Amanda J. Visek, PhD, AASP-CC, NCC

Amanda J. Visek is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Exercise Science.

• Phone: (202) 994-3997
• Fax: (202) 994-1420
• Email: avisek@gwu.edu

When Professor Visek discovered the young and dynamic field of sport and exercise psychology, she truly felt that her scholarly, athletic and personal interests had coalesced. A National Certified Counselor (NCC), she says, "I strongly believe my counseling background better enables me to build rapport, establish relationships, and integrate theory, research and practice to improve the performance, exercise adherence and life skills of students, athletes, coaches, and exercisers alike."

As an Association of Applied Sport Psychology Certified Consultant (AASP-CC) and exercise psychology adherence specialist, Dr. Visek has worked with athletes at all levels - including youth, collegiate club, and NCAA Division I competitors - as well as with overweight and obese populations. As a guide, mentor, and teacher, she has encouraged students to pursue the field of sport and exercise psychology. And, as a scholar, she is very involved in research to advance the knowledge base of her chosen discipline, focusing especially on performance enhancement, aggression in sports, youth sport, and exercise adherence interventions.

Education

Bachelor of Arts (Exercise and Sport Science), UNC-Chapel Hill, 2002
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), UNC-Chapel Hill, 2002
Master of Science (Sport Psychology), West Virginia University, 2004
Master of Arts (Counseling), West Virginia University, 2007
Doctor of Philosophy (Sport and Exercise Psychology), West Virginia University, 2007

Teaching

ExSc 140: Exercise and Sport Psychology, Department of Exercise Science
ExSc 141: Psychology of Injury and Performance, Department of Exercise Science
ExSc 142: Physical Activity, Health, and Behavior Change, Department of Exercise Science
ExSc 240: Psychological Aspects of Sport, Exercise, and Fitness, Department of Exercise Science

Research

Dr. Visek's research interests include sport performance enhancement, sport aggression, youth sport, and exercise psychology. In collaboration with domestic and international colleagues, she currently conducts research on the relationships among athletic identity, anger, aggression; assesses parental sideline aggression and the efficacy of youth sport parent education programs; and examines sport aggression cross-culturally. With regard to sport performance enhancement she is working to develop a consulting model to aid sport psychology practitioners in the provision of sport psychology services to youth sport participants, and is also validating a trait version of the Coping Style in Competitive Sport measure. Lastly, Dr. Visek is continuing to assess the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral exercise adherence intervention she co-developed; and is beginning to evaluate the role of life priorities in physical activity.

Community Service

Dr. Visek is an active member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), and the American Psychological Association (APA). She also serves as a reviewer for a number of scholarly journals in her discipline including the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, The Sport Psychologist, and Perceptual and Motor Skills.

Publications

• Characteristics of an effective sport psychology consultant: perspectives from athletes and consultants.
  Lubker JR, Visek AJ, Geer JR, Watson, J. C. Characteristics of an effective sport psychology consultant: perspectives from athletes and consultants. J Sport Behav. In press: 2007.
• Understanding and promoting college student-athlete health: Essential issues for student affairs professionals.
  Etzel EF, Watson JC, Visek AJ, Maniar, SD. Understanding and promoting college student-athlete health: Essential issues for student affairs professionals. NASPA J 2006; 43 (3):518-46.
• Youth athletes are NOT miniature adults: A comprehensive guide to performance enhancement with youth sport [abstract].
  Visek A, Harris B, Bloom L. Youth athletes are NOT miniature adults: A comprehensive guide to performance enhancement with youth sport [abstract]. Proc Assoc Adv Appl Sport Psychol 2006;21:11.
• Breaking into youth sport: Doing sport psychology with young athletes [abstract].
  Visek A, Harris B, Bloom L. Breaking into youth sport: Doing sport psychology with young athletes [abstract]. J Sport Exercise Psychol 2006;28: S187.
• You never get a second chance to make a first impression [abstract].
  Lubker J, Watson J, Geer J, Visek A. You never get a second chance to make a first impression [abstract]. Proc Assoc Adv Appl Sport Psychol 2005;20:41.
• Physical appearance and the perceived effectiveness of performance enhancement consultants.
  Lubker JR, Watson JC, Visek AJ, Geer JR. Physical appearance and the perceived effectiveness of performance enhancement consultants. Sport Psychol 2005:19:446-58.
• Ice hockey players' legitimacy of aggression and professionalization of attitudes.
  Visek A, Watson J. Ice hockey players' legitimacy of aggression and professionalization of attitudes. Sport Psychol 2005;19:178-92.
• An evaluation of the effects of brief exercise on mood in physical education classes [abstract].
  Zakrajsek R, Visek A, Geer J, Watson J. An evaluation of the effects of brief exercise on mood in physical education classes [abstract]. Proc Assoc Adv Appl Sport Psychol 2004;55.
• Ice hockey players' perceived legitimacy of aggression: an investigation at the youth, high school, collegiate, and professional levels [abstract].
  Visek A, Watson J. Ice hockey players' perceived legitimacy of aggression: an investigation at the youth, high school, collegiate, and professional levels [abstract]. Proc Assoc Adv Appl Sport Psychol 2004;77.
• Performance enhancement workshop series: An investigation of empirical effectiveness [abstract].
  Visek A, Zakrajsek R, Lubker J, Watson J, Zizzi S. Performance enhancement workshop series: An investigation of empirical effectiveness [abstract]. Proc Assoc Adv Appl Sport Psychol 2003;49.