Fitness programs and some aspects of mental health

Cilj provedene studije bio je ispitati postoje li razlike kod osoba koje se bave tjelovježbom (u okviru grupnih ili individualnih fitnes aktivnosti) i onih koji se ne bave - u pojedinim aspektima psihičkog zdravlja; kao što su samopoštovanje, zadovoljstvo životom, vrednovanje vlastitog tijela, zadovoljstvo tjelesnim izgledom, ali i korištenja sportsko-nutritivnih suplemenata (npr. dijetetski pripravci, proteinski pripravci, aminokiseline itd.). Sudionici (N= 869) u istraživanju bili su muškarci i žene koji se bave (N= 484), odnosno ne bave (N= 385) nekim oblikom fitnes tjelovježbe. Svi sudionici bili su regrutirani putem grupa na internetskim stranicama društvenih mreža (kao što su Facebook, Instagram i sl.) te grupnih e-mail adresa fakulteta Hrvatskih studija i Kineziološkog fakulteta u Zagrebu. Odabrani upitnici koje smo koristili u ovom radu bili su Rosenbergova skala samopoštovanja (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Rosenberg, 1965), Upitnik zadovoljstva tjelesnim izgledom (Body Esteem Questionnaire for Adolescence and Adult; BES; Mendelson, Mendelson i White, 2001), Upitnik vrednovanja tjelesnog izgleda (Body Appreciation Scale; BAS; Avalos i sur., 2005) te upitnik zadovoljstva životom (Lučev i Tadinac, 2010), dok su uključenost u fitnes programe tjelovježbe i korištenje sportsko-nutritivnih suplemenata ispitani s jednom česticom na dihotomnoj razini (bavim se/ne bavim fitnes tjelovježbom se te koristim/ne koristim za sportsko nutritivne suplemente) i drugom koja opisuje kvantitetu bavljenja tjelovježbom i uzimanja suplemenata. Rezultati ukazuju na pozitivnu povezanost fitnes aktivnosti sa samopoštovanjem, zadovoljstvom životom i zadovoljstvom tjelesnim izgledom. Kod prisutnost korištenja sportskonutritivnih suplemenata nije pronađen moderatorski učinak na odnos fitnes tjelovježbe i zadovoljstva vlastitim tijelom, ali je, s druge strane, pronađen moderatorski učinak zadovoljstva vlastitim tijelom na odnos fitnes tjelesne aktivnosti i zadovoljstva životomThe aim of the study was to examine whether there are differences between people who are involved in physical activity ( group or individual fitness programs) and those who are not involved in such activities - in certain aspects of mental health; such as self-esteem, life satisfaction, body image, body esteem, and also the use of sports-nutritional supplements (eg. diet pills, protein preparations, amino acids, etc.). Participants (N = 869) were men and women who are involved in fitness programs (N = 484), and others who are not involved (N = 385) in some form of physical fitness exercise. All participants were recruited through groups on social networking websites (such as facebook, instagram etc.) and group e-mail addresses of the faculty of the Croatian Studies and Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb. The questionnaires used in this study were the Rosenberg SelfEsteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), Body Esteem Questionnaire for Adolescence and Adult (Mendelson, Mendelson and White 2001), Life satisfaction Questionnaire (Lučev and Tadinac, 5 2010), Body Appreciation Scale (Avalos et al., 2005), while inclusion in fitness training programs and the use of sport-nutritional supplements were examined with a single particle at a dichotomic level (I do / do not exercise fitness and I use / do not use sports-nutritional supplements) and the other one that describes the amount of fitness exercise and taking supplements. The results indicate positive association between fitness activities and self-esteem, life satisfaction, and body satisfaction. In the presence of sports-nutritional supplements there was no moderating effect on the relationship between physical fitness and body satisfaction, but the moderating effect of body satisfaction on the relationship between fitness programs and life satisfaction was found

Primjenjivost tehnike mindfulnessa u obrazovnom kontekstu: prednosti i implikacije za škole

