Johan Ekengren

Johan Ekengren is an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Applied Sport Psychology at Halmstad University's School of Health and Welfare. His academic work focuses on the psychological aspects of sports performance, particularly within handball and ice hockey contexts in Sweden.

His research interests include:

• Sport Psychology and Mental Performance
• Career Development and Transitions in Professional Sports
• Mental Health and Well-being of Athletes
• Applied Interventions in Elite Sports Settings
• Handball Psychology and Performance Enhancement
• Injury Prevention and Psychological Aspects of Rehabilitation

Dr. Ekengren's scholarly trajectory shows progression from foundational work on career models for handball players to more recent investigations of mental health in women's ice hockey and cocreation of injury prevention programs. His publications reveal a consistent focus on practical applications of sport psychology in elite handball environments, including work with the Swedish men's handball team across three consecutive Olympic Games.

His doctoral thesis "Careers of Swedish Professional Handball Players: From an Empirical Model to Career-Long Psychological Support Services" (2020) established an empirical career model that informs his development of comprehensive psychological support services throughout athletes' careers.

Dr. Ekengren actively collaborates with elite sports organizations in Sweden, particularly in handball, providing psychological support services and developing training programs for athletes at various career stages. His work bridges theoretical sport psychology with practical applications in high-performance environments.