Task-efficacy predicts perceived enjoyment and subsequently barrier-efficacy: investigating a psychological process underpinning schoolchildren's physical activity

Self-efficacy and perceived enjoyment have been recognised as important psychological correlates of children’s physical activity (PA). However, research investigating the psychological process underpinning self-efficacy and perceived enjoyment has generated “contradictory” findings – with some regarding self-efficacy as an antecedent of enjoyment while the others arguing for the reverse. To mitigate this confusion, we have embraced the largely overlooked distinction between task- and barrier-efficacy in PA research and have examined the proposal that task-efficacy enhances perceived enjoyment and, subsequently, increases barrier-efficacy and PA. In a sample of 331 eight-to-ten years old schoolchildren (169 boys), task-efficacy manifested an indirect effect on accelerometer-based measures of MVPA and total PA via perceived enjoyment and subsequently barrier-efficacy. Perceived enjoyment served as a mediator of task-efficacy on MVPA but not total PA. Barrier-efficacy appeared to be a consistent mediator underlying schoolchildren’s PA regardless of PA intensity. The findings suggest that (1) the distinction between task- and barrier-efficacy warrants consideration in children’s PA promotion and (2) the psychological drivers of more vigorous types of PA differ compared to lower intensity PA. Future research would do well to explore the key psychological factors underpinning less vigorous types of PA to inform the development of effective PA interventions for those who have difficulties engaging in MVPA

Reliability and validity of the short Hong Kong Chinese Self-Regulation of Learning Self-Report Scale (SRL-SRS-C)

Objectives: This study translated and shortened the original English, six-factor, Self-Regulated Learning Self-Report Scale (SRL-SRS). This version was subsequently assessed for its reliability and validity, for use in a Hong Kong Chinese adolescent population. Design and methods: The SRL-SRS was translated into Chinese following the back-translation procedure. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and test–retest reliability analysis, were conducted on a sample of 314 Hong Kong Chinese adolescents aged 12–17 years (mean age = 13.2 years, SD = .99; male = 155) from one Hong Kong secondary school. Cross-validation was conducted on a second sample of adolescents (n = 477; mean age = 14.92 years; male = 283) from three Hong Kong secondary schools. Results: EFA results supported the original six-factor model. Subsequent CFA results supported the short version with sufficient goodness-of-fit statistics (comparative fit index; CFI = 0.93; Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) = 0.92; root square mean error of approximation (RMSEA; 95% CI) = 0.0047 (0.041 – 0.053); SRMR = 0.044). Further support was also found by cross-validation in the second sample (CFI = 0.915; TLI = 0.906; RMSEA = 0.052; SRMR = 0.043). Internal consistency analysis revealed that Cronbach's α ranged from.72 to .89 for all subscales (sample 1); test–retest reliability analysis (sample 1) produced Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) values ranging from .69 to .80 for all subscales. Conclusions: The short SRL-SRS-C is a sufficiently reliable and valid instrument to measure self-regulation of learning in a Chinese adolescent population. In addition, the SRL-SRS-C has demonstrated sufficient content, construct validity, and test–retest reliability

Lead me to train better: Transformational leadership moderates the negative relationship between athlete personality and training behaviours.

High-quality training environments are essential for athletic peak performance. However, recent research highlighted that athletes' personality characteristics could undermine effective training. The current set of studies aimed to examine whether specific transformational leadership characteristics displayed by the coach would moderate the potential negative impacts of two personality traits (i.e., extraversion and neuroticism) on training behaviours. In study 1, ninety-nine university athletes completed questionnaires assessing personality, transformational leadership, and training behaviours. In study 2, eighty-four high-level athletes completed the same personality and transformational leadership questionnaires. However, in study 2 the head coaches assessed athletes’ training behaviours. Both studies showed that coach high-performance expectations moderated the extraversion-distractibility relationship. Further, both studies also demonstrated that the relationship between neuroticism and coping with adversity was moderated by coach’s inspirational motivation. Our findings highlight that extraversion and neuroticism can negatively relate to training behaviours, but such effects can be moderated by certain transformational leadership behaviours

Lead me to train better: transformational leadership’s moderation of the negative relationship between athlete personality and training behaviors

