Fields of Research

Sports science and exercise
Sport and exercise psychology
Physical education and development curriculum and pedagogy
Health promotion
Motor control
Other education
Specialist studies in education
Teacher education and professional development of educators
Educational psychology

Research Objectives

Evaluation of health outcomes
Health education and promotion
Behaviour and health
Expanding knowledge in psychology
Other education and training
Expanding knowledge in education
Teacher and instructor development
Health status (incl. wellbeing)
Neonatal and child health
Evaluation of health and support services
Learner and learning

Career Best Publications

Research Publications

A comparison of self-report scales and accelerometer-determined moderate to vigorous physical activity scores of Finnish school students; Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science
A motivational model of physical education and links to enjoyment, knowledge, performance, total physical activity and body mass index; Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
A one-year follow-up of basic psychological need satisfactions in physical education and associated in-class and total physical activity; European Physical Education Review
Adolescents’ physical activity, perception of physical fitness, perceived autonomy and social relatedness in physical education from Grade 6 to Grade 9; 13th European Congress of Sport Psychology
Adolescents´ physical activity and its motivational antedecents – follow-up from Grade 6 to Grade 9; 2011 International Congress on Enchancement of Physical Activity of Children and Youth
An insight into Finnish sport education and research in sport sciences; Scientific Seminar on Education and Technology in Sports in Finland 2016
Changes in students´ physical activity and perceived autonomy from 7th grade to 9th grade; Liikunta & Tiede (Sports & Science)
Changes in students´ social cognitive factors, motivation climate and physical education enjoyment from 7th grade to 8th grade
Child centered junior hockey coaching in the region of Lapland
Children's segment specific light physical activity across two years of schoolbased program; Journal of Physical Education and Sport
Children’s expectancy beliefs and subjective task values through two years of school-based program and associated links to physical education enjoyment and physical activity; Journal of Sport and Health Science
Children’s segment specific moderate to vigorous physical activity through a school-initiated physical activity program; Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity
Children’s segmented physical activity and sedentary time during school days, recess, out of school, and weekends across two school years; 3rd World Forum of Physical Education and School Sport
Comparison of methods to measure physical activity in Finnish adolescents; International Congress on Enhancement of Physical Activity and Motor Skills (ICEPA 2012)
Comparison of methods to measure physical activity in Finnish elementary school children; 1st World Conference on Personality
Developing preschoolers' social skills through cross-cultural physical education intervention; Early Child Development and Care
Development and validation of the Perceived Game-Specific Soccer Competence Scale; Journal of Sports Sciences
Development of perceived competence, tactical skills, motivation, technical skills, and speed and agility in young soccer players; Journal of Sports Sciences
Developmental trajectories of soccer-specific dribbling and passing skills in young soccer players; Journal of Physical Education Research,
Directly measured and self-reported physical activity in a sample of Finnish secondary school students; Advances in Physical Education
Directly measured and self-reported physical activity in a sample of Finnish secondary school students; World Forum of Physical Education and School Sport 2012
Directly measured and self-reported physical activity in a sample of Finnish secondary school students; World Forum on Physical Education and School Sport 2012
Effectiveness of school-initiated physical activity program on secondary school students’ physical activity participation; Journal of School Health
Effects of a creative physical education intervention on social competence and moderate to vigorous physical activity of school aged-children; 8th International Conference of Physical Activity and Sport
Effects of school-based physical activity program on students’ moderate to vigorous physical activity and perceptions of physical competence; Journal of Physical Activity & Health
Effects of training on postural control and agility when wearing socks of different compression levels; Biomedical Human Kinetics
Exercise for children and adolescents. Finland's Situation Survey 2014 and international comparison
Finnish Report Card 2014 on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Longitudinal associations among cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, motor competence and objectively measured physical activity; Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Objectively measured and self-reported physical activity among Finnish secondary school students; The 6th Asian - South Pacific Association for Sports Psychology (ASPASP) International Congress 2011
Perceptions of motivational climate, goal orientations, and light-to -vigorous-intensity physical activity engagement of a sample of Finnish grade 5 to 9 students; International Journal of Exercise Science
