Datson, N., Birch, P. D. J., Bruce, R. and Mann, D. L. (2023) Journal of Sports Sciences, 41 (14). pp. 1410-1422. ISSN 0264-0414
Monteiro Pereira, A., Bolling, C., Birch, P. D. J., Figueiredo, P., Verhagen, E. and Brito, J. (2023) Sports Medicine - Open, 9:62 (1). pp. 1-17. ISSN 2198-9761 (In Press)
Welsh, M. R., Mosley, E., Laborde, S., Day, M. C., Sharpe, B. T., Burkill, R. A. and Birch, P. D. J. (2023) Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 69. pp. 1-38. ISSN 1469-0292
Birch, P. D. J., Greenlees, L. and Sharpe, B. T. (2023) Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports. ISSN 2836-3523 (In Press)
Sharpe, B. T., Besombes, N., Welsh, M. R. and Birch, P. D. J. (2023) Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports. pp. 1-13. ISSN 2836-3523 (In Press)
Abbott, C., Watson, M. and Birch, P. D. J. (2023) Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports, 1 (1). pp. 1-11. (In Press)
Birch, P. D. J., Yeoman, B. and Whitehead, A. (2022) The Sport Psychologist. pp. 1-10. ISSN 0888-4781 (In Press)
Smith, M. J., Runswick, O. R., Jewiss, M. and Birch, P. D. J. (2022) Educational Psychology. pp. 1-18. ISSN 1469-5820
Smith, M. J., Sharpe, B. T., Arumuham, A. and Birch, P. D. J. (2022) Healthcare, 10 (4). ISSN 2227-9032
Leis, O., Franziska, L., Birch, P. D. J. and Elbe, A.-M. (2021) International Journal of eSports. (In Press)
Shaw, M., Runswick, O. R. and Birch, P. D. J. (2020) Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. ISSN 2157-3905 (In Press)
Murphy, C. P., Wakefield, A., Birch, P. D. J. and North, J. S. (2020) Journal of Expertise, 3 (4). pp. 227-237. ISSN 2573-2773
McGreary, M., Birch, P. D. J., Eubank, M. and Whitehead, A. (2020) Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health. pp. 1-18. ISSN 2159-6778
Birch, P. D. J. and Whitehead, A. (2020) Perceptual and Motor Skills, 127 (1). pp. 202-224. ISSN 0031-5125
Yeoman, B., Birch, P. D. J. and Runswick, O. R. (2019) Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 47. ISSN 1469-0292
Smith, M. J., Birch, P. D. J. and Bright, D. (2019) International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 11 (2). pp. 22-39. ISSN 1942-3888
Batten, J., Jessop, T. and Birch, P. D. J. (2018) Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 44 (2). pp. 309-320. ISSN 0260-2938
Birch, P. D. J., Crampton, S., Greenlees, I. A., Lowry, R. G. and Coffee, P. (2017) International Journal of Sport Psychology, 48 (3). pp. 331-355. ISSN 0047-0767
Birch, P. D. J., Batten, J. and Batey, J. (2016) Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41 (7). pp. 1065-1080. ISSN 0260-2938
Batten, J., Birch, P. D. J., Wright, J., Manley, A. J. and Smith, M. J. (2014) Teaching in Higher Education, 19 (2). pp. 113-125. ISSN 1356-2517
Manley, A. J., Greenlees, I. A., Smith, M. J., Batten, J. and Birch, P. D. J. (2013) Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. ISSN 0905-7188
Birch, P. D. J., Batten, J., Manley, A. J. and Smith, M. J. (2013) Teaching in Higher Education, 17 (6). pp. 660-672. ISSN 1356-2517
Batten, J., Batey, J., Shafe, L., Gubby, L. and Birch, P. D. J. (2013) Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38 (4). pp. 417-435. ISSN 0260-2938
Book Sections
Smith, M. J., Birch, P. D. J. and Bright, D. (2020) In: Research Anthology on Business Strategies, Health Factors, and Ethical Implications in Sports and eSports. IGI Global, Hershey, PA, pp. 895-914. ISBN 9781799877073
Smith, M. J., Birch, P. D. J. and Bright, D. (2020) In: Research Anthology on Business Strategies, Health Factors, and Ethical Implications in Sports and eSports. IGI Global, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA, pp. 895-914. ISBN 9781799877073
Conference or Workshop Items
Birch, P. D. J. and Sharpe, B. T. (2023) In: International Federation of Esports Coaches Summit, 6 - 7 September 2023, University of Northampton (online).
Whitehead, A., McEwan, H., Vaughan, S., Swettenham, L., Birch, P. D. J. and Jackman, P. (2023) In: European College of Sport Science, 4 - 7 July 2023, Paris, France.
Birch, P. D. J., Sharpe, B. T., Ortiz de Gortari, A., Arumuham, A. and Smith, M. J. (2023) In: Annual Research Conference 2023, 香港六合论坛, 5 - 6 July 2023, Bognor Regis, England.
Sharpe, B. T., Obine, E., Birch, P. D. J., Pocock, C. and Moore, L. (2023) In: Annual Research Conference 2023, 香港六合论坛, 5 - 6 July 2023, Bognor Regis, England.
Welsh, M. R., Mosley, E., Laborde, S., Day, M. C., Sharpe, B. T., Burkill, R. A. and Birch, P. D. J. (2023) In: Annual Research Conference 2023, 香港六合论坛, 5 - 6 July 2023, Bognor Regis, England.
Birch, P. D. J. (2023) In: British Association of Sport and Exercises Sciences (BASES) Student Conference, 24 - 25 April 2023, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, England.
Whitehead, A., McEwan, H., Vaughan, S., Swettenham, L., Jackman, P., Tod, D. and Birch, P. D. J. (2022) In: British Psychological Society Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Conference, 29 - 30 November 2022, Swansea, Wales.
Birch, P. D. J., Sharpe, B. T., Ortiz de Gortari, A., Arumuham, A. and Smith, M. J. (2022) In: ERNC 22: Esports Research Network Conference, 21 - 23 November 2022, J枚nk枚ping,Sweden.
Birch, P. D. J., Sharpe, B. T., Ortiz de Gortari, A., Arumuham, A. and Smith, M. J. (2022) In: FEPSAC 2022, Padova: 16th European Congress of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 11 - 16 July 2022, Padova, Italy.
Sharpe, B. T., Besombes, N., Welsh, M. R. and Birch, P. D. J. (2022) In: FEPSAC 2022, Padova: 16th European Congress of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 11 - 16 July 2022, Padova, Italy.
McEwan, H., Whitehead, A., Tod, D., Jackman, P., Birch, P. D. J., Vaughan, S. and Swettenham, L. (2022) In: International Conference on Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise Durham, England., 26 - 28 July 2022, University of Durham.
Birch, P. D. J., Whitehead, A. and Dowrick, C. (2016) In: British Psychological Society, The Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology Conference, December 12-13, 2016, Cardiff.
Theses
Birch, P. D. J. (2014) Doctoral theses, 香港六合论坛.
