PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The purpose of the present systematic review was to gather information on the interest of researchers on psychological issues of people with physical disabilities throughout a time period of twenty years (1995-2015). Previous similar reviews were not determined by the literature. For the implementation of their view electronic bases and hand search were used following specific criteria. Search revealed approximately 70.000 studies but only 58 in total covered the set criteria. The findings of the review revealed a limited research interest on psychological issues relevant to people with physical disabilities, with the interest increasing for the period 2006-2010. It was also found that descriptive, cross-sectional and qualitative research designs were preferred with data mainly gathered via questionnaires. Samples were derived from general and sport population (male and female). Finally, psychological issues mainly studies were parts of the self and emotions and less parts of personality and motivation.  Article visualizations

Μια φουκωική ανάλυση των πανδημιών. Η διαχείριση του Covid-19

Ο Φουκώ έχει αναλύσει την εξουσία ως μια πολυσύνθετη λειτουργία σε συγκεκριμένες ιστορικές καταστάσεις. Σύμφωνα με τον φιλόσοφο, η εξουσία διαμορφώνεται μέσα από τις σχέσεις αμέτρητων σημείων και γι΄αυτό αναφέρεται σε σχέσεις εξουσίας, που εφαρμόζουν μια σειρά από τεχνικές, πρακτικές και στρατηγικές για να επιφέρουν τα επιδιωκόμενα αποτελέσματα. Υπό αυτό το πρίσμα, ο Φουκώ περιγράφει «μορφές εξουσίας», οι οποίες παράγουν τη γνώση και την αλήθεια της κάθε εποχής. Στη σημερινή εποχή, η τρέχουσα πανδημία του ιού Covid-19 εγείρει προβληματισμούς σχετικά με τις πολιτικές διαχείρισής της, οι οποίες συνδέονται άρρηκτα με μορφές εξουσίας. Στόχος της παρούσας εργασίας είναι η αναζήτηση των απαρχών της διαχείρισης της πανδημίας του Covid-19 βάσει της φουκωικής ανάλυσης της εξουσίας. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο, περιγράφονται η κυβερνολογική, η κυριαρχία και η βιοεξουσία. Η βιοεξουσία αποτελείται από δύο πόλους την πειθαρχία και τη βιοπολιτική. Παράλληλα, παρουσιάζεται η διαχείριση των τριών μεγάλων πανδημιών (λέπρα, πανούκλα, ευλογιά) και ο τρόπος που συνδέεται με τις μορφές εξουσίας. Η κυριαρχία συνδέεται με τη διαχείριση της λέπρας, η πειθαρχία με τη διαχείριση της πανούκλας και η βιοπολιτική με τη διαχείριση της ευλογιάς. Από την ανάλυση διαπιστώνεται ότι κατά τη διαχείριση του Covid-19 έχουν εφαρμοστεί παγκοσμίως, τεχνικές και πρακτικές που έχουν τις ρίζες τους στη διαχείριση των τριών αυτών μεγάλων πανδημιών. Τα ερωτήματα που εγείρονται είναι πολλά. Ποιο είναι το κατάλληλο όνομα στο νέο παράδειγμα άσκησης της εξουσίας; Υπάρχει επιστροφή στην κανονικότητα ή η ανθρωπότητα βαδίζει σε μια νέα εποχή; Ποιες μορφές εξουσίας είναι προτιμότερες για να λαμβάνονται οι αποφάσεις; Υπάρχει η δυνατότητα για μια διαφορετικού τύπου διαχείριση της πανδημίας;Foucault has analyzed power as a complex function in specific historical situations. According to the philosopher, power is formed through the relations of innumerable points and that is why it refers to power relations, which apply a series of techniques, practices and strategies to achieve the desired results. In this light, Foucault describes "forms of power" which produce the knowledge and truth of each age. Today, the current Covid-19 virus pandemic raises concerns about its management policies, which are inextricably linked to forms of power. The aim of this paper is to trace the origins of Covid-19 pandemic management based on the foucaultian analysis of power. In this context, governementality, sovereignty and bio-power. Bio-power consists of two poles: discipline and biopolitics. At the same time, the management of the three major pandemics (leprosy, plague, smallpox) is presented, and the way that it is associated with the forms of power. Sovereignty is linked to leprosy management, discipline to plague management, and biopolitics to smallpox management. The analysis shows that the management of Covid-19 has applied worldwide, techniques and practices that have their roots in the management of these three major pandemics. The questions that arise are many. What is the appropriate name in the new example of the exercise of power,? Is there a return to normality or is humanity entering a new era? What forms of power are preferable to decision making? Is there a possibility for a different type of pandemic management

