I am interested in researching the dynamic between identity and self to determine how a person uses the self to make choices and sense of the world. In this dynamic, my focus is specifically on understanding the self as an important motivational and self-regulatory tool insofar as it serves as an anchor for changing identities.
In my prior research, I investigated how physical disability affects the creation of new self-concepts and identities, and how to use sports as a means to re-create and re-shape a more positive and more functional personal identity. This research included examining factors that affect one's perception of self from the moment that the disability took place, including: change in functioning, perceived level of social acceptance due to injury, and associated PTSD symptoms related to the injury. Through this research, I was able to uncover mechanisms through which sports help in the construction of a new identity, the acceptance of physical disability, physical functioning, self-regulation, and importantly, the promotion and empowerment of a sense of well-being.