Validity and reliability evaluation of the multidimensional Japanese athletic identity measurement scale

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 7-item multidimensional Japanese Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS). Participants: In total, 1514 male Japanese students participated in this study. Measures: Athletic identity was measured using the Japanese AIMS (Hagiwara & Isogai, 2013). Analysis: Scale reliability and validity was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA fit estimation utilized the goodness-of-fit index (GFI), adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI), comparative fit index (CFI), and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). The results indicated an adequate fit for the Japanese athletes relative to Brewer and Cornelius’s (2001) three first-order factors (i.e., social identity, exclusivity, negative affectivity) subordinate to one higher-order athletic identity factor: GFI=.98, AGFI=.94, CFI=.99, RMSEA=.05. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) of the items comprising the multidimensional Japanese AIMS was acceptable. This study thus developed a multidimensional Japanese AIMS, which can be used to measure three aspects of a Japanese athlete’s identity, thereby potentially providing further insight into his or her identification with the athletic role.This study was supported by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (No. 18K17825)

Comparison of EEG biofeedback and visual search strategies during e-sports play according to skill level

About 83% of the perceptual information humans receive from the outside world comes through the visual domain, making the tracking of visual information important for the superior performance of e-sports players. In addition, it is known that e-sports players’ emotional state during performance affects their results. However, few studies have examined visual search strategies and electroencephalogram (EEG) findings of e-sports players while engaged in e-sports. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the characteristics of visual search activity and EEG feedback during first person shooter (FPS) game play, in which the tracking of visual information is important, and to examine the characteristics of different gaming skill levels. Four skilled and five semi-skilled e-sports participants (mean age ± 19.11, SD = 0.99) participated in this study. Gazepoint GP3 (Canada) was used to measure eye movements, and the Sports KANSEI (Littlesoftware Inc., Japan) was used to analyse the emotional state of the participants by using EEG data. The results showed that the skilled e-sports players checked the camera significantly more frequently than the semi-skilled participants. The results of the area of interest (AOI) analysis showed that skilled e-sports players glanced at the friendly team information displayed at the top of the game screen more often than semi-skilled players. Furthermore, it was found that skilled e-sports players had significantly higher average EEG relaxation values during gameplay than semi-skilled players. Thus, the visual search strategy and emotional state while playing e-sports differed according to gaming skill level

A study on psychological training of eSports using digital games: Focusing on rhythm game

Incidentally, several studies have mentioned that digital games or video games have a positive impact on psychological skills (Green, et al., 2003; Pessoa, 2009; Anguera, et al., 2013). Thus, this study aimed to examine the psychological skills focusing on selective attention by comparing the power change in the beta wave band of the EEG during game play and the results of the trail making test (TMT) conducted before and after. Participants were ten male college students who usually play game for at least one hour per day, five days per week (age: M = 21.90 ± 1.96). This study adopted “Osu!” that is a free online rhythm game as an experimental task, because several articles mentioned that professional gamers usually use "Osu!" as a warming up or practice before gaming (Webb, 2019; Carpenter, 2019). Thus, “Osu!” is assumed to have the effect of enhancing the players’ psychological skills. In addition, the TMT part B is adopted to measure attention to speed, motor speed, visual screening, mental flexibility, perseverance, interference affinity and reaction inhibition. As a result of comparing change in biological attention extracted from the EEG during game play or baseline measurement, there is a significant difference in selective attentional state between baseline and while game play. In comparison of TMT indicated that processing speed in after rhythm game was tended to be faster than before play. Thus, this study might be indicated that rhythm game would be the one of the psychological or cognitive training tool for eSports

Examining effectiveness of e-sports activity in Japan

Digital games or video games have a positive impact on cognitive function. However, there is no study examining the positive effects of e-sports in Japan. Thus, we conducted two studies. Study 1 examined the relationship between e-sports and cognitive function using the Stroop and reverse-Stroop Color and Word Test. Additionally, study 2 examined the psychological statement while playing e-sports using biological evaluation. Study 1 included six male collegiate students who could play e-sports (three in the e-sports group, three in the control group), while study 2 involved two male Japanese collegiate e-sports players. The e-sports group played e-sports for 10 minutes and their cognitive function and psychological statement were evaluated during play. EEG was employed to evaluate the psychological statement of the e-sport players in study 2. Emotional condition (concentration) was analysed from the combination of the extracted raw EEG data using KANSEI Module Logger. Results of study 1 indicated that 10 minutes of e-sports activity significantly improved cognitive function, especially interference and concentration, in the e-sports group. Study 2 concluded that the average concentration value at play time was significantly higher than that during the resting period. Therefore, this study indicated that e-sports activity might have positive effects when played for a brief time

Effectiveness of motivational videos for elite swimmers: Subjective and biological evaluations

Motivational videos (MVs) are used in Japan in many competitive sports, both professional and amateur. However, several researchers have stated that the effectiveness of MVs has not been scientifically verified, and only subjective evaluations have been conducted in previous studies (Yamazaki & Sugiyama, 2009). This study examined the psychological effectiveness of MVs using both subjective and biological evaluations. The subjects were six elite Japanese collegiate swimmers participating in the FINA Swimming World Cup (age: 21.33 ± 0.51, four males and two females). We employed subjective and biological evaluations to examine these elite swimmers’ psychological motivation while watching an MV as part of their practice. We adopted subjective and self-report Psychological Condition Inventory (Yamazaki et al., 2008) to measure the athletes’ level of vigor while watching the MV. An electroencephalogram (EEG) was employed to evaluate the emotions of the swimmers. The emotional condition (vigor) was analysed by combining the extracted raw EEG data using a KANSEI module logger (Littlesoftware, 2018). A subjective evaluation showed that the score for vigor significantly improved after watching the MV (t = 2.33, p < 0.05), which was also indicated by the results of the biological evaluation (t = 5.69, p < 0.01). There was also a significant correlation between subjective and biological vigor after watching the MV (r = 0.77, p < 0.01). The results of this study, therefore, indicated that biological evaluation can be employed anew to verify the effectiveness of MVs

