L1 STAPS (2021–2023): Psychologie des Activités Physiques et Sportives en Régulation Grand Groupe et en Régulation Petit Groupe (pédagogie inversée). Thématiques abordées : "Liens entre pratique sportive et (1) personnalité, (2) motivation, et (3) émotions".

L2 STAPS APAS (2022–2024) : Psychologie du développement - Ontogénèse et vieillissement

Layan Fessler

Updated the 6 January 2025

University Grenoble Alpes, France

Email: layan.fessleruniv-grenoble-alpes.fr (layan[dot]fessler[at]gmail[dot]com)

Phone: +33 658 884 786. 

2024                          Data Scientist (2 months)

                                         Data management and analysis for a study on the promotion of physical activity in patients with obesity, as part of the   Sport 4 Health project funded by the European EIT Health Programme

                                  Floralis, Grenoble, France

2021–2024                  PhD in Sport and Exercise Sciences

                                          Supervisors: Pr. Philippe Sarrazin and Dr. Boris Cheval

                                   Title: "Promoting physical activity in people with chronic disease: the role of affective mechanisms."

                                    University Grenoble Alpes, France

2021                            Successful completion of the Level 1 in "Therapeutic Patient Education"

2020–2021                  Second year of Master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences “Adapted Physical Activities and Health” (with high honours)

   University Grenoble Alpes, France

2019–2020                  First year of Master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences “Adapted Physical Activities and Health” (with high honours)

                                    University Grenoble Alpes, France

2016–2019                  Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences “Adapted Physical Activities and Health” (with high honours)

                                    University Grenoble Alpes, France

2023–2024                  Doctoral Intern (3½ months)

                                    Supervisor: Pr. Costas I. Karageorghis

                                    Title: “Psychological and Psychophysiological Effects of Respite–Active Music in HIIT”

                                    Brunel University London, United Kingdom

2020                            Research internship (2 months)

                                    Supervisor: Dr. Boris Cheval

                                    Title: "Improvement of physical activity by re-training automatic action tendencies: protocol of a randomised controlled trial in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme in a hospital setting".

 Laboratory for the Study of Emotion Elicitation and Expression (E3Lab), University of Geneva, Switzerland

2018–2019                  Third year of Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, Canada

International conferences

4. Fessler, L., Sarrazin, P., Cheval, B. Predicting Daily Physical Activity in People with Chronic Diseases from Affective Responses During an Exercise Session: Spillover or Confounding Effect? International Congress of the European Federation of Sport and Physical Activity Psychology (FEPSAC), Innsbruck, Austria, 2024. Oral communication.

3. Fessler, L., Sarrazin, P., Cheval, B. Measuring and Predicting Physical Activity in People with Chronic Diseases: The Role of Exercise-Related Affective Responses and Perceived Exertion. International Conference of Ambulatory Monitoring of Physical Activity and Movement (ICAMPAM), Rennes, France, 2024. Oral communication. 

2. Fessler, L., Tessitore, E., Craviari, C., Hanna, E., Sarrazin, P., Meyer, P., Luthy, C., Cheval, B. Predicting Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior After Comprehensive Cardiac Rehabilitation: An Observational Study. International Conference of the Association of Researchers in Physical and Sports Activities (ACAPS), Reims, France, 2023. Oral communication. 

1. Fessler, L., Sarrazin, P., Fickh, A., Maltagliati, S., Cullati, S., Sander, D., Friese, M., Wiers, R., Boisgontier, M.P., Courvoisier, D., Luthy, C., Cheval, B. Improving physical activity in patients through approach-tendencies training: The randomized controlled IMPACT­trial. International Congress of the European Federation of Sport and Physical Activity Psychology (FEPSAC), Padova, Italy, 2022. Poster session.

National conferences

3. Fessler, L., Sarrazin, P., Maltagliati, S., Smeding A., & Cheval, B. All’s well that ends well: an early-phase study testing lower end-session exercise intensity to promote physical activity in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Scientific day of the Doctoral School of Engineering for Health, Cognition and the Environment (ED ISCE), Grenoble, France, 2023. 

