Stephen Behan

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Professor (Assistant) at Dublin City University

Talent development environments (TDEs) strive to develop junior athletes towards senior elite performance, however, are subject to a range of contextual factors influencing their operations. This study aimed to investigate the influence of contextual factors on efficiency and effectiveness across all English rugby union men’s academies. Fourteen fo...

The conversion rate of junior athletes to senior performance is typically used to judge efficiency in talent development. This study aimed to calculate the conversion rate of English academy rugby union players conferred with ‘high-potential’ ‘England Academy Player’ status, distinguishing them from their age-matched peers, from academy selection i...

Purpose Physical literacy (PL), defined as physical competence, confidence, motivation, and knowledge and understanding, is the foundation for physical activity (PA). PL is inclusive of all, yet PL research has proved quite exclusive, with a scarcity of data on those with disabilities. In Ireland, National PA Report Cards present contrasting grades...

Gaelic games are central to cultural life in Ireland. As a means of enhancing research-informed practice and future research directions, the aim of this scoping review was to provide a broad overview of the existing literature pertaining to coaching in Gaelic games. Adhering to the Joanna Briggs Institute’s framework, a search of six electroni...

The field of talent development (TD) research and practice has grown significantly over the last two decades, drawing on a range of complex modeling, such as the biopsychosocial and bio-ecological framings, to re-evaluate prescriptive approaches to talent systems. In line with recognition of the social complexity of TD and to promote transferabilit...

Within the domain of coach education researchers have long called for a paradigm shift, whereby the quality of coaching practice is no longer measured against a checklist of prescribed competencies. This desire to evolve coach education and development, has been aligned to the need to better identify, understand and utilise what adaptive skill and...

Modified sports programs aim to encourage children’s participation in sport and develop the skills required for future participation, with existing research supporting their positive influence on participants’ enjoyment, skill performance, and learning. However, limited research in this area and potential difficulties in contextual application unde...

The aim of this study was to determine the anthropometric and physical fitness profiles of inter-county female Gaelic football players from under-14 to under-18 age levels. A total of 156 athletes (U14, n = 33; U16, n = 64; U18, n = 59) participated in this study. Testing was conducted in a single session for each group and included anthropometric...

Purpose Given the many policies and interventions aimed at increasing physical activity (PA), it is important to understand how levels of PA, sport participation and active travel change over time. The purpose of this study is to assess the participation levels of children and adolescents in sport, PA and active travel in Northern Ireland (NI) and...

This summary report provides an overview of the key findings from the 2022 Children's Sports Participation and Physical Activity Study (CSPPA). This was an All-Island study with 8,881 children aged 10-19 years old from the Republic of Ireland (6,358) and Northern Ireland (2,523) participating in the research programme. In total there were 1,758 pr...

Physical literacy (PL) is highlighted as a construct that can positively impact physical activity (PA). Measurement methods and definitions for PL exist, but vary between research groups. This variation affects the ability to compare research findings. The purpose of this study was to assess the construct validity of PL in children. PL was operatio...

Physical literacy provides a foundation for lifelong engagement in physical activity, resulting in positive health outcomes. Direct pathways between physical literacy and health have not yet been investigated thoroughly. Associations between physical literacy and well‐being in children (n = 1073, mean age 10.86 ± 1.20 years) were analysed using mac...

Objectives The literature suggests there is a relationship between motor function and cognitive development however, few studies have explored the specific role of Functional Movement Skills (FMS) on cognitive function. This research aimed to determine if FMS predict cognitive function, when accounting for confounding factors, in a sample of primar...

This study examined the internal structure and evidence of validity of the Test of Gross Motor Development 3rd edition (TGMD-3) in primary school aged children. Participants (n = 1608, 47% girls, age range 5–11 years, mean age 9.2 ± 2.04) were recruited from Irish schools across twelve counties (56% rural, 44% urban). The TGMD-3 was used to measure...

Increased screen time has been found to be associated with a number of negative health and wellbeing indicators in youth populations. An increasing number of studies have investigated the association between screen time and wellbeing in adolescents, but evidence in younger children is still emerging. This 2017 study explored the effect of leisure s...

This study examined the relationship between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and health related fitness (HRF) components in children. A cross section of Irish primary school children across all age groups participated in this study (n=2098, 47% girls, age 5-12 years of age, mean age 9.2 ±2.04). FMS were measured using the Test of Gross Motor Deve...

Background: The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether physical self-efficacy mediates the relationship between movement competence (fundamental movement skills and perceived movement skill competence) and physical activity in children. Methods: A purposive sample of 860 children (47.7% female, 10.9 ± 1.16 years) were recruited and com...

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are the basic building blocks of more advanced, complex movements required to participate in physical activity. This study examined FMS proficiency across the full range of Irish primary school children (n = 2098, 47% girls, age range 5–12 years). Participants were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development...