My research interests primarily relate to the areas of stress and performance and confidence and efficacy in sport. I also have a clear applied focus to my research around areas effective professional practice and philosophy of service delivery undertaking several programmes of with collaborators at the English Institute of Sport. More recently, I have begun to support research into athlete development in the areas of within career transition in sport.
Contributions to Edited Peer-Reviewed Research Books
Hays, K., Lane, A., & Thomas, O. (2016). Sport confidence. In Lane, A.M. (Ed.). Sport and Exercise Psychology: Topics in Applied Psychology, Second Edition. London: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0340928943
Thomas, O., & Neil, R. (2014). Breathing exercises. In, R. C. Eklund & G. Tenebaum (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of sport and exercise psychology (pp.92-94). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ISBN: 978-1-452-20383-6.
Thomas, O., & Neil, R. (2014). Activation (energizing) strategies. In, R. C. Eklund & G. Tenebaum (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of sport and exercise psychology (pp. 251-253). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ISBN: 978-1-452-20383-6.
Neil, R., & Thomas, O. (2014). Relaxation. In, R. C. Eklund & G. Tenebaum (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of sport and exercise psychology (pp. 587-591). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ISBN: 978-1-452-20383-6.
Kingston, K., Thomas, O., & Neil, R. (2013). Psychology for coaches. In, R.L Jones, M. Hughes, and K. Kingston. An introduction to sports coaching: Connecting theory to practice, second edition (pp. 49-66). London: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-415-69491-9.
Thomas, O. & Tong, R. (2010). Co-ordinating dissertations in a shared modular matrix: Reflections on assessment criteria, delivery and marking. In, P. Kemp, R. Atfield & R. Tong. (Eds.), Enhancing learning through assessment in business and management, hospitality, leisure, sport, and tourism (pp. 53-64). Newbury, Berks: Threshold Press Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-903152-25-6.
Thomas, O., Mellalieu, S.D. & Hanton, S. (2009). Stress management in sport: A critical review and synthesis. In. S.D. Mellalieu & S. Hanton (Eds.). Advances in applied sport psychology: A review (pp.124, 161). London: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-415-44763-8.
Hanton, S., Thomas O. & Mellalieu, S.D. (2009). Management of competitive stress in elite sport. In B. Brewer (Ed.). International Olympic Committee sport psychology handbook (pp. 30-42). Chchester: Wley-Blackwell Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-4051-7363-6.
Kingston, K., Thomas, O. & Mitchell, I. (2008). Psychology for coaches. In, R.L Jones, M. Hughes, and K. Kingston (Eds.). An introduction to sports coaching: From science and theory to practice (pp. 28-40). London: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-415-41131-8.
Rotheram, M., Bawden, M., Maynard, I., Thomas, O., & Scaife, R. (2006). An exploratory investigation of the 'yips' across and within sport. In P. Hassmén & N. Hassmén (Eds.). Yearbook 2006 from the Swedish Sport Psychology Association (pp. 1-22). Laholm, Sweden: Trydells Tryckeri AB.
Refereed Academic Journal Papers
Sellars, P., Evans, L., & Thomas, O. (2016). The Effects of Perfectionism in Elite Sport: Experiences of Unhealthy Perfectionists. The Sport Psychologist, 218-230.
Pitt, T., Thomas, O., Lindsay, P., Bawden, M., & Hanton, S. (2015). Doing sport psychology briefly: A critical review of single session their relevance to sport psychology. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 8, 1-31.
Pitt, T., Lindsay, P., Thomas, O., Bawden, M., Goodwill, S., & Hanton, S. (2015). A perspective on consultancy teams and technology in applied sport psychology. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 16, 36-44.
Lindsay, P., & Thomas, O. (2014). Reflections on being a neophyte sport psychologist in the media: Conversations with my younger self. The Sport Psychologist, 28. 290-301.
Lindsay, P., Pitt, T., & Thomas, O. (2014). Bewitched by our words: Wittgenstein, language-games, and the pictures that hold sport psychology captive. Sport & Exercise Psychology Review, 10, 41-54.
Roberts, R., Rotheram, M., Maynard, I., Thomas, O., & Woodman, T. (2013). Perfectionism and the 'YIPS': An exploratory study. The Sport Psychologist, 27, 53-61.
Rotheram, M., Maynard, I., Thomas, O., Bawden, M., & Francis, L. (2012). Preliminary evidence for the treatment of type I 'Yips': The efficacy of the emotional freedom technique. The Sport Psychologist, 26, 551-570.
Thomas, O., Lane, A., & Kingston, K. (2011). Defining and contextualizing robust sport-confidence. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 23, 189-208.
Thomas, O., Picknell, G., & Hanton, S. (2011). Recall agreement between actual and retrospective reports of competitive anxiety: A comparison of intensity and frequency dimensions. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29, 495-508.
Hays, K., Thomas, O., Butt, J., & Maynard, I. (2010). The development of confidence profiling for sport. The Sport Psychologist, 18, 373-392.
Hays, K., Thomas, O., Maynard, I., & Butt, J. (2010). The role of confidence profiling in cognitive-behavioral interventions in sport. The Sport Psychologist, 18, 393-414.
Kingston, K., Lane, A., and Thomas, O. (2010). A temporal examination of elite performers sources of sport-confidence. The Sport Psychologist, 18, 313-332.
Lindsay, P., Thomas, O., & Douglas, G. (2010). Exploring and transforming client generated metaphors in applied sport psychology. The Sport Psychologist, 24, 97-112.
Hays, K., Thomas, O., Maynard, I., & Bawden, M. (2009). The role of confidence in World Class sport performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27, 1185-1199.
Mellalieu, S.D., Hanton, S., and Thomas, O. (2009). The effects of a motivational general-arousal imagery intervention upon preperformance symptoms in male rugby union players. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10, 175-186.
Thomas, O., Hanton, S. and Maynard, I. (2007). Anxiety responses and psychological skill use during the time leading up to competition: Theory to practice I. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 19, 379-397.
Thomas, O., Maynard, I. and Hanton, S. (2007). Intervening with athletes during the time leading up to competition: Theory to practice II. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 19, 398-418.
Hays, K., Maynard, I., Thomas, O. and Bawden, M. (2007). Sources and types of confidence identified by world class sport performers. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 19, 434-456.
Lindsay, P., Breckon, J., Thomas, O., and Maynard, I. (2007). In Pursuit of congruence: A personal reflection upon methods and philosophy in applied practice. The Sport Psychologist, 21, 273-289.
Lindsay, P., Maynard, I.W., & Thomas, O. (2005). Effects of hypnosis on flow states an cycling performance. The Sport Psychologist, 19, 164-178
Thomas, O., Maynard, I.W., & Hanton, S. (2004). Temporal aspects of competitive anxiety and self-confidence as a function of anxiety perceptions. The Sport Psychologist, 18, 172-187.
Hanton, S., Thomas, O., & Maynard, I.W. (2004). Competitive anxiety response in the week leading up to competition: The role of intensity, direction and frequency dimensions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 5, 169-181.
Thomas, O., Hanton, S., & Jones, G. (2002). An alternative approach to short-form self-report assessment of competitive anxiety. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 33, 325-336.