Counter-conditioning as an intervention to modify anti-fat attitudes

This study examined the effect of anti-fat attitude counter-conditioning using positive images of obese individuals participants completed implicit and explicit measures of attitudes towards fatness on three occasions: no intervention; following exposure to positive images of obese members of the general public; and to images of obese celebrities. Contrary to expectations, positive images of obese individuals did not result in more positive attitudes towards fatness as expected and, in some cases, indices of these attitudes worsened. Results suggest that attitudes towards obesity and fatness may be somewhat robust and resistant to change, possibly suggesting a central and not peripheral processing route for their formation

Athlete–Coach Conflict and a Sport Psychologist Caught in the Middle: A Case Study of Consultancy During Athlete Preparation and Performance in Olympic Games Athletics

This case study examines the personal experiences of an elite athlete, coach, and sport psychology consultant (SPC) during the athlete’s preparation and performance in a recent Olympic Games. The qualitative research details how the consultancy process was affected by the athlete’s late admission of the deteriorating relationship with his coach. The concepts of closeness, commitment, complementarity, and co-orientation provided a theoretical perspective to the SPC’s interpretation of athlete performance and the interpersonal conflict that developed between athlete and coach. The basic performance demand model provided an applied perspective. The SPC’s commentary adopts a reflexive discursive style that also focuses on the SPC’s role in the consultancy process and the effectiveness of the performance demand model materials. Five important recommendations arise from the case study, and these might inform other SPCs’ future athlete–coach consultancies and interventions

Coaches' Evaluations of the Utility of the Basic Performance Demand Model for Sport

The Performance Demand Model for Sport (PDM; Males, Hudson, & Kerr) is based on four psychological fundamentals: mastery motivation, decision making, execution, and teamship. Four elite coaches from canoe slalom, rugby sevens, rowing, and athletics evaluated the utility of the PDM model and later trialed it with elite athletes. Two sets of semi-structured interviews provided subjective statements that generally: (a) supported PDM process-based principles and (b) post-field trials, endorsed the PDM for elite athlete use. With one exception, coaches used the PDM with athletes in different ways, recommending customization, simplification, and a focus on specific training contexts to enhance utility

Can student teachers’ pedagogy be enhanced by heeding children’s thoughts about their learning?

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Professional Doctorate of EducationThe focus of this enquiry was to enable student teachers to engage with children’s views to construct meaningful classroom learning experiences. The underpinning assumption was that learning is socially constructed. Issues addressed were: what pupils thought helped/hindered their learning in classrooms, how heeding children’s views of barriers to/facilitators of their learning can be used by student teachers for lesson evaluation, planning and reflective practice, to what extent children’s views can support student teachers’ understanding of children’s learning and the development of their pedagogical practices (this includes both curriculum planning and teaching), the development and learning of initial teacher education students as student teachers engaged in reflective practice. The research comprises two case studies; pilot and subsequent larger-scale project. It incorporated action research designed as iterative spirals of research, evaluation and development in classrooms where the student teachers were teaching children. New learning accumulated in one cycle was intended to be taken into the next. Bespoke pedagogical tools were used to create dialogic spaces and also as research data collection techniques. They scaffolded inter and intra- personal exchanges to enable student teachers to understand children’s learning from a socio-cultural perspective. These tools mediated children’s reflection on their learning and then feedback to the student teacher about what they had learnt; how they had learnt it and what would enable them to learn better. The results indicated: enhanced student teachers’ understanding of how children learn as they adapted their practice in response to children’s views, enhanced learning by the children owing to their exchanges on the interpersonal plane, with peers in the dialogic space created by the bespoke pedagogical tools, mentors require development to support student teachers to engage meaningfully with children’s learning. Outcomes cannot easily be generalised from case studies. This study found: children can express learning needs when appropriate scaffolds enable them to articulate abstract concepts, when student teachers respond to children talking about learning they can develop their practice.Implications for Initial Teacher Education are that it should: highlight the importance of children’s voice to support student teachers in developing their pedagogy, model ways in which teachers can create dialogic spaces for children’s interthinking, consider what development mentors require to support student teachers’ understanding of children’s learning in classrooms. Mediating the construction of dialogue with the Thinking Fish provided a way into both the process of interthinking for children, and also student teachers’ understanding of such interthinking as expressed through their dialogue in the focus groups. Thus the Thinking Fish may be considered to be the vicarious presence of the teacher. This may be a useful approach for teachers and student teachers to adopt as the experience for the participants in this study was meaningful and replicable in future practice, using real classroom activity as research data

Exploring rural palliative care patients’ experiences of accessing psychosocial support through telehealth:A longitudinal approach

In this research we explore the experiences of rural palliative care patients receiving psychosocial support through telehealth. A longitudinal approach considered how experiences vary over time. Three patients with a terminal cancer diagnosis were given a laptop to access psychosocial support via telehealth over three months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at monthly intervals. Interpretative phenomenological analysis identified four themes; Deepening understanding through unburdened and continuous connections; the ever-present paradox of visible and invisible telehealth; insight into the holistic self: from barrier to facilitator; and, the immediate change from unnecessary distraction to mindful engagement. Findings challenge previous conclusions regarding the inability of telehealth to support meaningful relationships, and instead provide novel insights to explain why enabling rural palliative care patients to access support from home is supportive for their wellbeing and the quality of healthcare relationships. Our conclusions question whether the indirect benefits of telehealth could also offer a valuable way of accessing health services beyond a palliative care setting

Exploring the acceptance of telehealth within palliative care:A Self-Determination Theory perspective