Relationships among Student-Athletes’ Identity, Mental Health, and Social Support in Japanese Student-Athletes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of the two studies was to investigate the relationships among student athletes’ identity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between perceived social support from teammates and mental health in student-athletes. Two studies were conducted to investigate and clarify the mental health states of student-athletes in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Study 1, conducted in April 2020, the participants were 402 male student-athletes and we examined the relationships among student-athletes’ identity and mental health. The results of correlational analyses indicated significant negative correlations between the degree of student-athletes’ identity and depression and sports helplessness. In Study 2, conducted in March 2021, the participants were 135 male student-athletes and examined the relationship between perceived social support from teammates, student-athletes’ identity, and mental health. The results indicated a significant correlation between social support, student athletes’ identity, and mental health

Competencies That Japanese Collegiate Sports Coaches Require for Dual-Career Support for Student Athletes

The purpose of this study was to clarify coaches&rsquo; competencies (COM) regarding dual-career (DC) support for student athletes in Japan. The questionnaire survey was conducted at 31 universities with an online survey URL that was distributed to 300 collegiate athletic coaches. In total, there were 152 respondents (female, 19; male, 133; mean age, 43.15 &plusmn; 12.07 years; coaching experience, 12.83 &plusmn; 9.72 years). The online survey adopted a Japanese-translated version of the Dual-Career Competency Questionnaire (DCCQ), which has been translated into nine languages and is widely used in European counties. The scale consists of six factors and 33 items, each rated on a five-point scale of importance (IM) and possession (PO). The Japanese version of the DCCQ was validated through a confirmatory factor analysis, and the internal consistency of the items was confirmed by calculating the Cronbach&rsquo;s alpha coefficient. In addition, we examined differences between the IM and PO for DC support by t-tests and by calculating effect sizes. The validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the DCCQ were confirmed based on the goodness-of-fit index and Cronbach&rsquo;s alpha coefficients, respectively. Our examination of the differences between IM and PO in DC support revealed that coaches perceived the importance of DC support but did not possess the necessary COM to offer DC support. That finding was similar to those of previous European studies. In particular, the Japanese coaches who participated in our online survey recognized the importance of COM in terms of &ldquo;collaboration with various stakeholders and departments&rdquo; for DC support but did not feel as though they held sufficient COM in that regard. In other words, the improvement of DC support requires the development of a coaching program that fosters COM to work with various stakeholders. This key insight provides a direction and specific focus for programs to improve coaches&rsquo; DC support for student athletes

スポーツ系専門学生におけるアクティブ・ラーニングが社会人基礎力に及ぼす影響

This study aimed to examine whether active learning affects fundamental competencies of working persons (“Action”, “Thinking”, and “Teamwork”) for college students in professional sports training, and to clarify the change characteristics of fundamental competencies for working persons by implementing active learning. Moreover, the purpose of this study was to verify which skills acquired through group work are related to fundamental competencies formation for working persons. Fourteen college students in professional sports training (male:11, female:3) completed the Scale of Fundamental Competencies for Working Persons (Kitajima et al., 2011) and Scale of Group Work Skills (Mori, 2016). Longitudinal examination, revealed that active learning did not apply to every college student in training to form fundamental competencies. As a result of examining the characteristics of changes in the basic ability of working adults through active learning, types of transformation were clarified and classified into four groups. Also, results of this research indicated that the "ability to feel" and the "ability to ask questions" among group work skills are associated with "Thinking", and showed that "Teamwork" and "ability to listen" are related

教員のメンタルヘルスに関する研究の展望

Recently, the mental health of school teachers in Japan has been deteriorating. Teacher mental health can have a significant impact on school education. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify what kind of situation might occur if teachers’ mental health continues to deteriorate. We review current research and describe studies that have been done to improve the mental health of teachers, as well as future issues. To date, many studies have been conducted on teachers’ mental health related to stress and burnout. Thus, we focused on stress and burnout in overviewing previous studies. Research has shown that the determinants of teacher stress are internal factors such as age and personality and external factors such as the work environment and human environment. Previous studies have shown that determinants of teacher burnout are individual differences such as personality and teacher history and situational factors such as teacher culture and responsibility. Regarding the outcome of teacher stress and burnout, it has been clarified that teacher stress not only deteriorates the mental health of teachers themselves but also hinders the education of students. Although social support effectively prevents the deterioration of teachers' mental health, it has been pointed out that it is not easy for teachers to support each other. Future longitudinal and qualitative research is needed to understand teachers’ mental health from various perspectives. Moreover, studies should clarify the status of teachers’ mental health and preventive factors that facilitate intervention in the field.１．はじめに / ２．教員のメンタルヘルスについて / ３．教員ストレス / ４．教員バーンアウト / ５．教員のメンタルヘルスを予防する要因 / ６．今後の課題 / ７．おわり