2. Craviari, C., Fessler, L., Luthy, C., Tessotore, E., Hanna, E., Cheval, B. Valutare e predire l'attività fisica e i comportamenti sendentari durante e dopo la riabilitazione cardiaca multidisciplinare: stodio osservazionale. National Congress of the Italian Federation of Sports Medicine (FMSI), Roma, Italy, 2023. Poster session. Fessler, L., Maltagliati, S., Sieber, S., Cullati, S., Tessotore, E., Craviari, C., Luthy, C., Hanna, E., Meyer, P., Orsholits, D., Sarrazin, P., Cheval, B. Physical Activity Matters for Everyone's Health, but Individuals with Multimorbidity Benefit More. National Congress of the Italian Federation of Sports Medicine (FMSI), Roma, Italy, 2023. Poster session.

Invited conferences presentations

6. Positive affective experiences and adapted physical activity: a practical guide. Regional day for sports and health centres in Pays de la Loire, France, 2023. Public: social workers, physiotherapists, medical doctors, people with chronic diseases and/or disabilities.

5. Physical activity and chronic diseases: the role of affective mechanisms. Therapists' Day, Quadrimed Clinic, Cran Montana, Switzerland, 2023. Public: physiotherapists, medical doctors, psychologists.

4. Physical activity and chronic diseases: is running after your health the right strategy? Medical teaching in the Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland, 2023. Public: physiotherapists, medical doctors, psychologists.

3. Understanding the role of emotions in physical activity behaviour. “Emotions at the heart of practice”, Institute of Sports Therapy, Grenoble, France, 2022. Public: social workers, physiotherapists, medical doctors, people with chronic diseases and/or disabilities.

2. The role, importance and modulation of the motivational processes involved in health behaviour. Medical teaching in the Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland, 2022. Public: physiotherapists, medical doctors, psychologists.

1. Physical activity and chronic diseases: is running after your health the right strategy? Month of Sport, Grenoble Alps University Hospital, France, 2022. Public: social workers, physiotherapists, medical doctors, people with chronic diseases and/or disabilities.

4. Initiative of Excellence, University Grenoble Alpes, France (2 238€; 2023–2024)

3. Doctoral scholarship, French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (67 391€; 2021–2024)

2. Grenoble Cognition Centre, University Grenoble Alpes, France (2 816€; 2021–2022)

1. BCI exchange programme, Auvergne Rhône Alpes mobility grant, France (3 017€; 2018–2019)

Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews (3); International Journal of Epidemiology (2); Movement & Sport Sciences - Science & Motricité (1).

2021–2023                  Medical thesis by Cecilia Craviari, “Evaluation of trends in approach to movement and their predictive value on daily physical activity in patients affected by cardiovascular diseases: preliminary study”. University of Rome “foro italico”, University Hospitals of Geneva.

Contribution: Protocol design, data analysis, proofreading

KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION                                                                                                                            

1. Maltagliati, S., Cheval, B., Fessler, L., Le Breton, M., & Sarrazin, P. Pourquoi mettre en avant ses bénéfices pour la santé ne suffit pas à promouvoir une activité physique régulière (Why highlighting health benefits is not enough to promote regular physical activity). The Conversation, 2022.

4. Science Festival, production of posters “Physical Activity and Health”, Grenoble Alps University, France, 2023. Public: community-dwelling children, adolescent and adults.

3. Scientific mediation, Jean Monnet High School, Annemasse, France, 2023. Public: secondary school students.

2. Scientific mediation, Louise Michelle High School, Grenoble, France, 2023. Public: secondary school students.

1. Science Festival, scientific mediation, University Grenoble Alpes, France, 2022. Public: university students.

2024                          Two undergraduate students, University Grenoble Alpes.

                                     Co-supervisor: Pr. Philippe Sarrazin

2023                            Two undergraduate and one master’s students, Brunel University London.

                                    Co-supervisor: Pr. Costas I. Karageorghis      

One undergraduate student, University Grenoble Alpes.

