Maria Luisa Guinto is an Associate Professor of the College of Human Kinetics at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. As one of the forerunners of sport psychology in the country, she is a founding member of the Association of Sport and Exercise Psychology in the Philippines (ASEPP) and the first Chairperson of the Sport and Exercise Psychology Special Interest Group (SEP-SIG) of the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP). A licensed Philippine psychologist and a registered practitioner of the International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP), she serves as the International Relations Officer of the PAP Board of Directors, Vice-President for Membership of the Asian South-Pacific Association of Sport Psychology (ASASP), Secretary of the International Association of P.E. and Sports for Women and Girls (IAPESGW) Executive Board, and Scientific Advisory Board Member of The Foundation of Global Community Health (GCH). Her research interests involve applied sport psychology, women in sport, mental health and well-being, spirituality, mindfulness, and sport for development.

As an Associate Professor, Maria Luisa Guinto teaches the psychology of sport and research methods in the Sports Science undergraduate program. Additionally, she instructs sports psychology, coaching psychology, and qualitative research methods in the graduate program of Human Movement Science. Furthermore, she serves as a mentor for both undergraduate and graduate thesis advisees.

Courses taught

• SS 161 Psychology in Sports

• SS 199 Research Methods

• HMS 201 Philosophy of Human Movement Science

• HMS 214 Sports Psychology

• HMS 298 Seminar in Human Movement Science (Psychology of Coaching)

Maria Luisa Guinto has published her research work in international journals and books in the areas of applied sport psychology, women in sport, mental health and well-being, spirituality, mindfulness, and sport for development. She also presents her research findings at both national and international conferences. Her research engagement spans diverse domains, reflecting a deep commitment to advancing knowledge in the multifaceted aspects of human performance and flourishing within the context of sports. Currently, she holds the position of Editor-in-Chief at International Sports Studies, one of the world's oldest and most established scholarly sports journals, dating back to the 1960s.

Publications

• Campoamor-Olegario, L. A., Camitan IV, D. S., & Guinto, M. L. M. (2025). Beyond the pandemic: Physical activity and health behaviors as predictors of well-being among Filipino tertiary students. Frontiers in Psychology, 16(1490437). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1490437 

• Guinto, M. L. M. & Ang, D. F. (2025). Beyond the game: Well-being amid life disruptions among elite athletes, Performance Enhancement & Health, 12(1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peh.2024.100316 [Editor's Choice]. 

• Guinto, M. L. M., & Bailey, R. P. (2025). From Draft to Publication: 10 Grounded Tips for Getting Your Work Published. International Sports Studies, 47(1), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.69665/iss.v47i1.97

• Camitan IV, D. S., Guinto, M.L. M., & Campoamor-Olegario, L. A. (2025, September 25-27). Well-being in Motion: The impact of PERMAH in Higher Education PE [Oral Presentation], PAP x ARUPS Joint National-International Convention, Cebu International Convention Center. 

• Bailey, R. P., & Guinto, M. L. (2024). International Sports Studies: What’s in a name?. International Sports Studies, 46(2). https://doi.org/10.69665/iss.v46i2.59 

• Campoamor-Olegario, L. A., Guinto, M. L., Camitan IV, D. S., Gomez, M. G., Pituk, C. S., Yleaña, C. J., Edilo, I. G., Diaz, F. C., Bajin-Camitan, L., & Jamon, K. G. (2024). Enhancing well-being in physical education classes: Applying the PERMAH Framework in the Philippines. In M. Garcia (Ed.), Global Innovations in Physical Education and Health (pp. 261-290). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-3952-7.ch010

• González-Rivera, M.-D., Guinto, M. L., & Rodríguez-Hernández, M. L. (2024). Navigating Gender Dynamics in Sport and Physical Activity Employment. International Sports Studies, 46(2), 52–81. https://doi.org/10.69665/iss.v46i2.64

• Guinto, M. L. M., & Bailey, R. P. (2024).Embracing the Future: Transitioning to a Completely Open-Access Platform. International Sports Studies, 46(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.69665/iss.v46i1.31 

