Rate My Professor Rachel Arnold

Professor Rachel Arnold is a Professor in the Department for Health at the University of Bath, where she serves as Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Academic Director (Doctoral). She joined the University in 2012 as a Lecturer after completing her PhD in Sport and Performance Psychology at Loughborough University in 2012, with a thesis on organizational stress in sport. She also holds an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology (2009) and BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science (2008) from Loughborough University. Her research specializes in organizational stress, thriving, performance environments and cultures, leadership, and management, applied across sport, organizational, and health settings. She has secured funding from the National Institute for Health Research, Medical Research Council, GW4, Age UK, and Sport England, and collaborates with organizations including the English Institute of Sport, Premier League, Help for Heroes, Royal United Hospitals Bath, Rugby Football Union, World Rugby, and the Swedish and Irish Olympic Councils.

Arnold has published extensively in leading peer-reviewed journals, with key works including 'A research synthesis and taxonomic classification of the organizational stressors encountered by sport performers' (Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2012, with D. Fletcher) and 'Development and validation of the Organizational Stressor Indicator for Sport Performers (OSI-SP)' (Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2013, with D. Fletcher and K. Daniels). Recent publications cover topics such as mental health in adolescent athletes during injury, lifetime stressor exposure and immune response, and shared athlete leadership (Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Brain Behavior and Immunity - Health, BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2026). She received the British Psychological Society's Award for Outstanding Doctoral Research Contributions to Psychology in 2015 and serves on editorial boards for the Journal of Sport Sciences, Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, The Sport Psychologist, and Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology, while acting as Associate Editor for the latter. A Chartered Psychologist, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she supervises PhD students to completion and contributes to doctoral education initiatives.