Physical education teachers’ perceived sexual and physical violence and work-related stress; Journal of School Violence
Predicting accelerometer-based physical activity in physical education and total physical activity: the self-determination theory approach; Journal of Human Sport and Exercise
Prediction of enjoyment in school physical education; Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
Predictive role of exercise motivational determinants for objectively measured physical activity from grade six to upper secondary or vocational school – a three year follow-up study; Physical activity and well being in children and adolescents course
Results from Finland's 2014 report card on physical activity for children and youth; 1st Scientific Conference on Motor Skill Acquisition
Results From Finland’s 2014 report card on physical activity for children and youth; Journal of Physical Activity and Health
School-based physical activity interventions for children and youth: Keys for success; Journal of Sport and Health Science
Schoolchildren basic physical activity performance monitoring system
Secondary school students’ directly measured physical activity in school physical education – The expectancy-value theory approach; The 2012 North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference
Secondary school students’ physical activity participation across physical education classes: the expectancy-value theory approach; Physical Educator: A Magazine for The Profession
Social competence and moderate to vigorous physical activity of school-aged children through a creative physical education intervention; Advances in Physical Education
Students' perceived physical competence and physical activity engagement across one year of school-based program; 1st Scientific Conference on Motor Skill Acquisition
Students' Physical Activity, Physical Education Enjoyment, and Motivational Determinants through a Three-Year School-Initiated Program
Students’ physical activity intensity and sedentary behaviour by physical self-concept profiles: a latent profile analysis; Revista Internacional de Ciencias del Deporte
Testing a motivational model of physical education on contextual outcomes and total moderate to vigorous physical activity of middle school students; ICHKPEHE 2017: 19th International Conference on Human Kinetics, Physical Education and Health Education
Testing a social-competence model in Finnish physical education in association to physical activity intentions and self-reported physical activity; 8th International Conference of Physical Activity and Sport
Testing the model of motivational climate, goal orientations, expectancy beliefs, task values in school physical education, and associated links to light- to vigorous-intensity physical activity; International Journal of Sport Psychology
The associations and age-related development of motivational climate, achievement goals, enjoyment, technical skills, and body mass index in young floorball players; Journal of Advances in Sports and Physical Education
The associations and development of motivational climate, achievement goals, and physical functional skills in young floorball players; International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching
The developmental patterns of 2x2 achievement goals and body mass index in young soccer players; European Journal of Sports & Exercise Science
The effects of a one-year school-based physical activity promotion in a sample secondary school students; AIESEP World Congress 2014
The patterns of moderate to vigorous physical activity and physical education enjoyment through a 2-year school-based program; Journal of School Health
Three- to four-year-old children's socioemotional competencies assessed by kindergarten teachers in general and physical education settings, and by parents at home; EARLI SIG 5 Conference 2014
Three- to four-year-old children’s socioemotional competencies assessed by kindergarten teachers in general and physical education settings, and by parents at home; Preschool and Primary Education
Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) in the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education program; Teaching Matters 2018

Research Projects

Measuring the impact of Work-Integrated Learning in the Bachelor of Education Health and Physical Education programme; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Modelling of psychological determinants of physical activity
Move! -monitoring system for physical functional capacity
Physical Activity as a Civil Skill Program 2010-2014: Predictive role of exercise motivational determinants for objectively and self-reported physical activity from Grade 5 to Grade 9
Physical Activity as a Civil Skill Program 2010-2014: Students’ contextual physical activity and associated links to physical functional capacity
Predictive role of exercise motivational determinants for objectively measured physical activity from grade six to upper secondary or vocational school – a three year follow-up study
Predictive role of exercise motivational determinants for objectively measured physical activity from grade six to upper secondary or vocational school – a three year follow-up study
Social Competence and Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity of Finnish School-Aged Children through a Creative Physical Education Intervention

Research Candidate Supervision