High-quality training environments are essential for athletic peak performance. However, recent research highlighted that athletes' personality characteristics could undermine effective training. The current set of studies aimed to examine whether specific transformational leadership characteristics displayed by the coach would moderate the potential negative impacts of two personality traits (i.e., extraversion and neuroticism) on training behaviours. In study 1, ninety-nine university athletes completed questionnaires assessing personality, transformational leadership, and training behaviours. In study 2, eighty-four high-level athletes completed the same personality and transformational leadership questionnaires. However, in study 2 the head coaches assessed athletes’ training behaviours. Both studies showed that coach high-performance expectations moderated the extraversion-distractibility relationship. Further, both studies also demonstrated that the relationship between neuroticism and coping with adversity was moderated by coach’s inspirational motivation. Our findings highlight that extraversion and neuroticism can negatively relate to training behaviours, but such effects can be moderated by certain transformational leadership behaviours.N/

Investigating the association of self-regulated learning skills and physical activity in Hong Kong Chinese and Scottish adolescents

Zimmerman's self-regulated learning (SRL) model focusses on how individuals are able to make improvements through a cyclical and systematic method of learning how to adapt to ever-changing environments; however, this model is not widely applied in a physical activity (PA) behaviour change context. As such, this cross-sectional study examined the relationship between six SRL skills (planning, self-monitoring, self-evaluation, reflection, effort and self-efficacy) and PA in 480 Chinese (aged 11–19 years; M = 14.9, SD = 1.8; male = 61.3%) and 411 Scottish (aged 12–16 years; M = 13.8, SD = 1.4; male = 47.9%) adolescents. Moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA was significantly higher for Scottish (M = 48.58, SD = 26.01, p = .0005) compared to Chinese adolescents (M = 31.14, SD = 22.26). All SRL variables significantly explained a small amount of variance in moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA, in both Chinese (ΔR 2 = .021, F(2, 461) = 6.320, p = .005) and Scottish (ΔR 2 = .020, F(2, 376) = 8.427, p = .013) adolescents; and reflection was a significant predictor of PA (Chinese p = .027; Scottish p = .003) in both samples. Despite PA differences, in both groups a similar pattern in the relationship between SRL and PA emerged, as well the importance of reflection in this relationship. It is understood that SRL skills may not necessarily come naturally to adolescents and may require explicit training, therefore, research focussing on the development of these SRL skills alongside PA, with a particular emphasis on reflection, may positively influence adolescent PA behaviour change

Foresee the glory and train better: Narcissism, goal-setting and athlete training

Grandiose narcissism may be debilitative to athlete training because the opportunity for self-enhancement that motivates narcissists to strive is normally absent in training environments. However, this view ignores the divergent influences of the self-inflated (reflecting over-confidence) and dominant (reflecting willingness for dominance) facets of grandiose narcissism. We expected that self-inflated narcissism would undermine athlete training, but only when dominant narcissism was low. This is because dominant narcissism may serve as the catalyst that drives those with self-inflated narcissism to train well. We further considered goal-setting as a practical means of alleviating the negative influence of self-inflated narcissism in training. Goal-setting provides athletes with an exciting vision of the future and thus can be an important self-enhancement strategy to engage narcissistic athletes in training. In the present study, 321 athletes completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI-40) and the goal-setting subscale in the Test of Performance Strategies-3 (TOPS-3). Coaches of these athletes assessed training behaviors using the Quality of Training Inventory (QTI). Self-inflated narcissism predicted higher levels of (coach-rated) distractibility and poorer quality of preparation only when both dominant narcissism and goal-setting were low (and not when either was high). The findings suggest that dominant narcissism and goal-setting protect against the adverse influences of self-inflated narcissism on athlete training. The work underscores the importance of considering grandiose narcissism as a multidimensional construct and supports goal-setting as a useful self-enhancement strateg

Validation of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) among Chinese Children *

