Dr Daryl Cowan is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for the BSc Sport Coaching. He is a researcher in the areas of sport coaching and sport psychology, with a particular interest in the role of sport and physical activity as a vehicle for psychological and social development. Specifically, he is interested in helping coaches and leaders to create optimal motivational environments which influence motivation, psychosocial development, and wellbeing. Through various research projects and knowledge transfer partnerships, he has collaborated across sectors, including national governing bodies of sport, professional football clubs, sport for development and peace organisations, and employability charities.

I am currently involved in a range of research projects spanning different sectors which explore the intersection of sport, psychology, and social impact. For example:

Social Jogging Groups and Well-Being

I am collaborating with Scottish Athletics on a multi-method research project examining the psychological and social-contextual factors influencing participation and well-being among social jogging group participants. This research has involved extensive data collection, including questionnaires and interviews with jogging group participants and their leaders, to better understand the key dynamics within these groups. The findings informed the development of an evidence-based training module for Jog Leaders. With the pilot phase now complete and the module evaluated as effective, plans are underway to roll it out across the wider network to benefit more Jog Leaders and their group participants.

Sport-For-Development

A significant focus of my work is on socio-economically disadvantaged populations, which has led to the development of several projects in collaboration with organised sport programmes for disadvantaged individuals across the UK. Recently, I have also partnered with collaborators in the US to conduct a longitudinal study exploring the impact of the Homeless World Cup and related programming on the lives of its participants.

Psychosocial Training in Youth Football

In partnership with St. Mirren FC, I am supporting the development and evaluation of an academy-wide psychosocial training curriculum, which integrates a range of learning formats for players, coaches, and parents, as part of multiple postgraduate research programmes related to the project.

I am keen to collaborate with researchers and postgraduate students interested in the areas of sports coaching and sport psychology, with a particular interest in exploring sport as a vehicle for psychosocial development. 

I am interested in working with sporting organisations and national governing bodies to help their coaches and leaders to create optimal motivational environments which influence participants’ psychosocial development. I am also interested in collaborating with external organisations to support business development plans through knowledge transfer partnerships.