Usredotočena svjesnost (eng. mindfulness) stanje je svijesti u kojem je pažnja usmjerena na vlastita iskustva, odnosno tjelesne osjete, misli i osjećaje, te na svoju okolinu, u sadašnjem trenutku i sa stavom uvažavanja i neprosuđivanja. Ta tehnika pomaže smanjiti anksioznost, depresiju, agresiju, somatske probleme te poboljšati samopouzdanje i društvene vještine kod djece i mladih. Istraživanja ukazuju kako tehnika mindfulnessa mijenja određene biomarkere u aktivnostima imunološkog sustava. U vrijeme kada raste broj internaliziranih poremećaja kod djece i mladih, tehnika mindfulnessa ujedno je i intervencija i preventivna strategija u školskom kontekstu. Kao obrazovna ustanova, škola uči učenike kako učiti, odnosno kako unaprijediti proces učenja, ali i donositi odluke u svakodnevnim životnim situacijama. Tehniku mindfulnessa bilo bi važno prakticirati u školi jer ima pozitivan učinak na pažnju, socijalni i emocionalni razvoj djece i mladih te na poboljšavanje izvršnih funkcija i pamćenja

A review of mixed methods research on sexting

Backgrounds: Given the negative consequences associated with sexting experiences, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers have called for more thorough research on sexting. Research on sexting behaviour has primarily used quantitative methods. In recent years, mixed methods research has gained prominence in the field of sexting. However, to date, no systematic review of mixed methods studies on sexting has been conducted. The purpose of this article is to review empirical mixed methods studies on sexting.           Methods: A thematic synthesis of the qualitative data and a narrative review of the quantitative data were conducted in accordance with standardised templates by study design (PRISMA guidelines). Ten databases were searched and eleven peer-reviewed articles from 2014 to 2022 that met the inclusion criteria were identified. Results: Qualitative and quantitative results were organized into three themes: the nature and extent of sexting, motivation for sexting and the consequences and outcomes of sexting. This mixed-methods systematic review shows that sexting is widespread among youth, there are various reasons for involvement in it and it can have both positive and negative consequences.             Conclusion: The results of this study may be helpful to both practitioners working with youth and policy makers to better understand the phenomenon of sexting

Čimbenici koji utječu na pozitivan socio-emocionalni razvoj djece

Tema ovog rada jest pregled spoznaja o socio-emocionalnom razvoju i utjecaja školskog konteksta za poticaj razvoja socio-emocionalnih kompetencija kod djece. Socio-emocionalni razvoj uključuje kontinuirano uspješno upravljanje vlastitim i tuđim potrebama u socijalnom kontekstu. Iz interakcije s članovima obitelji, odnosno primarnim skrbnicima, i iz dječjeg prirođenog temperamenta u ranom djetinjstvu razvija se sama sposobnost emocionalne regulacije. Socio-emocionalna kompetencija ključan je čimbenik predviđanja uspjeha u školi jer je povezana sa socijalnim, bihevioralnim i akademskim ishodima relevantnima za uspješan razvoj. Tijekom odrastanja djeca provode važan dio vremena u školi, a različiti čimbenici povezani s njihovim školovanjem imaju bitan utjecaj na razvoj njihovih socio-emocionalnih kompetencija. Rad obuhvaća pregled intervencija unutar školskog sustava kojima je cilj izgraditi socio-emocionalne kompetencije kod djece

Sexting Behavior Among Youths: Nature, Determinants, and Consequences

The advent of digital technology and smartphones with internet access has affected many aspects of youth development, including sexual development. One frequently studied type of digital technology use related to young people’s sexual communication is sexting, which is the exchange of sexually explicit content electronically for sexual or romantic purposes. This theoretical review of research, lists and explains commonly studied characteristics of sexting: nature, determinants, and consequences of sexting behavior. The consensus was critical for nearly all characteristics examined in sexting research. Gaps in existing knowledge and methodology as well as recommendations for future research on youth sexting are discussed

Predictors of Adults’ Mental Health During Initial Stage of Covid-19 Pandemic in Croatia

