Kathleen T. Mellano
Kathleen T. Mellano
- Doctor of Philosophy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 2019
- Master of Science, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 2015
- Bachelor of Science, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, 2012
Kathleen Mellano is an associate professor of Exercise Science and director of the Online Sport and Exercise Psychology program at Springfield College. The focus of Mellano’s research revolves around social and motivational processes in sport with particular attention to relationships among teammates and other key agents. She has a specific interest in the influence of dyadic and group-level constructs in shaping the quality of young athlete experiences. At Springfield College, Mellano teaches graduate courses in sport and exercise psychology theory, applied practice, measurement, and supervises student internship experiences. She is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® and an active member of professional sport psychology organizations. Her consulting practice has included working with a wide range of individuals, teams, coaches, and parents across sport and exercise contexts from youth to elite levels.
- Psychosocial aspects of sport
- Youth sport
- Athlete burnout
- Peer relationships in sport
- Sport Psychology
- Measurement in Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Applied Sport Psychology
- Capstone in Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Internship in Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Association for Applied Sport Psychology
- North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity
- Certified Mental Performance Consultant
Selected Works
Presentations
Adler, S. J., Mellano, K. T., Pila, E. (2025). Against the current: Exploring adolescent swimmers’ experiences challenging and conforming to sociocultural norms. Presentation at the Perspectives in Body Image International Online Conference.
Eldred, K., Mellano, K. T., Mullin, E. M., & France, T. (2025). Exploring the relationship between coach feedback style and female youth athlete self-efficacy perceptions. Presentation at the 56th North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference, South Lake Tahoe, California. [published abstract in Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 47, S91]
Pilgrim, G. Mellano, K. T., Smith, D. & Hutchinson, J. C. (2025). Exploring the relationship between coach feedback style and female youth athlete self-efficacy perceptions. Presentation at the 56th North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference, South Lake Tahoe, California. [published abstract in Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 47, S90]
Adler, S. J., Mellano, K. T., Kochanek, J., & Mullin, E. M. (2024). Adolescent swimmers’ navigation of femininity and muscularity. Presentation at the 55th North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana. [published abstract in Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 46, S51]
Pacewicz, C. E. & Mellano, K. T. (2024). The toll of the scroll: A path toward burnout. Presentation at the 55th North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference, New Orleans, LA. [published abstract in Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 46, S86]
De Lucia, B. J., Banyi, M. L., Hutchinson, J. C., & Mellano, K. T. (2024). Embodied endurance: Understanding pacing in sports distance events. Presentation at the International Symposium for Embodied Cognition, New Haven, CT.
Cloud, K. A., Hutchinson, J. C., & Mellano, K. T. (2024). Stereotype threat in youth sport: An embodied perspective. Presentation at the International Symposium for Embodied Cognition, New Haven, CT.
Mellano, K. T., Pacewicz, C. E., Ames, J., & Rizos, V. (2022). Interaction of coach and teammate social support on youth athlete engagement. Poster presentation at the 16th European Congress of Sport & Exercise Psychology, Padova, Italy.
Mellano, K. T. & Smith, A. L. (2020). The association of coach and peer motivational climate perceptions with athlete engagement in youth athletes. Symposium presentation at the 53rd North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference, Vancouver, Canada. (Virtual conference). [published abstract in Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 42, S95-S96]
Publications
Hill, C. R., Mellano, K.T., Trujillo, H. B. P., & Ferguson. D. P. (2024). A phenomenological evaluation of the psychological factors that influence motorsports performance. The Sport Psychologist, 38(2), 126-136.
Pacewicz, C. E. & Mellano, K. T. (2024). The toll of the scroll: A path toward burnout. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 74, 102681
Mellano, K. T. (2023). Thinking out-to-in: Psychological considerations for optimal sport and exercise performance. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 27(5), 20-25.
Mellano, K. T. & Pacewicz, C. E. (2023). The influence of social support provider on adolescent athlete burnout and engagement. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 1, 1-20.
Weinberg, R. S. & Mellano, K. T. (2023). Activation/arousal control. In D. Tod, K. Hodge, & V. Krane (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Applied Sport Psychology (2nd ed., pp. 533-542). New York, NY: Routledge.
Mellano, K. T., Horn, T. S., Mann, M. (2022). Examining the links between coaching behaviors and collegiate athletes’ burnout levels using a longitudinal approach. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 61, 102189.
Smith, A. L. & Mellano, K. T. (2022). Three ways peers matter in youth sport. Frontiers for Young Minds. 10, 685811.
Hill, C. R., & Mellano, K. T. (2021). Taking the field: An introduction to the field of sport psychology. In Z. Zenko & L. Jones (Eds.) Essentials of exercise and sport psychology: An open access textbook (pp. 429-450). Society for the Transparency, Openness, and Replication in Kinesiology. https://doi.org/10.51224/B1019
