Jaclyn Maher

Areas of Expertise

Physical Activity Promotion, Motivational Processes and Behavior Regulation, Psychological Well-being, Ecological Momentary Assessment, Intraindividual Variability

Bio & Education

Dr. Jaclyn P. Maher is the co-director of the Physical Activity and Lifetime Wellness Lab and serves as Director of the Center for Women’s Health and Wellness. She earned her B.S. in Kinesiology and Psychology, followed by her M.S. and Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a concentration in the Psychology of Physical Activity, all from the Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Maher is internationally recognized for the scientific rigor and novelty of her research, having won the Early Career Distinguished Scholar Award from the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity as well as the Early Career Research Excellence Award from UNCG. Dr. Maher’s research focuses on understanding the motivational processes that regulate physical activity and sedentary behavior, and how these behaviors impact psychological well-being across the lifespan. She specializes in using real-time data capture methodologies, such as ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and remote sensing technologies to study behavior in naturalistic settings.

Her work aims to develop low-burden, just-in-time adaptive interventions that promote meaningful behavior change in everyday life. Dr. Maher has led research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American College of Sports Medicine and has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles. She has guided numerous undergraduate and graduate students in independent research projects, fostering inclusive and experiential learning environments. Dr. Maher is a two-time recipient of the UNCG Thomas Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, recognized in both the pre-tenure and tenured categories.

Courses Taught

• KIN 388 – Psychology of Physical Activity
• KIN 475 – Independent Study
• KIN 644 – Psychology of Sport and Exercise
• KIN 649 – Principles of Physical Activity Behavior Change
• KIN 712 – Current Research and Issues in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Selected Publications

Selected publications span 2021-2025. A complete list of publications is available on Google Scholar. *denotes graduate student, **denotes undergraduate student, ^†denotes senior author

Maher, JP, **Villarreal, A, *Hudgins, BL, *Behler, M, *Murray, E, *Postlethwait, E, Dollar, JM. (2025) A daily analysis of adolescent girls’ physical activity using a social ecological model lens. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal. 33(1), https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.2024-0124

Maher, JP, *Behler, MH, Hevel, DJ, *Hudgins, BL, Kennedy-Malone, L, **Khan, IF, *Postlethwait, EM, *Seo, Y, **Williams, K, Labban, JD. (2025). Determinants of Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance in Older Adults: A Dual Process Approach. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 77, 102800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102800

Maher, JP, Labban, JD, *Hudgins, BL, Hevel, DJ, Bittel, KM, Kennedy-Malone, L, & Hedeker, D. (2024). Moving Beyond Mean Levels: Associations Between Subject-Level Variability in Psychological Determinants and Physical Activity in Older Adults. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2024-0350

Hevel, DJ & ^†Maher, JP. (2023). Affective Responses During Physical Activity Predicting Same Day and Next Day Physical Activity in Emerging Adulthood: An Ecological Momentary Assessment. Psychology & Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2023.2254987

*Hudgins, BL, Hevel, DJ, & ^†Maher, JP. (2023). Screen-based and non-screen-based sedentary behaviors are differentially associated with affective states in older adults. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 67, 102433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102433

*Bittel, KM, **O’Briant, KY, **Ragaglia, RM, *Buseth, L, *Murtha, C, **Yu, J, **Stanely, JM, *Hudgins, BL, *Hevel, DJ, & ^†Maher, JP. (2023). Associations Between Social Cognitive Determinants and Movement-Related Behaviors in Studies Using Ecological Momentary Assessment Methods: Systematic Review. JMIR MHealth and UHealth, 11(1), e44104. https://doi.org/10.2196/44104

Maher, JP, Wang, WL, Hedeker, D, & Dunton, GF. (2022) Temporal stability of behavior, temporal cue-behavior associations, and physical activity habit strength among mothers with school-aged children. Psychology & Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2022.2087875.

Reifsteck, EJ, *Anderson, SN, *Newton, JD, & ^†Maher, JP. (2021). A practical guide and empirical example for implementing ecological momentary assessment in sport psychology research with athletes. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. 10(3), 408–422. https://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000252

Maher, JP, Rebar, AL, & Dunton, GF. (2021). The influence of context stability on physical activity and sedentary behaviour habit and behaviour: An ecological momentary assessment study. British Journal of Health Psychology. 26(3):861-88. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12509

Maher, JP, *Hevel, DJ, Reifsteck, EJ, & Drollette, ES. (2021). Physical activity is positively associated with college students’ positive affect regardless of stressful life events during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 52, 101826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101826