Besides causing serious threats to people’s physical health and lives, pandemics can lead to psychological distress. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health among adults in Croatia and its association with sociodemographic factors, perceptions of pandemic, locus of control, coping with stress and perceived social support. A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted using a snowball sampling technique. The online survey collected information on sociodemographics, chronic health conditions, self-isolation measure, perception of COVID-19, mental health status, locus of control, coping with stress and perception of social support. Mental health status was assessed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). A total of 1482 participants (252 males and 1230 females) completed the study. The mean age of the participants was 33.3 ± 12.2 years, 43 % of the participants had elevated levels of anxiety and 18 % suffered from severe and extremely severe anxiety, 33 % had elevated levels of depression and 12 % suffered from severe and extremely severe depression, and 55 % had elevated levels of stress with 13 % suffering from severe and extremely severe stress. The strongest predictors of mental health symptoms were coping with stress, locus of control, and perceived social support. These results highlight the necessity of implementing psychological interventions during the pandemic to improve the mental health of the adults and vulnerable groups in particular that should include identified factors associated with better mental health status such as coping with stress focused on problem, social diversion and social support

ZADOVOLJSTVO MORFOLOŠKIM KARAKTERISTIKAMA, ODNOSIMA S DRUGIM LJUDIMA I RASPOLOŽENJEM S OBZIROM NA NEKE ASPEKTE TJELOVJEŽBE

Cilj provedenog istraživanja bio je provjeriti postoji li razlika kod pojedinaca koji koriste i ne koriste sportske dodatke prehrani u aspektima zadovoljenja potreba vlastitog tijela i stajališta oko toga je li ih vaganje deprimira, smatraju li da imaju lijepo tijelo i svjesnosti o vlastitom tjelesnom izgledu. Također, studija je imala za cilj provjeriti i postojanje razlike između osoba koje se bave i koje se ne bave fitnesom u domenama zadovoljstva raspoloženjem i odnosa s drugim ljudima. U istraživanju su sudjelovale osobe u dobnom rasponu od 18 do 56 godina, od toga 141 muškarac i 552 žene. Rezultati su pokazali kako osobe koje koriste suplemente više brinu o zadovoljavanju potreba vlastitog tijela, imaju izraženiji stav da ih vaganje deprimira, izraženije mišljenje da imaju lijepo tijelo te veću svjesnost o vlastitom izgledu nego osobe koje ne koriste suplemente. Nadalje, osobe koje se bave tjelesnom aktivnošću zadovoljnije su svojim raspoloženjem od osoba koje se ne bave tjelesnom aktivnošću. S druge strane, nije pronađena razlika između osoba koje se bave i osoba koje se ne bave tjelesnom aktivnošću u zadovoljstvu odnosa s drugim ljudima

Examination of Some Predictors of One\u27s Physical Appearance, Life-Satisfaction and Self-Esteem in the Wider Context of Engaging in Fitness Programs

Cilj ove studije bio je provjeriti mogućnost predikcije svjesnosti o vlastitom tjelesnom izgledu, zadovoljstva životom i samopoštovanja na temelju pojedinih setova prediktora koji se usko tiču bavljenja tjelesnom aktivnosti, svjesnosti o vlastitim morfološkim karakteristikama i korištenja sportsko-nutritivnih suplemenata. U istraživanju su sudjelovale osobe dobnog raspona od 18 do 56 godina. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 552 žena i 141 muškaraca. Dobiveni rezultati ukazuju na statističku značajnost pozitivnih prediktora samopoštovanja i količine bavljenja tjelesnim aktivnostima obzirom na kriterijsku varijablu svjesnosti o vlastitom tjelesnom izgledu. Značajni pozitivni prediktori zadovoljstva životom bili su samopoštovanje, svjesnost o vlastitom tijelu i količina bavljenja tjelesnim aktivnostima te negativan prediktor korištenje sportsko-nutritivnih suplemenata. U konačnom modelu, značajnim prediktorima samopoštovanja pokazali su se zadovoljstvo vlastitim tijelom, svjesnost o vlastitom tijelu i zadovoljstvo životom, koji su pozitivno povezani sa samopoštovanjem.The aim of this study was to test the possibility of predicting awareness of physical appearance, life satisfaction and self-esteem based on individual sets of predictors that are closely related to physical activity, awareness of one’s own morphological characteristics, and the use of sports nutrition supplements. People aged 18-56 years participated in the study. The study involved 552 women and 141 men. The results indicate the statistical significance of positive predictors of self-esteem and the amount of physical activity involved to the criterion variable of awareness of one’s physical appearance. Significant positive predictors of life satisfaction were self-esteem, body awareness and the amount of physical activity involved, and a negative predictor was the use of sport supplements. In the final model, significant predictors of self-esteem were found to be self-esteem, self-awareness, and life satisfaction, all positively related to self-esteem