Shared Mental Models: National Representative Coaches’ Thinking on Importance, Characteristics, and Development

The aims of the study were to explore how national representative handball coaches reflect on the cognitive properties of the team and how these attributes are developed through team practice. A theoretical (shared mental models) thematic analysis was conducted, and five coaches with extensive experience from the national team and elite clubs participated. The data were analyzed with regard to three overarching topics: importance, characteristics, and development of shared mental models. The interviews revealed that measures intended to influence a shared mental model permeate team practice and underpin the assumption of opponent-specific shared mental models. Alignment between briefings and debriefings as well as field practice were emphasized and used to enhance a shared mental model and understood as measures that facilitate pattern recognition and primed decisions. Single-loop as well as double-loop learning were identified as coaching initiatives to promote the development of shared mental models. Systematic practice with the goal of promoting coordination through repetition of the coordinative patterns in critical game situations was emphasized. Implicit communication is a characteristic of teams sharing a mental model, and distinct proactive bodily movements were emphasized as a crucial requirement for coordination. A model was elaborated to show how the categories can be understood in the cyclic relation between matches and the development of shared mental models.publishedVersio

Diet and behavioral problems at school in Norwegian adolescents

Background: Discussion about dietary factors in relation to behavioral problems in children and adolescents has been going on for a long time. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional relation between diet and self-reported behavioral problems at school in adolescents in the southern part of Norway. Design: In total, 475 ninth- and tenth-grade students (236 boys and 239 girls) out of 625 eligible students from four different secondary schools in three different communities in Vest-Agder County, Norway, participated, giving a participation rate of 77%. The students filled in a questionnaire with food frequency questions of selected healthy (e.g. fruits, vegetables, and fish) and unhealthy (e.g. sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and crisps) food items, questions of meal frequency, and four questions regarding behavioral problems at school. Results: Having breakfast regularly was significantly associated with decreased odds of behavioral problems (OR: 0.29 (0.15-0.55), p ≤0.001). A high intake of unhealthy foods, such as sugar-sweetened soft drinks (OR: 2.8 (1.06-7.42), p=0.03) and sweets (OR: 2.63 (1.39-4.98), p=0.003), was significantly associated with increased odds of behavioral problems. At the same time, a high intake of fruits was associated with decreased odds of behavioral problems in Norwegian adolescents (OR: 0.30 (0.10-0.87), p=0.03). All ORs are adjusted for sex and BMI. Conclusions: This study shows that having an optimal diet and not skipping meals are associated with decreased odds of behavioral problems at school in Norwegian adolescents. Hence, it is important to improve the dietary intake and meal pattern of Norwegian adolescents. The cross-sectional design of this study limits any causal interpretations of the results of the study

Shared Mental Models: National Representative Coaches’ Thinking on Importance, Characteristics, and Development

The aims of the study were to explore how national representative handball coaches reflect on the cognitive properties of the team and how these attributes are developed through team practice. A theoretical (shared mental models) thematic analysis was conducted, and five coaches with extensive experience from the national team and elite clubs participated. The data were analyzed with regard to three overarching topics: importance, characteristics, and development of shared mental models. The interviews revealed that measures intended to influence a shared mental model permeate team practice and underpin the assumption of opponent-specific shared mental models. Alignment between briefings and debriefings as well as field practice were emphasized and used to enhance a shared mental model and understood as measures that facilitate pattern recognition and primed decisions. Single-loop as well as double-loop learning were identified as coaching initiatives to promote the development of shared mental models. Systematic practice with the goal of promoting coordination through repetition of the coordinative patterns in critical game situations was emphasized. Implicit communication is a characteristic of teams sharing a mental model, and distinct proactive bodily movements were emphasized as a crucial requirement for coordination. A model was elaborated to show how the categories can be understood in the cyclic relation between matches and the development of shared mental models.publishedVersio

Mental toughness in elite and sub-elite female soccer players

Mental toughness (MT) is seen as an important psychological factor in the athletic success of elite athletes. Research on the subject has usually concerned male athletes. Our purpose was to investigate whether there are differences in mental toughness between female players who compete in an elite league and those who play at lower levels. In total, 298 female soccer players (M = 20.7 years, SD = 3.7 years) from three levels of Norwegian soccer responded to the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire. The MT Constancy subscale was removed from analysis due to an unacceptable Cronbach alpha (0.57). The results revealed that elite league players had significantly higher MT Global scores than those in lower leagues. The elite players had higher scores than the third league players on the MT Confidence subscale. For MT Control, the elite league players had a significantly higher score than the second league players, but the elite players did not differ significantly from the third league players on this subscale. These results partially confirm a relationship between mental toughness and playing level among female soccer players.publishedVersio

Self-reported playing time and justice as predictors of coach satisfaction : An analysis of elite ice-hockey and handball players

Intrateam competition for specific roles and playing time is a continuous imperative process in elite sport teams. The assessment of this competition is done by the coach and the outcome of this process has a significant impact on the team and the players. The following hypothesis was put forward for testing: Self-reported playing time and perceptions of justice among elite ice-hockey and handball players predict their satisfaction with the coach. Elite ice-hockey and handball players (N = 231) reported playing time and completed the Perceived Justice and Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaires. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses show that self-reported playing time, distributive justice, and procedural justice explains 41% to 45% of the variance in the dependent variable of satisfaction with a coach, thereby confirming the hypothesis. Self-reported playing time does not explain as much as the justice variables. The results complement earlier research showing that training and instructions as well as positive feedback were strong determinants of satisfaction with leadership. In an elite team setting perceived justice emerges as an important predictor coach satisfaction and the management of intrateam positional competition is therefore an important leadership task to consider. Moreover, coaches allocating limited resources among players should reflect on the justice criteria these decisions are based on if satisfaction with the coach is at stake.publishedVersio

The balancing act of combining school and football in the transition from a non-professional club into junior-elite academy football

Football players in the transition from junior-to-senior are usually involved in dual careers, combining school and football – a process that makes them dependent on a holistic talent-development journey. The aim of the current study was to describe how male junior elite football players (N=10; 5=living at home, 5=living away from home) perceived stressors in the transition from a non-professional club into a junior elite academy. Furthermore, the school transition (between lower- and upper-secondary school) and social transition (based on the school and football transitions) as a consequence of the football transition into academy football. Based on Wylleman and Lavallee’s (2004) and Stambulova’s (2003) models, the data were analysed based on the following three levels in the transitions: athletic, academic - and psycho-social. The main perceived stressors in the football transition (athletic level) were new performance demands, which impacted them both physically (e.g., quality of training) and psychologically (e.g., self-esteem and well-being). Perceived stressors in the school transition (academic level) were related to increased academic workload and expectations, and academic achievement. Perceived stressors related to the social transition (psycho-social level) among the players that have chosen to live away from home were new roommates and doing more housework, even though they adapted quickly to the new requirements. Both groups highlighted the importance of having a social network (friends, leisure activity) outside of football, so they got to relax and not always think about football or school. The study findings suggest that maintaining dual careers introduces stressors for most players – independent of living at home or away from home.publishedVersio

Benefits of formal mentoring for female leaders

In this study we examined mentor function and communication in relation to potential benefits for female protégés. Data were collected from 36 female leaders (10 with a female mentor and 26 with a male mentor) enrolled in a formal mentor program. A self-reported questionnaire measuring mentoring function (e.g. coaching behavior and counseling behavior), communication skills (e.g. listening quality and communication structure) and relationship similarity was sent to the participants after the formal mentor program ended. The participants reported that the mentor relationship increased their job satisfaction, career planning and perceived leader behavior. No significant differences between protégés with a male mentor and protégés with a female mentor, or between perceived similarities on the measured variables, were detected. The findings also demonstrate the importance of coaching behaviors on perceived leader performance

Talent development abroad. Young football players’ experiences and challenges on being recruited to English academies

The aim of the current study was to gain insight into talented Norwegian football players who made a club transfer to an English football academy, by investigating the players’ choice of academy, main challenges upon arrival, how they settled in both athletically and socially and their day-to-day life in the academy. Eight Norwegian players registered in an English professional football academy between the ages of 16 and 18 years were interviewed in retrospect. The challenges that the players met were mostly related to their efforts to develop as players, such as going into an extremely high-performance environment, which was quite different from what they perceived in their original club. Even though the transfer to an English professional club seemed like the natural choice to make, the players experienced a cultural shock not just athletically, but also socially and emotionally in their everyday life in a host family.Talent development abroad. Young football players’ experiences and challenges on being recruited to English academiespublishedVersio

Sykepleiestudentenes kliniske praksis – om klinisk læringsmiljø og studenttilfredshet

Nurse practice – clinical learning environment and student satisfaction The purpose of this study was to investigate nursing students’ satisfaction with the clinical learning environment during clinical practice. A questionnaire was distributed to nursing students at a university (N=250) in Norway. Student satisfaction, task orientation, pedagogical atmosphere, supervisory relationship, and the premises of nursing on the ward were measured. Of the 250 students invited, 163 (66 %) completed the survey. Nursing students were largely satisfied with their clinical placement experiences, but they were more satisfied with hospital placements than home care placements. Supervision more than once a week and having one supervisor was important for student satisfaction. Students’ relationship with their supervisors was strongest associated with satisfaction with their clinical placements. Supervisors play an important role in nursing students’ satisfaction with their clinical practice, with results indicating that this should be emphasized in the development of nursing education. The results indicate that nursing guidance skills should be strengthened to ensure the quality of clinical placements in nursing education