Examining the role of mental health and clinical issues within talent development

Although significant research supports the association between physical activity and mental wellbeing, current literature acknowledges that athletes are no less susceptible to mental illness than the general population. Despite welcomed initiatives aimed at improving mental health within elite sport, these programs often fail to target young athletes; an important concern given that the genesis of many mental illnesses are recognized to occur during this critical period. Given the importance of early intervention and effective treatment, and the potentially devastating consequences of clinical issues going undiagnosed, the implications for talent identification and development become obvious. With this in mind, this study sought to examine the range of mental health issues that may impact upon developing athletes and potential consequences for the development process, specific risk and protective factors associated with talent development, along with an examination of current practices concerning the identification of mental health issues in such environments. Qualitative interviews were conducted with purposively sampled clinicians (n = 8) experienced in working with adolescents and/or young athletes. Inductive content analysis was undertaken, identifying four main themes: key behavioral indicators; associated risk factors; associated protective factors; and issues around identification and diagnosis. Key behavioral indicators included behavioral change, along with behaviors associated with eating disorders, anxiety and depression. Risk factors centered on family background, the performance environment, and issues surrounding adolescence. Protective factors were primarily social in nature. Finally, a lack of awareness and understanding of clinical issues, multiple causes of symptoms, non-disclosure and the need for triangulation of assessment were identified. The need for improved identification and intervention strategies was apparent, with coaches identified as well placed to detect general ‘warning signs’ such as behavioral change. Short of integrating trained clinicians into talent development environments, as part of a triangulation process, ecologically validated assessment tools – coupled with appropriate training and signposting – could offer a practical way of flagging potential issues in developing athletes. The need for the development of such an instrument is therefore apparent. Finally, education around the influential role of family is also recommended in order to promote the protective elements and mitigate risk factors

Kinetic Analysis of the Thermal Degradation of Polystyrene-Montmorillonite Nanocomposite

Nanocomposites exhibit a combination of unique properties, such as increased heat distortion temperature, reduced permeability, reduced flammability and improved mechanical properties. In this work, a polystyrene (PS) clay nanocomposite was prepared via bulk polymerization using a novel organically modified montmorillonite (MMT). The organic-modifier is the N,N-dimethyl-n-hexadecyl-(4-vinylbenzyl) ammonium chloride (VB16). The thermal stability of PS–VB16 compared to pure PS is examined in pyrolytic and thermo-oxidative conditions. It is then studied using a kinetic analysis. It is shown that the stability of PS is significantly increased in the presence of clay. The thermal behavior of PS and PS nanocomposite is modeled and simulated. A very good agreement between experimental and simulated curves both in dynamic and isothermal conditions is observed. Using kinetic analysis associated to the reaction to fire of PS nanocomposite simulated in a cone calorimeter, the peak of heat release rate is half that of virgin PS, it is suggested that the clay acts as a char promoter slowing down the degradation and providing a protective barrier to the nanocomposite. The combination of these two effects is an important factor lowering the HRR

Durability Studies of Solar Reflectors Used in Concentrating Solar Thermal Technologies under Corrosive Sulfurous Atmospheres

Concentrating solar thermal (CST) technologies are a feasible and promising option to tackle worldwide energy problems. These solar facilities are sometimes located near industrial sites, where their main components—including concentrating solar reflectors—are prone to significant degradation caused by corrosive agents, especially in the presence of sulfurous atmospheres such as H2S and SO2. This paper focuses on analyzing the influence of sulfurous atmospheres on the durability of reflector materials used in CST technologies. To this end, accelerated aging tests were performed on the most commonly used materials found in solar reflectors (i.e., thick silvered glass and aluminum-based reflectors) by applying the same concentrations of H2S and SO2 under the same conditions of temperature and relative humidity. The results showed that the solar reflectors based on a silver reflective layer are significantly corroded by H2S atmospheres—several corrosion defects were found in the samples tested. However, those based on aluminum were barely affected by sulfurous environments in the conditions tested. Nonetheless, the study suggests that both reflector types are suitable candidates, depending on the purpose of the CST technology in question and the specific environmental conditions

Reflexivity and flexibility: Complementary routes to innovation?

Flexibility and reflexivity are essential processes for organisational innovation. The aim of the paper is to investigate their concurrent and interactive contribution in enhancing two innovation outcomes (the organisational openness towards innovation and the actual innovation adoption). Participants were 357 Italian employees. Results of a hierarchical regression model showed the role of both factors in fostering the two innovation outcomes under study. In addition, results showed the complementary interaction of reflexivity and flexibility, outlining two possible routes to innovation. Specifically, reflexivity appears to be a generative learning process capable of encouraging innovation in low-flexibility conditions, whereas flexibility tends to encourage innovation in low-reflexivity conditions. The findings provide empirical support of their roles as complementary resources for innovation, which has been under-examined in the literature

Organizational commitment of Vocational College Teachers in Malaysia

This study aimed to validate factors related to organizational commitment among teachers in vocational colleges in Malaysia. As we know, the commitment given to the organization will make the organization manageable. However, there are issues regarding the commitment given by the teachers in vocational colleges, which has led to poor performance of college organizations. Some studies have found that factors such as narrative commitment, affective commitment and ongoing commitment cause the overall commitment to the organization to be disrupted. In this study, a fully quantitative approach is used to determine factors in the organization commitment of vocational college teachers. The questionnaire was administered to 264 vocational college teachers in three states in Malaysia namely Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor. The data obtained were then analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS 21 application. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed to obtain factor loading for each element obtained namely narrative commitment, affective commitment and continuous commitment. The analysis results show that the factors reflect the appropriate fit and meet all the criteria for validation. Therefore, the findings of this study can further confirm previous findings on this issue

How should we measure psychological resilience in sport performers?