                                    Co-supervisor: Pr. Philippe Sarrazin

2021–2023                  Three master’s students, University Hospitals of Geneva and University Lyon 2.

                                    Co-supervisor: Dr. Boris Cheval

2023–2024                  Sport and Exercise Psychology – Lectures; 30 hours; ~60 Undergraduate students

2022–2023                  Sport and Exercise Psychology – Lectures; 53 hours; ~120 Undergraduate students

2021–2022                  Sport and Exercise Psychology – Lectures; 38 hours; ~60 Undergraduate students

2023–2025                  Junior member of the Association of Researchers in Physical and Sports Activities (ACAPS, https://www.acaps.asso.fr/) Board of Directors

2023–2024                  Member of the Junior Scientific Council – Cross Disciplinary Project CerCoG@UGA (https://cercog.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/), University Grenoble Alpes

ResearchGate Profile

17. Fessler, L., Tessitore, E., Craviari, C., Sarrazin, P., Meyer, P., Luthy, C., Hanna-Deschamps, E., Cheval, B. (2024). Motivational and Emotional Correlates of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior After Cardiac Rehabilitation: An Observational Study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation. 16, 209. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-024-00997-0

16. Karageorghis, C.I., Guérin, S.M.R., Fessler, L., Howard, L.W., Pinto, C., Ojuri, T., Kuan, J., Samwell-Nash, K.G. (2024). One-HIIT Wonder: Can Music Make High-Intensity Interval Training More Pleasant? Psychology of Sport and Exercise. e102717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102717

15. Maltagliati S.^†, Fessler, L. ^†, Yu, Q., Zhang, Z., Chen, Y., Dupuy, O., Falck R., Owen, N., Zou, L., Cheval, B. (2024). Effort Minimization: A Permanent, Dynamic, and Surmountable Influence on Physical Activity. Journal of Sport and Health Science. Article e100971. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2024.100971

^† S.M. and L.F. contributed equally and share first authorship

14. Quossi, A. Fessler, L., Maltagliati, S., Gardner, B., Miller, M.W., Sander, D., Rebard, A., Szabo, A., Cheval, B. (2024). Can automatic reactions mirror exercise dependence? International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2024.2387698 

13. Cheval, B., Zou, L., Maltagliati S., Fessler, L., Owen, N., Falck R., Yu, Q., Zhang, Z., Dupuy, O. (2024). The intention-behaviour gap in physical activity: unravelling the critical role of the automatic tendency towards effort minimisation. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-108144 

12. Fessler, L., Sarrazin, P., Maltagliati, S., Smeding A., & Cheval, B. (2024). All’s well that ends well: an early-phase study testing lower end-session exercise intensity to promote physical activity in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Movement & Sport Sciences-Science & Motricité, 123, 17–31. https://doi.org/10.1051/sm/2023009

11. Farajzadeh, A., Goubran, M., Fessler, L., Cheval, B., Van Allen, Z., & Boisgontier, M. P. (2023). Training older adults to inhibit the automatic attraction to sedentary stimuli: A cognitive-bias-modification protocol. European Rehabilitation Journal, 3(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.52057/erj.v3i1.32

10. Maltagliati, S., Muller, D., Sarrazin, P., Fessler, L., Ferry, T., Wiers, R., & Cheval, B. (2023). Improving physical activity using a single personalized consequence-based approach-avoidance training: Effects on self-reported behaviors, attitudes, and choices. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Article e102565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102565

9. Fessler, L., Maltagliati, S., Sieber, S., Cullati, S., Tessitore, E., Craviari, C., Luthy, C., Hanna, E., Meyer, P., Orsholits, D., Sarrazin, P., & Cheval, B. (2023) Physical activity matters for everyone’s health, but individuals with multimorbidity benefit more. Preventive Medicine Reports, Article e102265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102265

8. Wang, T., Cheval, B., Maltagliati, S., Zenko, Z., Herold, F., Ludyga, S., Gerber, M., Luo, Y., Fessler, L., Müller, N.-G., & Zou, L. (2023). Validation of the Chinese version of the Affective Exercise Experiences (AFFEXX) questionnaire. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 25(7), 799–812. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2023.028324