The aim of this paper was to explore potential divergence and convergence in relation to health care professionals’ and patients’ acceptability of the use of telehealth within palliative care provision through the lens of Self-Determination Theory. The research utilized a deductive qualitative approach utilizing semi-structured interviews to explore divergence and convergence between health care professionals’ preconceptions of the use of telehealth in palliative care and the lived experiences of patients accessing support in this manner. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with both professionals and patients to explore whether the barriers and benefits of telehealth perceived by professionals corresponded to the patient’s lived experience of utilizing the technology in their palliative care. Interviews were analyzed using a deductive thematic analysis. Professionals and patients identified that the use of telehealth could satisfy the need for autonomy, however this manifested in different ways. Greater divergence was apparent between patient and professional perceptions about how telehealth could satisfy the need for relatedness and competence needs. The findings of this paper highlight how professionals preconceived concerns about the use of telehealth in relation to providing supportive palliative care may not be realized when exploring the experiences of patients accessing services through this medium. This paper highlights the important role of psychological need satisfaction when considering acceptability of telehealth, and motivation to engage in the implementation of technologically driven health services

Kinship and Collegiality: An exploration of the underpinning characteristics of external partnerships at a University Education Department

Purpose External partnerships are crucial to the functioning of a university education department. The purpose of this paper is to explore the underpinning characteristics of such partnerships. It examines different types of partnerships from those in initial teacher education, to continuing professional development to international. Evidence-based data are gathered from both external partners and university staff who deal with partnership. Softer skills and intellectual kingship are identified as the fundamental drivers of partnership and the subsequent implications for universities are examined. Design/methodology/approach In order to explore the nature of these partnerships, a qualitative approach was essential as the focus was in the motives and perspectives of the authors’ partners, the authors’ colleagues and the university as a corporate entity. To this end, questionnaires were designed for use with a broad range of teacher education partners. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with university-based colleagues involved in a range of these partnership activities. Findings The institutional reputation on its own does not appear to be the main driver for partnership and as such, the partner bases their decisions and judgements upon the relationship and discussions with the link person they deal with. In turn, those key actors in the university education department also see the wider university as an inhibitor and constraint upon partnership but maintain their relationships by drawing on autonomous forms of professionalism. Thus, intellectual kinship, collegiality and common goals may be argued as key to generating successful external relationships. Practical implications It is important to note that a business relationship which relies on an individual is fragile; people move, become ill and change roles. Clear strategies are essential for succession planning across all such partnerships in an institution, if they are to avoid the potential financial and reputational repercussions arising from unplanned change. Originality/value This study highlights the significance of effective communication between the department establishing the partnership and those responsible for broader managerial and administrative systems in the institution, as well as the potential importance of shared values across departments in respect of supporting and maintaining international partnerships. Further, institutions should recognise the fundamental importance of the link person, in terms of the boundary-spanning nature of the role, the importance to that role of intellectual kinship and the potential this has for the development of new or expanded relationships

Modelling Motivational Dynamics: Demonstrating When, Why, and How We Self-Regulate Motivation

Motivation quality affects the initiation and maintenance of behavior and physical and psychological health. Despite this, we understand little about how situational fluctuations occur and are regulated. In this paper we analyze the utility of applying basic psychological needs theory (a sub theory of self-determination theory) and reversal theory as frameworks for understanding motivational dynamics. Specifically, we posit a causal model linking acute consequences of need satisfaction and the purpose and direction of meta-motivational state shifts. This model is tested in two sequential experiments, demonstrating: (i) that thwarting or satisfying psychological needs increases meta-motivational reversal frequency and (ii) that individuals use meta-motivational shifts to compensate for imbalances in need satisfaction. Broad-ranging implications include informing therapeutic support for preventing maladaptive emotions and behaviors and promoting psychological health and well-being. In respect to modelling the dynamics of human motivation, this study adds clarity to understanding when (following need deprivation), why (to regain and balance need satisfaction), and how (through changing metamotivational states) we self-regulate

Application of an innovative performance demand model with canoe slalom athletes and their coach

We describe how we used the newly developed Performance Demand Model (PDM) with a canoe slalom coach and three junior athletes preparing for the Junior World Championships. The PDM encourages athletes to think of performance as a process and identifies the psychological demands that must be met before, during, and after competition. It focuses on four Psychological Fundamentals: Mastery Motivation; Decision Making; Execution; and Teamwork, each grounded in Reversal Theory. This article discusses how coaches and athletes applied and benefitted from using the PDM and offers lessons learned for its future use by practitioners

Reversal theory-based sport and exercise research: A narrative review

ObjectivesTo provide a critical combined systematic/narrative review of reversal theory (RT) sport and exercise research published over the last 30 years.DesignPeer-reviewed journal publications on reversal theory sport and exercise research from 1985 to 2014 were critically scrutinized.MethodResearch results were examined using four important research themes: (1) evidence that all motivational states have been reported and provide a valid description of athletes' experience; (2) evidence supporting the reversal process and its causal factors; (3) the role of motivational dominance and participation in different types of sport and exercise; (4) the relationship between motivational state and performance.ResultsThe richness of competitors' emotional and motivational experience in sport can be mapped and described using RT. Motivational reversals do occur for the reasons suggested by RT, and provide a mechanism for understanding, predicting and influencing changes in affective state. There is a relationship between motivational dominance and participation and experience of different sports. The relationship between particular motivational states and performance was found to be ambiguous.ConclusionsThis review has shown that, despite limitations and some gaps in the research literature, past RT sport and exercise research has provided important information and a reason for cautious optimism about its applicability to sport and exercise. However, there is a need for additional robust research. For example, there is evidence supporting the causal factors for reversals, but currently no research has shown that reversals can be controlled, or that motivational states can be reliably induced at will in the context of sport and exercise