Coping Strategies for General Anxiety in University Students: A Scoping Review

PURPOSE: For students with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), stress becomes a way of living. GAD is a condition used to characterize chronic long-term, intense, and excessive worry. Managing stress during college can be extremely challenging. Learning how to manage stress may help students cope with every day social and academic pressures; thus, enhancing college experience. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify coping mechanisms used by university students to manage their stress and anxiety. METHODS: The databases searched are as follows: Google Scholar, CPP One Search (which includes databases such as PubMed, ERIC, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science) and a gray literature search. The search terms used to identify key articles were young adults, anxiety, stress, coping mechanisms and college students. RESULTS: The student populations identified in the literature were nursing, medical, physical education and engineering students. Stress levels in nursing students ranged from moderate to high and could be categorized as academic or clinical stressors. Main stressors identified included stress through the caring of patients, assignments and workloads, and negative interactions with staff and faculty. Common coping strategies utilized by nursing students included problem-solving strategies, engaging in leisure activities, sleeping, talking with a loved one, isolation, and other avoidance strategies. A comparison of physical education and engineering students found that physical education students adopted better coping strategies than that of their engineering peers. Potentially due to the benefits from physical or recreational activities inherent in physical education. Mindfulness-Based Therapy is an effective tactic to counter experiential avoidance strategies such as; attempts to modify the intensity/frequency of unwelcome internal experiences but its practice is seldomly reported by students. Furthermore, there is limited evidence on which coping strategies are correlated with reduced GAD. CONCLUSION: The results of this scoping review will be used to inform the design of a cross-sectional study aimed to study what coping strategies reduce general anxiety in young adults

Reporting on Pilot Experiences in a Multi-Phased Fidelity Study of an Equipment-Based Resistance Program for Older Adults

Within the US, people are experiencing longer life expectancy, yet these extended lifespans have not necessarily translated into years living in good health. Research shows that regular resistance exercise carries distinct preventive health benefits for older adults. A growing body of literature explores interventions designed to engage older adults in resistance exercise. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to pilot the proposed assessment strategy for a multi-phased fidelity study of an equipment-based resistance training program designed specifically for older adults. METHODS: A three-phased study has been designed. Phase 1 consisted of a systematic literature review to identify salient measures of internal and external validity for equipment-based resistance training programs for older adults. Phase 2 was a pilot study at one location with 10 participants. The Senior Fitness Test and a pre-post survey were being used to measure the physical function and quality of life outcomes of the program. Four dimensions of internal validity (adherence, exposure, quality of delivery, participant responsiveness) were measured via seven observational tools, pre-post surveys and post-program focus groups. These observational tools included a session checklist, teacher movement analysis, demonstration analysis, instructor feedback analysis, system for observing fitness instruction time (SOFIT), and time analysis. Phase 3 scales up the evaluation program to 5 locations across 3 years. RESULTS: We report our experiences in the pilot phase. We evaluate the degree of internal validity of the seven observational tools and present pilot feedback from instructors, participants and the research team. The completion rate of the observational tools was lower than expected ranging from 26 to 74%; this was due in part to missing data from the learning management system. The SOFIT and time analysis yielded the highest percent agreement (\u3e90%) but not all of the data was viable. CONCLUSION: We recommend changes to the observer training, program delivery, data collection procedures, and data management to inform Phase 3 of the study, the implementation of equipment-based resistance training programs with older adults at multiple locations

Tai Chi for Older Adult Wellness: A Scoping Review and Proposed Study

PURPOSE: Tai Chi is a moderate-intensity exercise, which consists of slow fluid movements, appropriate for older adults. The five primary styles of Tai Chi include, Chen, Yang, Hao, Wu and Sun, where each style focuses on certain movements and functions. The purpose of this scoping review is to evaluate the impact of Tai Chi on the health and well-being of older adults. METHODS: Google Scholar and an university library’s OneSearch feature were used to locate relevant articles on Tai Chi for older adults. The OneSearch indexed several databases relevant to exercise science including PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science were the primary article databases used. RESULTS: Tai Chi provides physiological and psychological health benefits such as improved physical function and reduced mood disturbances. Tai Chi is versatile as it is used for fall prevention, rehabilitation, socialization and improving self-efficacy. These cited improvements are reported across all the five primary styles of Tai Chi. There are some known barriers to Tai Chi participation, such as unfamiliarity with Tai Chi’s history and benefits. There is limited evidence on whether the style of Tai Chi that is practiced can mitigate these barriers. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, we still need to know the preferred Tai Chi style among older adults. There is need for qualitative study that will determine why older adults are interested or disinterred in Tai Chi and which style is most appealing to them