• Guinto, M. L. M., & Camitan IV, D. S. (2024). Comparative Investigation of Differential Mood Responses among Elite, Non-Elite, and Non-Athletes in Total Lockdown. International Sports Studies, 46(1), 36–65. https://doi.org/10.69665/iss.v46i1.17 

• Seechung, A. S., & Guinto, M. M. (2024). “You take my place; let’s switch!” What It Means to Be a Woman Powerlifter in Parasport. The Qualitative Report, 29(3), 649-670.https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2024.6153

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2023). Editorial: Advancing Quality Physical Education - Evolving Global Perspectives. International Sports Studies, 45(2), 1 – 5. https://doi.org/10.30819/iss.45-2.01

• Saunders, J. & Guinto, M. L. M. (2023). Transitioning, receiving the baton, and collaborating. International Sports Studies, 45(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3//0819/iss.45-1.01

• Benzing, V., Nosrat, S., Aghababa, A., Barkoukis, V., Bondarev, D., Chang, Y. K., . . . Guinto, M. L. M., … Brand, R. (2021). Staying active under restrictions: Changes in type of physical exercise during the initial COVID-19 lockdown. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22). doi:10.3390/ijerph182212015

• Guinto, M. L., & Logan, I. L. (2021). Harnessing the power of sport for disaster recovery. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 14(2), 326-343. doi:10.1080/2159676x.2021.1922493

• Guinto, M. L. M., Lopez De D’Amico, R., & Koushkie Jahromi, M. (2021). Conclusion: Moving forward. In R. Lopez de D’Amico, M. Koushkie Jahromi, & M. L. Guinto (Eds.), Women and Sport in Asia (1st ed., pp. 253-256).

• Guinto, M. L., Uy, G. L., & Cantancio, M. F. (2021). Women in Philippine sport and physical education. In R. Lopez de D’Amico, M. Koushkie Jahromi, & M. L. Guinto (Eds.), Women and Sport in Asia (1st ed., pp. 157-167). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003131885-18

• Kim, Y., Zhang, L., Lu, F., Araki, K., Vongjaturapat, N., Guinto, M. L., . . . Ortega, E. (2021). ASPASP position stand: Strategies for the development of sport and exercise psychology in the Asian and South Pacific region. Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1(1), 3-5. doi:10.1016/j.ajsep.2021.03.001

• Koushkie Jahromi, M., Lopez De D’Amico, R., & Guinto, M. L. M. (2021). Introduction: Asian women in sport. In R. Lopez de D’Amico, M. Koushkie Jahromi, & M. L. Guinto (Eds.), Women and Sport in Asia (1st ed., pp. 3-6).

• Lopez De D’Amico, R., Koushkie Jahromi, M., & Guinto, M. L. M. (Eds.) (2021). Women and sport in Asia. Oxon, OX: Routledge.

• Roychowdhury, D., Ronkainen, N., & Guinto, M. L. (2021). The transnational migration of mindfulness: A call for reflective pause in sport and exercise psychology. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 56. doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101958

Presentations

• Guinto, M.L.M. (2025, September 25-27). The invisible weight: Autoethnographic insights into the mental health of elite athletes [Oral Presentation], PAP x ARUPS Joint National-International Convention, Cebu International Convention Center.

• Campoamor-Olegario, L.A., Camitan IV, D.S. & Guinto, M.L.M. (2024, September 26-28). Well-being Among Filipino Tertiary Students in Quarantine [Symposium Presentation], 60th Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) Annual Convention, Baguio, Philippines. 

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2024, October 23 - 24). Empowering Minds: Promoting Mental Health among Girls and Women through Physical Activity [Virtual Presentation], 1st International Congress and the 2nd National Congress on Women, Physical Activity and Healthy Society, Alzahra University, Tehran-Iran

• Guinto, M.L.M. & Camitan IV, D.S. (2024, September 26-28). Comparative Investigation of Differential Mood Responses among Elite, Non-Elite, and Non-Athletes in Total Lockdown [Symposium Presentation], 60th Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) Annual Convention, Baguio, Philippines. 

