Dr. Shane Sweet
Title:
Associate Professor
Academic title(s):
- Canada Research Chair, Tier 2, in Participation, Well-Being, and Physical Disability |
- Director, Theories and Interventions in Exercise and Health Psychology Lab (TIE) | Lead, Spinal Cord Injury Peer Support Community-University Partnership
Department:
Kinesiology & Physical Education
Area(s):
Physical Health Education & Adapted Physical Activity
Sports and Exercise Sciences
Areas of expertise:
- Exercise Psychology
- Disability
- Peer Support
- Behaviour Change
- Physical Activity
- Theory
- Community Partnerships
- Motivation
Biography:
The overarching goal of Prof. Sweet’s research is to develop a deeper understanding of programs and interventions to assist people with a physical disability to participate in daily and social activities. To achieve these goals, Prof. Sweet focused on two streams: (1) adapted physical activity and (2) spinal cord injury (SCI) peer support. The focus of the adapted physical activity stream is to build an understanding of the process to help people with a physical disability engage in physical activity while identifying and testing solutions to overcome important physical activity barriers. For the spinal cord peer support stream, Dr. Sweet leads a pan-Canadian community-university partnership that unites students, researchers, and community-based organizations that are inspired to better understand, promote, and optimize spinal cord injury peer support programs and services.
Link(s):
Degree(s):
- PhD, Experimental Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada
- BA, Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada
Prizes and Awards:
Canada Research Chair (Tiers I & II)
Selected publications:
- Rocchi, M. A., Shi, Z., Shaw, R. B., McBride, C. B., & Sweet, S. N. (2022). Identifying the outcomes of participating in peer mentorship for adults living with spinal cord injury: A qualitative meta-synthesis. Psychology and Health.. 37:4, 523-544.
- Bremer, E., Liska, T. M., Arbour-Nicitopoulos, K. P., Best, K. L., & Sweet, S. N. (2022). Examining long-term motivational and behavioral outcomes of two physical activity interventions. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1080/10790268.2022.2033935
- Shi, Z., Michalovic, E., McKay, R., Gainforth, H. L., McBride, C. B., Clarke, T., Casemore, S., Sweet, S. N. (2022, advance online). Outcomes of Spinal Cord Injury Peer Mentorship: A community-based Delphi consensus approach. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. . doi: 10.1016/j.rehab.2022.101678
- Alexander, D., Caron, J. G., Comeau, J., & Sweet, S. N. (2021, advance online). An exploration of the roles and experiences of SCI peer mentors using creative non-fiction. Disability and Rehabilitation. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2021.1977395
- Sweet, S. N., Shi, Z.,Rocchi, M., Ramsay, J., Pagé, V., Lamontagne, M.-E., & Gainforth, H. L. (2021). A longitudinal examination of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), participation, and social inclusion upon joining a community-based LTPA program for adults with physical disabilities. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 102, 1746 - 1754.
- Bonnell, K., Michalovic, E., Koch, J., Pagé, V., Ramsay, J., Gainforth, H. L., Lamontagne, M.-E. & Sweet, S.N. (2021). Physical activity for individuals living with a physical disability in Quebec: Issues and opportunities of access. Disability and Health Journal, 14, 101089.
- Sweet, S. N., Hennig, L., Shi, Z., Clarke, T., Flaro, H., Hawley, S., Schaefer, L, & Gainforth, H. L. (2021). Outcomes of peer mentorship for people living with spinal cord injury: Perspectives from members of Canadian SCI community-based organizations. Spinal Cord, 58, 1301-1308.
- Sweet, S. N., Hennig, L., Pastore, O., Hawley, S., Clarke, T., Flaro, H., Schaefer, L, & Gainforth, H. L. (2021). Understanding peer mentorship programs delivered by Canadian SCI community-based organizations: Perspectives on mentors and organizational considerations. Spinal Cord, I59, 1285-1293.
- Sweet, S. N., Perrier, M-J., Saunders, C. M., Caron, J. G., & Dufour Neyron, H. (2019). What keeps them exercising? A qualitative exploration of exercise maintenance post-cardiac rehabilitation. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 17, 381 -396.
- Chemtob, K., Rocchi, M., Arbour-Nicitopoulos, K., Kairy, D., Fillion, B., & Sweet, S. N. (2019). Using tele-health to enhance motivation, leisure time physical activity, and quality of life in adults with spinal cord injury: A self-determination theory-based pilot randomized control trial. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 43, 243-252.
Graduate supervision:
Accepting students for 2025-2026
