Psychological momentum in handball

This doctoral dissertation deals with a phenomenon that is often referred to in sports, but still poorly understood from a scientific angle: psychological momentum (PM). No consensus has been agreed on how to label this phenomenon, and other terms such as momentum or behavioural momentum (BM) are often used interchangeably. In everyday language, PM can be explained by periods in a match where everything goes perfectly well (i.e., positive PM), or periods in a match where nothing works out as it should (i.e., negative PM). In short, it is about the flow of the game. Study I investigated the existence of momentum in female elite handball matches. The findings revealed that only 11.6% (autocorrelations), respectively 16.3% (χ2 tests), of the matches showed signs of momentum. In 7% of the matches, signs of anti-momentum were found. However, in nearly three of four matches, at least one five-minute period of momentum was detected. These results suggest that momentum exists in short periods, but normally does not last for a complete match. In Study II, semi-structure interviews with nine coaches of female elite handball teams were done to explore their perception of triggers, strategies, and characteristics of PM. The results showed that characteristics of both positive and negative PM could be categorised into factors regarding behaviour, cognition, confidence, emotions, and the team. Triggers for positive PM were grouped into the categories confidence, players’ individual factors, team factors, and team-opponent factors, whereas triggers for negative PM related to the categories coach factors, confidence, external factors, players’ individual factors, and team factors. The coaches mentioned a plethora of strategies that can be applied to enhance the chances to end up in a positive PM. Study III investigated the relationship between a team’s history of events, nonverbal behaviours in the form of gesture and touch shown by the shooter after scoring, and subsequent team performance. The results revealed among others that a high degree of touch when playing well, and a low degree of touch when playing poorly were related to positive subsequent team performance, while showing much touch when playing poorly, or showing little touch when playing well were related to negative subsequent team performance. Several conclusions can be drawn: Momentum in handball is short-lived, complex in nature, and probably best portrayed in a circular way where the different variables influence each other reciprocally. The display of touch after scoring seems to be a means of maintaining positive PM

Co-creating injury prevention training for youth handball players targeting end-users at the individual, team and organizational levels

A process that engaged end-users and researchers/experts to develop injury prevention training specifically for youth handball, generated a comprehensive intervention targeting end-users at the individual, team, and organizational levels. The intervention included information and physical and sport psychology training, that was made available in an interactive mobile application with modules for players, coaches, club administrators, and caregivers

Making it to the top in team sports:Start later, intensify, and be determined

It is debated whether young athletes need to specialize early, or if it is more beneficial to follow the path of early diversification. The present study investigates the career paths and related motivational and volitional factors of Danish elite and near-elite team sport athletes. Seventy-six athletes matched by sport, age and sex participated in the study. Elite athletes started their career later and showed higher self-determination and lower values in postponing training. The logistic regression showed that fewer accumulated training hours up to age 12, but more up to age 15 significantly predicted elite group membership. All other investigated variables did not show significant results. It is concluded that there are more similarities than differences between the two groups

HIV-1 heterosexual transmission and association with sexually transmitted infections in the era of treatment as prevention

Objectives: HIV-1 heterosexual transmission among individuals on antiretroviral treatment (ART) with undetectable viremia is extremely rare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of sexual HIV-1 transmission and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in HIV-1 serodifferent couples while the index partner is on ART. Methods: HIV transmission was evaluated in 200 HIV-1 heterosexual serodifferent couples in a stable relationship (≥3 months). All HIV-positive individuals had been on ART for ≥3 months and had been followed up for a median preceding time of 4.5 years (range 0.3–16 years) at the HIV couples clinic at Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Following written informed consent, participants responded to demographic/behavioral questionnaires. Quantitative PCR for HIV RNA, T-cell subsets, and STI testing (syphilis, herpes, human papillomavirus, gonorrhea, and bacterial vaginosis) were performed. Self-collected vaginal swabs were obtained for quantitative HIV genital viral load testing. Results: Among 200 couples, 70% of index partners were female. Five seroconversions were observed; the HIV infection incidence was 2.5% (95% confidence interval 0.8% to 5.7%). Mean plasma viral load results were higher in HIV transmitters compared to non-transmitters (p = 0.02). The presence of STIs was significantly greater in couples who seroconverted (60.0% vs. 13.3%; odds ratio 9.75, 95% confidence interval 1.55–61.2; p = 0.023). The duration of undetectable HIV viremia and presence of STIs were associated with HIV transmission. Conclusions: Undetectable viremia was the main factor associated with non-transmissibility of HIV in this setting

Antiretroviral adherence and virologic suppression in partnered and unpartnered HIV-positive individuals in southern Brazil

Background: An undetectable serum HIV-1 load is key to effectiveness of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, which depends on adherence to treatment. We evaluated factors possibly associated with ARV adherence and virologic response in HIV-infected heterosexual individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 200 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples and 100 unpartnered individuals receiving ARV treatment at a tertiary hospital in southern Brazil. All subjects provided written informed consent, answered demographic/behavioral questionnaires through audio computer-assisted self-interviews (ACASI), and collected blood and vaginal samples for biological markers and assessment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). HIV-negative partners were counseled and tested for HIV-1. Results: The study population mean age was 39.9 years, 53.6% were female, 62.5% were Caucasian, 52.6% had incomplete or complete elementary education, 63.1% resided in Porto Alegre. Demographic, behavioral and biological marker characteristics were similar between couples and single individuals. There was an association between adherence reported on ACASI and an undetectable serum viral load (P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that single-tablet ARV-regimens were independently associated with adherence (OR = 2.3; 95CI%: 1.2–4.4; P = 0.011) after controlling for age, gender, education, marital status, personal income, ARV regimen, and median time of ARV use. A positive correlation between genital secretion PCR results and serum viral load was significant in the presence of STIs (r = 0.359; P = 0.017). Although HIV PCR detection in vaginal secretions was more frequent in women with detectable viremia (9/51, 17.6%), it was also present in 7 of 157 women with undetectable serum viral loads (4.5%), p = 0.005. Conclusions: ARV single tablet regimens are associated with adherence. Detectable HIV-1 may be present in the genital secretions of women with undetectable viremia which means there is potential for HIV transmission in adherent individuals with serologic suppression

Differences between violent and non-violent adolescents in terms of sport background and sport-related psychological variables

To date, neither theoretical approaches nor empirical findings allow clear predictions about the influence of sport engagement on youth violence. The present study uses a typological approach to investigate groups of adolescents with different characteristics of violent behaviour and cognition regarding their sport background and psychological variables associated with violent behaviour. A sample of 2438 Swiss adolescents aged 12-18 years completed five self-report questionnaires on sport engagement, violent behaviour and cognition, self-concept, wellbeing, and stress perception. After in-depth data cleaning and method checking, the data of 832 participants were clustered using the Ward method. Five reliable clusters based on violent behaviour and cognition can be identified: non-violent adolescents, adolescents at risk, violence supporters, psychological harassers, and violent adolescents. Harassers are most engaged in sports and are over-represented among elite athletes. Violent adolescents are over-represented in game sports with body contact, whereas non-violent adolescents are involved in individual sports with a focus on aesthetic factors. Results further reveal that non-violent adolescents scored highest on general self-concept and relationship to parents, whereas harassers scored highest on general sport abilities. Moreover, harassers and violent adolescents have the least favourable values on different scales of wellbeing and stress perception. Given the cross-sectional nature of the study, no conclusion about selection or socializing processes can be drawn. Further in-depth consideration is needed to advance our understanding of the relationship between sport, psychological dimensions, and violence