Psychological resilience is important in sport because athletes must constantly withstand a wide range of pressures to attain and sustain high performance. To advance psychologists’ understanding of this area, there exists an urgent need to develop a sport-specific measure of resilience. The purpose of this paper is to review psychometric issues in resilience research and to discuss the implications for sport psychology. Drawing on the wider general psychology literature to inform the discussion, the narrative is divided into three main sections relating to resilience and its assessment: adversity, positive adaptation, and protective factors. The first section reviews the different ways that adversity has been measured and considers the potential problems of using items with varying degrees of controllability and risk. The second section discusses the different approaches to assessing positive adaptation and examines the issue of circularity pervasive in resilience research. The final section explores the various issues related to the assessment of protective factors drawing directly from current measures of resilience in other psychology sub-disciplines. The commentary concludes with key recommendations for sport psychology researchers seeking to develop a measure of psychological resilience in athletes

Determination of Silver Binding to Natural Organic Matter Using Ion Selective Electrode

Natural organic matter (NOM) is considered an important factor in the protection of the aquatic environments; organic ligands can complex with metals, to decrease their toxicity and bioavailability. NOM is measured as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in mg C/L. Silver metal can enter into the aquatic environment from natural and anthropogenic sources, and is found in different chemical forms. Free silver ion (Ag+) is considered as the most toxic form of the metal. However, it can form complexes with both inorganic and organic ligands, such as ammonia, chloride, hydroxyl, carbonato, phosphato, and thiol groups. Thiol is the most important ligand because it forms very strong complexes with Ag. To date, the behavior of silver in the aquatic environment, is still not well understood. The aim of this research is divided to three steps. First, the experimental objective of this study was to determine free silver ion binding to NOM in three different commercially available sources. Also, samples were tested under different pH (4.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 10.0) conditions. In the laboratory tests, the technique that was used was a flow through ion selective electrode (ISE) system utilizing an Ag2S electrode. In the second step, Windermere Humic Aqueous Model (WHAM), which is a very important risk assessment tool, was validated by comparison WHAM and ISE silver speciation results. Silver binding to NOM depends on the specific ligands in each samples. For example, the sample with the most sulphur content was also strongest in binding to silver. Also, pH plays an important role in silver bioavailability. When pH increases, NOM has more sites available to bind to silver ions. In contrast, proton concentration increases at low pH and competes with free silver cations to bind with NOM. Finally, optical characterization of NOM was performed using absorbance (SAC340) and fluorescence indices (FI) in order to distinguish among NOM samples. It found that optical characteristics have similar value for all NOM samples

Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Functioning for Transitional-Aged Youth with Autism

There is mounting evidence to suggest that higher numbers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are being identified, including a wide range of severity and outcome (Eaves & Ho, 2008). As identification of ASD has improved, there is a larger proportion of identified young adults with ASD (YA-ASD) in the transition to adulthood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Though exceptionally talented in many cases, a large proportion YA-ASD have difficulty establishing independence and navigating the complex social nuances of a workplace, many end up “homebound” with difficulty finding employment (Daley, Weisner, & Singhal, 2014; Shattuck, Wagner, Narendorf, Sterzing, & Hensley, 2011; Taylor & Seltzer, 2011). It is quite likely that remaining homebound has far-reaching effects on the development of self-efficacy and mood functioning. In response to this challenge parents, advocates, and individuals with ASD have developed a technology-training program to help teach skills that will allow individuals with ASD to be independent: increasing skills and kindling hope for the future. The current study sought to explore the impact of the training program components on anxiety, depression, and friendships, specific to YA-ASD in the transition to adulthood. YA-ASD (n = 23) from vocational training program were given Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment - Adult Self-Report (ASR) before and after an 8-week period in a vocational program. Group and individual difference were measured for significant change. Few group significance was observed across the scales of the ASR. Some individual significance was observed, however no patterns of individual significance was found

Sports as a risk environment: homophobia and bullying in a sample of gay and heterosexual men

Research on bullying and homophobic bullying has mainly focused on school contexts, with little research in sports-related contexts. This study used a sample of 88 gay males and 120 heterosexual males between 18 and 36 years of age to examine the frequency of bullying experiences in Italian sports-related contexts. The results showed that gay men reported more frequent bullying and homophobic bullying than heterosexual men. Gay men reported dropping out of sports more frequently, namely due to a fear of being bullied and greater familial pressure to conform to masculine-type sports. It is necessary to promote safer sports-related contexts for people who self-identify as a sexual minority