Objective This study initially validates the Chinese version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), which has been identified as a potentially valid instrument to assess moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children among diverse racial groups. Methods The psychometric properties of the PAQ-C with 742 Hong Kong Chinese children were assessed with the scale's internal consistency, reliability, test-retest reliability, confirmatory factory analysis (CFA) in the overall sample, and multistep invariance tests across gender groups as well as convergent validity with body mass index (BMI), and an accelerometry-based MVPA. Results The Cronbach alpha coefficient (?=0.79), composite reliability value (?=0.81), and the intraclass correlation coefficient (?=0.82) indicate the satisfactory reliability of the PAQ-C score. The CFA indicated data fit a single factor model, suggesting that the PAQ-C measures only one construct, on MVPA over the previous 7 days. The multiple-group CFAs suggested that the factor loadings and variances and covariances of the PAQ-C measurement model were invariant across gender groups. The PAQ-C score was related to accelerometry-based MVPA (r=0.33) and inversely related to BMI (r=-0.18). Conclusion This study demonstrates the reliability and validity of the PAQ-C in Chinese children

Elena+ Care for COVID-19, a Pandemic Lifestyle Care Intervention: Intervention Design and Study Protocol

Background: The current COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is an emergency on a global scale, with huge swathes of the population required to remain indoors for prolonged periods to tackle the virus. In this new context, individuals\u27 health-promoting routines are under greater strain, contributing to poorer mental and physical health. Additionally, individuals are required to keep up to date with latest health guidelines about the virus, which may be confusing in an age of social-media disinformation and shifting guidelines. To tackle these factors, we developed Elena+, a smartphone-based and conversational agent (CA) delivered pandemic lifestyle care intervention. Methods: Elena+ utilizes varied intervention components to deliver a psychoeducation-focused coaching program on the topics of: COVID-19 information, physical activity, mental health (anxiety, loneliness, mental resources), sleep and diet and nutrition. Over 43 subtopics, a CA guides individuals through content and tracks progress over time, such as changes in health outcome assessments per topic, alongside user-set behavioral intentions and user-reported actual behaviors. Ratings of the usage experience, social demographics and the user profile are also captured. Elena+ is available for public download on iOS and Android devices in English, European Spanish and Latin American Spanish with future languages and launch countries planned, and no limits on planned recruitment. Panel data methods will be used to track user progress over time in subsequent analyses. The Elena+ intervention is open-source under the Apache 2 license (MobileCoach software) and the Creative Commons 4.0 license CC BY-NC-SA (intervention logic and content), allowing future collaborations; such as cultural adaptions, integration of new sensor-related features or the development of new topics. Discussion: Digital health applications offer a low-cost and scalable route to meet challenges to public health. As Elena+ was developed by an international and interdisciplinary team in a short time frame to meet the COVID-19 pandemic, empirical data are required to discern how effective such solutions can be in meeting real world, emergent health crises. Additionally, clustering Elena+ users based on characteristics and usage behaviors could help public health practitioners understand how population-level digital health interventions can reach at-risk and sub-populations

Corrigendum: Elena+ Care for COVID-19, a Pandemic Lifestyle Care Intervention: Intervention Design and Study Protocol (Front. Public Health, (2021), 9, (625640), 10.3389/fpubh.2021.625640)

In the published article, there were errors regarding the affiliations of several authors. For “Joseph Ollier”, instead of having affiliation “1,2”, they should have “1”. For “Olivia Clare Keller”, instead of having affiliations “1,2,15”, they should have “1,15”. For “Lorainne Tudor Car”, instead of having affiliations “3,27”, they should have “4,27”. For “Alicia Salamanca-Sanabria” instead of having affiliation “3”, they should have “4”. For “Jacqueline Louise Mair”, instead of having affiliation “3”, they should have “4”. For “Tobias Kowatsch”, instead of having affiliation(s) “1,2,15,28”, they should have “1,4,15”. In the published article, there was also an error in affiliation “29”. Instead of “Center for Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité, Berlin, Germany”, it should be “Center for Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Berlin, Germany”. There was also an error in affiliation “4”. Instead of “Future Health Technologies Programme, Singapore-Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Centre at Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore”, it should be “Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore”. Additionally, there was an error in affiliation “23” instead of “Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, Zurich University, Zurich, Switzerland” it should be “Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland”. The authors apologize for these errors and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated