Exploring athletic identity in elite-level English youth football: a cross-sectional approach.

This study is the first empirical investigation that has explored levels of athletic identity in elite-level English professional football. The importance of understanding athletes' psychological well-being within professional sport has been well documented. This is especially important within the professional football industry, given the high attrition rate (Anderson, G., & Miller, R. M. (2011). The academy system in English professional football: Business value or following the herd? University of Liverpool, Management School Research Paper Series. Retrieved from http://www.liv.ac.uk/managementschool/research/working%20papers/wp201143.pdf ) and distinct occupational practices (Roderick, M. (2006). The work of professional football. A labour of love? London: Routledge). A total of 168 elite youth footballers from the English professional football leagues completed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS). Multilevel modelling was used to examine the effect of playing level, living arrangements and year of apprentice on the total AIMS score and its subscales (i.e., social identity, exclusivity and negative affectivity). Football club explained 30% of the variance in exclusivity among players (P = .022). Mean social identity was significantly higher for those players in the first year of their apprenticeship compared to the second year (P = .025). All other effects were not statistically significant (P > .05). The novel and unique findings have practical implications in the design and implementation of career support strategies with respect to social identity. This may facilitate the maintenance of motivation over a 2-year apprenticeship and positively impact on performance levels within the professional football environment

A randomized controlled trial of pretransplant antiviral therapy to prevent recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplantation

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection recurs in liver recipients who are viremic at transplantation. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial to test the efficacy and safety of pretransplant pegylated interferon alpha‐2b plus ribavirin (Peg‐IFN‐α2b/RBV) for prevention of post‐transplant HCV recurrence. Enrollees had HCV and were listed for liver transplantation, with either potential living donors or Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease upgrade for hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients with HCV genotypes (G) 1/4/6 (n = 44/2/1) were randomized 2:1 to treatment (n = 31) or untreated control (n = 16); HCV G2/3 (n=32) were assigned to treatment. Overall, 59 were treated and 20 were not. Peg‐IFN‐α2b, starting at 0.75 μg/kg/week, and RBV, starting at 600 mg/day, were escalated as tolerated. Patients assigned to treatment versus control had similar baseline characteristics. Combined virologic response (CVR) included pretransplant sustained virologic response and post‐transplant virologic response (pTVR), defined as undetectable HCV RNA 12 weeks after end of treatment or transplant, respectively. In intent‐to‐treat analyses, 12 (19%) assigned to treatment and 1 (6%) assigned to control achieved CVR ( P = 0.29); per‐protocol values were 13 (22%) and 0 (0%) ( P = 0.03). Among treated G1/4/6 patients, 23 of 30 received transplant, of whom 22% had pTVR; among treated G2/3 patients 21 of 29 received transplant, of whom 29% had pTVR. pTVR was 0%, 18%, and 50% in patients treated for 16 weeks, respectively ( P = 0.01). Serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred with similar frequency in treated versus untreated patients (68% versus 55%; P = 0.30), but the number of SAEs per patient was higher in the treated group (2.7 versus 1.3; P = 0.003). Conclusion : Pretransplant treatment with Peg‐IFN‐α2b/RBV prevents post‐transplant recurrence of HCV in selected patients. Efficacy is higher with >16 weeks of treatment, but treatment is associated with increased risk of potentially serious complications. (H EPATOLOGY 2013)Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97469/1/25976_ftp.pd

Improving the identification of cancer in young people: A scoping review

peerreview_statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope. aims_and_scope_url: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=terq2

Images across Europe: The sending and receiving of sexual images and associations with interpersonal violence in young people's relationships

This article explores young people's experiences of sending and receiving sexual images and text messages (sexting) within their interpersonal relationships and the contexts in which this occurs. The article uses data from a recent Daphne funded project ‘Safeguarding teenagers' intimate relationships’ (STIR) involving a survey with 4564 young people aged between 14 and 17 in a number of schools across five countries in Europe. Findings reveal that experiences of sexting vary by country and gender. The study also found that young people who reported victimisation in their relationships were more likely to have sent a sext message than those who had not. The article points to the need for a more nuanced understanding of the varied contexts and experiences around sexting in order to better develop policy, practice and education in this area

Player Perceptions Of The Talent Development Environment In Elite English Youth Soccer Academies using the TDEQ-5

Talent development environments (TDEs) in English soccer have been a focus of increasing attention (Gledhill, Harwood, & Forsdyke, 2017, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 31, 93-112). There are concerns around balancing positive and negative subjective (e.g., psychological, social) and functional (e.g., educational) outcomes, (Rongen, Mckenna, Cobley & Till, 2018, Sport Medicine, 4, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-018-0135-2). Player’s perceptions of their environment have been previously explored using questionnaire data (Mills, Butt, Maynard & Harwood, 2014, International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching, 9, 1457-1472). However, such instruments have since been modified and adapted making meaningful interpretations problematic. The aim of this study was to investigate player perspectives of the talent development environment within English elite youth soccer academies using the most contemporary research instrument. After institutional ethical approval all participants completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 (TDEQ-5; Li, Wang, Young, Pyun & Martindale, 2015, Journal of Sports Sciences, 33,1831-1843) in season. The TDEQ-25, the most current version, consisted of 25 items (scored out of six; long term development focus (five items), holistic quality preparation (seven items), support network (four items), communication (four items) and alignment of expectations (five items). Ninety elite youth soccer players (Mage = 17.8+0.5 years) participated in the study. The sample consisted of players from Category 1 (n=15), Category 3 (n=56) and Category 4 (n=19) soccer academies. Subscale-level analysis revealed that participants scored highest for long term development (4.73 + 0.68), support network (4.68 + 0.77), alignment of expectations (4.49 + 0.85), communication (4.29 + 1.03) and lowest for Holistic Quality Preparation (3.57+ 0.89). Item level analysis using a quartile methodology allowed for easy identification areas for strength and development respectively (Gledhill & Harwood, 2017, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 0, 1-11). The top 25% of items comprised of long-term development (n=3) and support network (n= 2). The bottom 25% of items comprised of holistic quality preparation (n= 5). The results present soccer practitioners, including coaches, with key information about the player perceptions of the TDE within elite academy soccer. Long-term development (e.g. fundamental training and rounded development) and Support network (e.g. parents and schools) were seen as strengths, whereas Holistic quality preparation (e.g. caring coach, mental preparation, and balanced life) were seen as areas for development

A Social Identity Approach to Sport Psychology: Principles, Practice, and Prospects.

Drawing on social identity theory and self-categorization theory, we outline an approach to sport psychology that understands groups not simply as features of sporting contexts but rather as elements that can be, and often are, incorporated into a person's sense of self and, through this, become powerful determinants of their sport-related behavior. The underpinnings of this social identity approach are outlined, and four key lessons for sport that are indicative of the analytical and practical power of the approach are presented. These suggest that social identity is the basis for sports group (1) behavior, (2) formation and development, (3) support and stress appraisal, and (4) leadership. Building on recent developments within sport science, we outline an agenda for future research by identifying a range of topics to which the social identity approach could fruitfully contribute

Optimising care for patients with cognitive impairment and dementia following hip fracture

The global shift in demographics towards aging populations is leading to a commensurate increase in age-related disease and frailty. It is essential to optimise health services to meet current needs and prepare for anticipated future demands. This paper explores issues impacting on people living with cognitive impairment and/or dementia who experience a hip fracture and are cared for in acute settings. This is important given the high mortality and morbidity associated with this population. Given the current insufficiency of clear evidence on optimum rehabilitation of this patient group, this paper explored three key themes namely: recognition of cognitive impairment, response by way of training and education of staff to optimise care for this patient group and review of the importance of outcomes measures. Whilst there is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the optimal ways of caring for patients living with dementia following hip fracture, this paper concludes that future research should improve understanding of healthcare staff education to improve the outcomes for this important group of patients

The restorative role of annexin A1 at the blood–brain barrier

Annexin A1 is a potent anti-inflammatory molecule that has been extensively studied in the peripheral immune system, but has not as yet been exploited as a therapeutic target/agent. In the last decade, we have undertaken the study of this molecule in the central nervous system (CNS), focusing particularly on the primary interface between the peripheral body and CNS: the blood–brain barrier. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of this molecule in the brain, with a particular emphasis on its functions in the endothelium of the blood–brain barrier, and the protective actions the molecule may exert in neuroinflammatory, neurovascular and metabolic disease. We focus on the possible new therapeutic avenues opened up by an increased understanding of the role of annexin A1 in the CNS vasculature, and its potential for repairing blood–brain barrier damage in disease and aging

Tales of Critical Moments in Professional Football

The term ‘critical moments’ describes the range of experiences of professional footballers, and are defined as “frequently experienced moments in our lives where we must confront the anxiety associated with an important change in our identity” (Nesti et al. 2012, p. 23). Our understanding of such critical moments in professional and youth football (Parker, 2001; Roderick, 2006, Nesti et al., 2012) is limited. To contribute to this emerging body of knowledge the aim of this study is to present accounts of critical moments from two players in a professional football club. From a season-long ethnographic engagement at a Championship football club two critical moments are presented as creative non-fiction vignettes. The first story is about Ryan who is about to find out if he has been given a professional playing contract for next season. The second is about Kevin, who is ‘lost’ in the talent development system after an unsuccessful loan spell. The term creative non-fiction is seen as appropriate as the vignettes are based on real events but make use of literary fiction to tell the story. Such representation has been advocated in coaching settings as a reflective tool in coach development (Douglas & Careless, 2008) and has also been seen as a valuable and necessary mode of expression (Sparkes & Smith, 2009). It is hoped that these accounts may offer coaches and sport psychologists in such settings an opportunity to reflect on their practices and processes by gaining an insight into player experience of such practices and processes