Out of resistance comes strength: A Multi-Phased Fidelity Study of an Equipment-Based Resistance Program for Older Adults

Purpose: Within the US, people are experiencing longer life expectancy, yet these extended lifespans have not necessarily translated into years living in good health. Research shows that regular resistance exercise carries distinct preventive health benefits for older adults. The purpose of this research is to conduct a multi-phased study to evaluate the fidelity of an equipment-based resistance training program designed specifically for older adults. Methods: A three-phased study has been designed. Phase 1 consisted of a systematic literature review to identify salient measures of internal and external validity for equipment-based resistance training programs for older adults. Phase 2 is a pilot study at one location with 10 participants. The Senior Fitness Test and a pre-post survey are being used to measure the physical function and quality of life outcomes of the program. Four dimensions of internal validity (adherence, exposure, quality of delivery, and participant responsiveness) are being measured via seven observational tools, pre-post surveys, and post-program focus groups. These observational tools include a session checklist, teacher movement analysis, demonstration analysis, instructor feedback analysis, a system for observing fitness instruction time (SOFIT), and time analysis. Phase 3 scales up the evaluation program to 5 locations. Measures utilized in Phase 3 will be informed by the results of the pilot study. Results: Our paper presents the pilot evaluation protocol. By the end of the pilot, we will evaluate the degree of internal validity, estimate the effect on physical function and quality of life outcomes, and present program feedback from instructors and participants. Conclusions: The anticipated outcomes of the study will inform the implementation of equipment-based resistance training programs with older adults

Personalization Paradox in Behavior Change Apps:Lessons from a Social Comparison-Based Personalized App for Physical Activity

Social comparison-based features are widely used in social computing apps. However, most existing apps are not grounded in social comparison theories and do not consider individual differences in social comparison preferences and reactions. This paper is among the first to automatically personalize social comparison targets. In the context of an m-health app for physical activity, we use artificial intelligence (AI) techniques of multi-armed bandits. Results from our user study (n=53) indicate that there is some evidence that motivation can be increased using the AI-based personalization of social comparison. The detected effects achieved small-to-moderate effect sizes, illustrating the real-world implications of the intervention for enhancing motivation and physical activity. In addition to design implications for social comparison features in social apps, this paper identified the personalization paradox, the conflict between user modeling and adaptation, as a key design challenge of personalized applications for behavior change. Additionally, we propose research directions to mitigate this Personalization Paradox

The Protocol and Feasibility Results of a Preliminary Instagram-Based Physical Activity Promotion Study

Background: Social media-based interventions are commonly used mode of delivery for physical activity promotion interventions. Instagram is an understudied social media platform and our purpose was to describe a detailed study protocol and report the feasibility of an Instagram-based physical activity promotion intervention. Method: Participants (n = 45) were recruited and randomized to follow one of three Instagram accounts for 3 months. The groups included a control, a popular fitness account, and two intervention groups. Participants were asked to complete weekly surveys for four weeks, at a 2-month follow up, and at a 3-month follow up. Participants were incentivized by being entered into a drawing for a free wearable activity monitor. Results: The intervention rate was 40% while the retention rate after four weeks was 33.3% and 22.2% after three months. Participants in the intervention groups reported higher education from the study account, enjoyment, and satisfaction. Conclusion: Although the study was well-received, more research is needed to determine how to increase retention within an Instagram-based intervention. Researchers should consider methods for participant identification, variations of interactive content, and extending the intervention period when designing their own study

The Protocol and Feasibility Results of a Preliminary Instagram-Based Physical Activity Promotion Study

Background: Social media-based interventions are commonly used mode of delivery for physical activity promotion interventions. Instagram is an understudied social media platform and our purpose was to describe a detailed study protocol and report the feasibility of an Instagram-based physical activity promotion intervention. Method: Participants (n = 45) were recruited and randomized to follow one of three Instagram accounts for 3 months. The groups included a control, a popular fitness account, and two intervention groups. Participants were asked to complete weekly surveys for four weeks, at a 2-month follow up, and at a 3-month follow up. Participants were incentivized by being entered into a drawing for a free wearable activity monitor. Results: The intervention rate was 40% while the retention rate after four weeks was 33.3% and 22.2% after three months. Participants in the intervention groups reported higher education from the study account, enjoyment, and satisfaction. Conclusion: Although the study was well-received, more research is needed to determine how to increase retention within an Instagram-based intervention. Researchers should consider methods for participant identification, variations of interactive content, and extending the intervention period when designing their own study