Effects of a Music-Movement Program in Elementary School Physical Education Classes on Pupils’ Rhythmic Ability

The aim of this study was to develop a short music-movement program and evaluate its effectiveness in improving elementary school pupils’ rhythmic ability. The sample of the study comprised two hundred forty-five pupils (10.5±.526 years) assigned to control and experimental group. Pupils were tested on their ability to synchronize hand clapping and walking to 48beats at the rhythmic patterns of 2/4, 7/8, and 9/8 using the Digital Rhythmic Ability Evaluation Tool (DRAET). Participants completed DRAET before, immediately after and two months after the implementation of the program. Pupils in the intervention group attended the music-movement program during the warm-up phase of the lesson, whereas those in the control group attended the regular warming up proposed in the national curriculum. The program was implemented twice a week for 13 weeks. The results of the ANOVA with repeated measures on time revealed a significant improvement of rhythmic ability in intervention group pupils as compared to control group pupils. The effect of the program was retained in the follow-up measurement. The findings of the study support the effectiveness of a music-movement program on pupils’ rhythmic ability. Keywords: rhythmic ability, physical education, music-movement, intervention program

Effects of a Music-Movement Program in Elementary School Physical Education Classes on Pupils’ Motor Skills

This study aimed to develop a short music-movement program and evaluate its effectiveness in improving elementary school pupils’ motor skills. Two hundred forty-five pupils (10.5±.526 years) randomly assigned into intervention and control group participated in the study. The pupils performed two tasks, selected from the Bruinninks Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test (2nd edition) related to rhythmic coordination: (a) Dribbling a ball-Alternating hands and (b) Stepping sideways over a balance beam. All Participants completed the tests before, immediately after and two months after the implementation of the program. Pupils in the intervention group attended the music-movement program during the warm-up phase of the standard Physical Education (PE) lesson, whereas those in the control group attended the regular PE warming up according to the national curriculum. The program was implemented for 13 weeks twice a week. The results of the ANOVA with repeated measures on time revealed a significant improvement of both motor skills in intervention group pupils as compared to control group pupils. A follow-up measurement indicated that the effect of the program was maintained two months after the intervention. The findings of the study support the effectiveness of a music-movement program during the warm-up phase of the PE lesson on fifth and sixth grade pupils’ motor skills. Keywords: motor skills, physical education, music-movement, intervention program, warm-up phase, rhythmic coordination DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-21-11 Publication date:July 31st 201

RELATIONSHIP OF MOTOR DEVELOPMENT TO ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

The aim of the study was to evaluate motor development and adaptive behavior of visually impaired children and adolescents without the simultaneous existence of impairment, aged 6-14 years old. Thirty-seven (37) children and adolescents with visual impairment and thirty seven (37) children and adolescents without visual impairment took part in the study. Children and adolescents with visual impairment attended the Special Education Primary Schools for the Blind at four of the biggest cities in Greece. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005) was used to evaluate motor development of the participants. Also, the Teacher Rating Scale (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition Sparrow, Balla and Cicchetti, 2005) was used to evaluate adaptive behavior. For the statistical analysis of the data the SPSS version 20.0 statistical package was used. The results of the research revealed that the performance of visually impaired children and adolescents in terms of their motor development and adaptive behavior was lower than that of their peers. At the same time, a convergence was found between the variables motor development and adaptive behavior of children and adolescents with visual impairment. The findings of this research are expected to contribute to a smoother school and social adaptation of visually impaired children and adolescents.  Article visualizations