7. Cheval, B., Maltagliati, S., Saoudi, I., Fessler, L., Farajzadeh, A., Sieber, S., Cullati, S., & Boisgontier, M.P. (2023). Physical activity mediates the effect of education on mental health trajectories in older age. Journal of Affective Disorders, 336, 64–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.05.052

6. Cheval, B., Saoudi, I., Maltagliati, S., Fessler, L., Farajzadeh, A., Sieber, S., Cullati, S., & Boisgontier, M.P. (2023). Initial status and change in cognitive function mediate the association between academic education and physical activity in adults over 50 years of age. Psychology and Aging, 38(6), 494–507. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000749

5. Maltagliati, S., Sarrazin, P., Fessler, L., Lebreton, M., & Cheval, B. (2022). Why people should run after positive affective experiences instead of health benefits. Journal of sport and health science, S2095–2546(22), 00105–3.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2022.10.005

4. Cheval, B., Maltagliati, S., Fessler, L., Farajzadeh, A., Ben Abdallah, S.N., Vogt, F., Dubessy, M., Lacour, M., Miller, M.W., Sander D. & Boisgontier, M. P. (2022). Physical effort biases the perceived pleasantness of neutral faces: a virtual reality study. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 63, Article e102287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102287

3. Cheval, B., Finckh, A., Maltagliati, S., Fessler, L., Cullati, S., Sander, D., Friese, M., Wiers, R.W., Boisgontier, M.P. Courvoisier, D., & Luthy, C. (2021). A cognitive-bias intervention to improve physical activity in patients following a rehabilitation program: protocol for the randomized controlled IMPACT trial. BMJ Open, 11, Article e053845. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053845

2. Maltagliati, S., Rebar, A., Fessler, L., Forestier, C., Sarrazin, P., Chalabaev, A., ... & Cheval, B. (2021). Evolution of physical activity habits after a context change: The case of COVID‐19 lockdown. British Journal of Health Psychology, 26 (4), 1135–1154. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12524

1. Cheval, B., Sivaramakrishnan, H., Maltagliati, S., Fessler, L., Forestier, C., Sarrazin, P. Orsholits, D. Chalabaev, A., Sander, D., Ntoumanis, N., & Boisgontier, M.P. (2021). Relationships between changes in self-reported physical activity, sedentary behaviour and health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in France and Switzerland. Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(6), 699–704. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2020.1841396

1. Fessler, L., Maltagliati, S., Cheval, B. et Sarrazin, P. (2024). Chapitre 9. S’engager dans une activité physique régulière : le rôle des expériences affectives positives. In Martin-Krumm, C. et Tarquinio, C. (dir.), Psychologie positive des activités physiques et sportives Corps, santé mentale et bien-être. (p. 202–219 ). Dunod. https://doi.org/10.3917/dunod.marti.2024.01.0202. 

2. Karageorghis, C. I., Guérin, S. M. R., Fessler, L., Howard, L. W., Schiphof-Godart, L., Silva, P. J., Samwell-Nash, K. G., Blacio Zambrano, U., Collins, Z. R. E., & Bonsu, N. D. (2024). Re-examining Psychological and Psychophysiological Effects of Respite–Active Music in HIIT (1.0). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13908678

1. Fessler, L., Sivaramakrishnan, H., Ntoumanis., N., Maltagliati, S., Gucciardi, D., Sarrazin, P., Cheval, B. Effects of interventions targeting affective mechanisms on physical activity behaviors in people with chronic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PROSPERO. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022354104

Ateliers méthodologiques

1 – Fessler, L., & Maltagliati, S. (2024, juillet 5). Initiation à R Studio. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12662314

2 – Fessler, L., & Mazéas, A. (2024, février 13). Calculs de Puissance, de la Taille d'Échantillon et du Smallest Effect Size of Interest (SESOI). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10654576

Code R

Fessler, L., Maltagliati, S., Sarrazin, P., & Cheval, B. (2024). Managing LimeSurvey Data Using R [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10634157