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2024, July 21 - 26). Sport for Psychosocial Care Post-Disaster: A Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration [Oral Presentation], ASEAN Regional Union of Psychological Societies Invited Symposium: Innovative Psychosocial Interventions in Crises and Disasters, 33rd International Congress of Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic.

• Guinto, M.L.M. (2023, 23 June ). Sport Psychology: Nurturing Mental Health and Wellbeing of Athletes [Invited Oral Presentation]. Thailand Applied Sport Psychology Annual Conference, Chon Buri, Thailand.

• Guinto, M.L.M. (2023, 31 August ). “Hits harder than a heartbreak”: A qualitative study on the well-being of student-athletes during the global health crisis [Oral Presentation]. 9th Qualitative Research in Mental Health Conference, Budapest, Hungary.

• Guinto, M.L.M. (2023, 31 August ). Interrupted lives: Well-being from the voice of elite athletes during the global pandemic [Oral Presentation]. 9th Qualitative Research in Mental Health Conference, Budapest, Hungary.

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2022 July 11 - 16). Heartbreak in Sports: Isolation of Student-Athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic [Oral Presentations], 16th European Congress of Sport and Exercise Psychology. University of Padova, Italy. 

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2022 July 11 - 16). Disrupted Lives: COVID-19 Quarantine Measures and Filipino National Athletes [Oral Presentations], 16th European Congress of Sport and Exercise Psychology. University of Padova, Italy. 

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2022 July 11 - 16).  Locked Down and Locked Out of Sport: Reconstruction of Meaning among Sport Participants [Oral Presentations], 16th European Congress of Sport and Exercise Psychology. University of Padova, Italy.

• Guinto, M. L. M. ( 2022, November 18).  The (Hidden) Gender Curriculum in Physical Education [Invited Virtual Presentation]. Conference on Quality Physical Education and Dimensions. International Society for Comparative Physical Education and Sport, Sports Authority of India, Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education, Trivandrum, Kerala and the National Sports University, Imphal, India.

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2021, April 24 - 25). It’s not about me: Collaboration as a core competence in sport psychology consultation. [Invited Oral Presentation] 2021 International Symposium on Psychological Training and Consultation for Athletes. Beijing Sport University. 

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2021, June 10-13). “It’s worse than a break-up”: COVID and Filipino College Athletes. [Invited Oral Presentation] 6th International Conference of Physical Education and Sports Science, State University of Jakarta, Indonesia. 

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2021, September 8 - 10). Mental Health for Girls and Women during COVID-19 [Invited Workshop]. 19th Quadrennial Conference of the International Association of PE and Sport for Girls and Women, Tianjin University of Sport, China, https://iapesgw.com/program-19th-quadrennial-iapesgw-world-congress/

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2021, September 8 - 10). Women and Sport in Asia [Invited Panel Presentation]. 19th Quadrennial Conference of the International Association of PE and Sport for Girls and Women, Tianjin University of Sport, China, September 8-10, 2021. https://iapesgw.com/program-19th-quadrennial-iapesgw-world-congress/

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2021, September 30 - October 4). Sports in quarantine: Training behavior and subjective experiences of athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic [Oral Presentation in Invited Symposium] Asian South-Pacific Association of Sport Psychology Symposium on Mental health and well-being of athletes in the COVID-19 pandemic, International Society of Sport Psychology 15th World Congress, Taipei, Taiwan, September.

• Guinto, M. L. M. (2021, September 30 - October 4). The transnational migration of mindfulness: a call for reflective pause in sport and exercise psychology [Oral Presentation]. Transnational migration in sport: What we talk about when we talk about cultural transition in a transnational context [Organized Symposium]. International Society of Sport Psychology 15th World Congress, Taipei, Taiwan.

Maria Luisa has actively participated in programs promoting mental health and well-being in schools and communities, including workshops, seminars, or awareness campaigns focusing on stress management, resilience building, and emotional regulation. Additionally, she collaborates with school coordinators, community leaders, and other health professionals to develop strategies and resources tailored to the specific needs of diverse populations. Through her participation in these programs, she contributes to fostering supportive environments that prioritize mental health and well-being as integral components of overall health and flourishing.

Email: mmguinto1@up.edu.ph

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2430-555X

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