The effect of print exposure upon performance on the Raven Progressive Matrices Test

This study examines a potential relationship between reading and performance on a fluid intelligence test. Participants were 89 adults (M age= 39.0) of various educational backgrounds. Reading volume was assessed by the Greek versions of the Author and Magazine Recognition test (here ART-GR and MRT-GR respectively) initially developed by Stanovich and West (1989). Fluid intelligence was assessed by the Raven Progressive Matrices Test (Raven 1938), a non-verbal, graphical test. Participants with greater print exposure as measured both by the ART-GR and the MRT-GR reported greater fluid intelligence scores. The same was true for participants with more advanced than lower educational background

MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND ADOLESCENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the adoption of Mediterranean diet in adolescents with intellectual disabilities. The sample of the study consisted of 24 adolescents (8 boys and 16 girls) with intellectual disabilities who were studying at a secondary education school, with an average age of 17.63+2.018 years. For data collection, the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED) by Serra-Majem et al. (2004) was used. KIDMED is supported by specific principles sustaining traditional healthy Mediterranean dietary patterns. KIDMED is based on a 16-item food consumption log questionnaire that can be answered either self-administered or in interview. As for the pupils with intellectual disabilities, the answers were recorded in an individual interview. For the statistical analysis the Statistical Package for Social Sciences ver. 23.0 for windows was used. Data processing showed that over the 1/3 of adolescents with intellectual disabilities (37.5%) has a very low diet quality, while the proportion of adolescents following an optimal Mediterranean diet was zero. In addition, the diet of the adolescents with intellectual disabilities in a very large proportion (62.5%) needs improvement for the adaptation of the consumption / intake to Mediterranean patterns. The results show that adolescents with intellectual disabilities do not follow the Mediterranean diet. Therefore, priority should be given to the application and implementation of health educational programs on diet in general, and more specifically on the benefits of Mediterranean diet to adolescents with intellectual disabilities, in order to adopt the Mediterranean diet patterns aiming on the beneficial effects, both directly and long-term in their adult life.  Article visualizations

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF SELF-LEADERSHIP IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SETTINGS

The present study aimed to investigate the perceived extent of competence of self-leadership as well as the extent to which the participants exercise self-leadership strategies in physical activities (competitive and recreational). Additionally, the existence of potential individual differences in gender- and form of physical activity-related self-leadership strategies. Three hundred seventy-three undergraduate students from a Greek university (n = 197 men, and n = 176 women) with age range were between 18–24 years (M = 20.12, SD = 2.35) participated. All participants participated in physical activities. They filled out a validated Greek version of the Revised Self-leadership Questionnaire (RSLQ). Results revealed that participants reported (a) some positive self-leadership tendencies and (b) higher scores in the strategies such as self-goal setting, natural rewards and self-talk. Additionally, the findings demonstrated that self-leadership strategies may interact with gender and type of physical activity.  Article visualizations

Motor Development and Self-Esteem of Children and Adolescents with Visual Impairment

The aim of the present study was to evaluate and investigate the relationship between motor development and self-esteem in 37 children and adolescents only with visual impairment and no other impairment, and in 37 children and adolescents with typical development. The chronological age of the participants was between 8 and 14 years old. The short form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2), (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005) was used to assess the participants’ motor development. Self-esteem was measured via the Self-esteem Inventory developed by Coopersmith (1987). Statistical analysis was performed via the SPSS version 20.0. The results indicated that the children’s and adolescents with visual impairment scores on motor development and self-esteem were lower compared to those of the typical participants. In addition, the results indicated interaction between motor development and self-esteem in visually impaired participants. The present study was a necessity to be conducted, because there was a research gap and there have not been conducted similar researches in Greece and internationally. It is important for educational community to know if the motor development and self-esteem of children and adolescents with visual impairment are covariates. Keywords: visual impairment, children and adolescents, self-esteem, motor development.