Prediction of mental health among cadet football players based on the emotional intelligence and perfectionism

The aim of this research was to examine in which way the constructs of emotional intelligence and perfectionism predict mental health of adolescent football layers. The sample consisted of 164 participants (average age 16.63 (± 10,21) years). The research was conducted in April 2018 and it included the cadet football players from Kolubara-Macva league in Serbia. Test of Emotional Management (TUE; Babić-Čikeš i Buško, 2014), Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS; Frost et al. 1990) and Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38; Veit & Ware, 1983) were used to generalize data. During the process of data analysis, metric characteristics of the measuring instruments were first tested using the method of internal consistency which was based on Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The empirical findings of the correlation analysis revealed that there is no link between emotional intelligence and mental health of football players, meaning that managing emotions is only linked to adaptive dimensions of perfectionism (p ≤ 0,01). The obtained coefficient of multiple determination (R= 0.27) indicated that the group of predictors accounted for 27% of the variance of mental health, meaning that the perception of non-adaptive traits of perfectionism: (a) worry about mistakes, (b) dilemmas regarding one’s own actions and (c) parental criticism contribute the higher number of mental health problems. In addition, it showed that the adaptive trait of perfectionism (organizational skills) directly contributes better mental health of cadet football player. The results of this study suggest that the variables of emotional intelligence and perfectionism have significant role in prediction mental health among adolescent football players

RISK FACTORS AND INDICATORS OF CARDIOVASCULAR ILLNESSES IN LATE ADOLESCENT PERIOD

Epidemiological studies of previous decades indicate that cardiovascular illnesses present a dominant part of the structure of mortality in the majority of developed countries in the world. The goal of this research was to establish the most common risk factors of this group of illnesses, as well as statistically significant differences and correlations between risk factors and cardiovascular illnesses in the late adolescent period. A cross-study was performed in three high school graduate classes in Serbia (Valjevo), in April 2015, on an incidental sample of 240 subjects of both genders, aged (19 ± 0.5 years). A statistically significant difference in the frequency of hypertension in male adolescents (2.54%) and female adolescents (0.0%) was not established. Obesity was significantly more manifested in male graduates (6.93%), with a significant level, than in female graduates (1.10%). Abdominal obesity is, with a confidence interval – range (99% CI), much more common in male graduates (10.01%), than in female graduates (1.26%). Among smokers, a significant gender difference was not established Alcohol was, with a probability level (p ≤0.01) consumed much more by male graduates (19.93%) than female graduates (8.01%). A statistically significant linear correlation between variables of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference was observed. Risk factors in late adolescents are significantly different when it comes to gender. With a goal of prevention of cardiovascular diseases in high school graduate students, it is imperative to reduce obesity, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption, as well as implementation of regular physical activity.Key words: High school graduates, risk factors, hypertension, obesity, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption

SELF-CONCEPT AS THE DETERMINANT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF PREADOLESCENTS IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES

The aim of this research was twofold: a) the examination of the relations between the construct of self-concept (sport competence and physical self) and the criterion (volume of physical activity and intensity of physical activity) in physical education classes for preadolescents and b) the examination of the contribution of the variables of self-concept to the predictions of the variance criterion, thus the partial influence of predictor variables in the prediction of physical activities of students in late childhood. The following instruments were used on the relevant sample of participants from Valjevo (N=212) whose average age was 12.5 years: self-perception of the self-concept questionnaire (SPPC), pedometer (CoachGear) and heart rate monitor (Suunto memory belt) for measuring the volume and intensity of the physical activity. The internal consistency coefficient of the SPPC questionnaire was (α=.82) for sport competence and (α=.85) for the physical self, which indicated the satisfactory reliability and its applicability of the Serbian preadolescent population. Using the Pearson correlation coefficient, with a probability of 99%, the low statistically relevant positive linear correlation between the examined variables was determined. Using the model of multiple linear regression analysis, it was determined that the construct of self-concept explains 19% of the perceived volume of physical activity variance and 20% of the intensity of the physical activity variability for the relevance threshold (p≤.01). The results of the regression equation indicated that the independent variable Sport Competence explained the variance in the Volume of physical activity and the Intensity of physical activity variables with preadolescents (β=.32, β=.30) in a statistically significant manner, while the variable Physical self was not a statistically significant partial predictor of any of the criteria. The obtained empirical findings are in accordance with the results of the previous studies, and there was a discussion about the theoretical and practical implications of the obtained findings

PEER VIOLENCE AS PREDICTOR OF CYBERBULLYING AMONG ADOLESCENTS

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine individual, familial and peer variables as predictors of cyberbullying in early adolescence. The research included (N = 226) male students from Valjevo, aged 15.56  (SD = 0.68). The following measuring instruments were used: Socio-demographic Questionnaire, Violence Among School Children Questionnaire, Parent Behavior Questionnaire. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was examined using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The results of correlation analysis have shown minute and statistically significant correlation between the scores of applied variables. Hierarchical regression model has explained 36% of the variance of traditional peer violence and 10% of cyberbullying. All the examined variables have proven to be statistically significant predictors of traditional peer violence, but not cyberbullying. Seeing that the predictor variables of traditional peer violence partly explain cyberbullying, it is necessary to examine other potential determinants such as frequency of use of electronic media, electronic victimization and others, which would contribute to the prediction of the examined criterion. The applied questionnaires are of optimal use in everyday practice in Serbia and can provide relevant information in evaluating traditional peer violence and cyberbullying among preadolescents

Deskriptivni, funkcionalni i polni dimorfizam eksplozivne izometrijske snage stiska šake kod zdravih studenata u Srbiji

The aim of this work is to define basic descriptive model characteristics considering descriptive, functional and sexual dimorphism of basic explosive isometric hand grip force characteristics in healthy and well-trained students of the Academy for Criminalistic and Police studies (ACPS) in the Republic of Serbia. For the purpose of this research, 239 examinees were tested, among whom 143 were men and 96 were women, aged 18 to 24. In order to assess the RFDBASICHG different contractile characteristics we used standardized equipment, i.e., a sliding device that measures isometric finger flexor force, with a tensiometric probe fixed inside the device. Our results showed that the tested male sample had a significantly greater explosive hand grip force in both hands (dominant and non-dominant) than the tested female sample, with regard to both absolute and relative indicators. A statistically significant difference was established for the whole measurement range (the total of variable samples in the function of gender) between men and women, as parameters of sexual dimorphism, at the level of Wilks' Lambda - 0.519, F = 30.567, p = 0.000. In the function of gender, statistically significant functional dimorphism was found in women, i.e., the dominant hand was found to be stronger than the non-dominant one with a statistical significance of t = 2.389, p = 0.019. Considering the defined model parameters for the population of the given age, the results obtained can be used as criterion values for various testing purposes, such as the assessment of explosive hand grip force in athletes and non-athletes of both genders, or the evaluation of gender-related and functional dimorphism of the same.Cilj rada je definisanje modela karakteristika deskriptivnog, funkcionalnog i polnog dimorfizma eksplozivne izometrijske sile stiska šake obe ruke kod zdravih i dobro treniranih studenata Kriminalističko policijske akademije (KPA) u Republici Srbiji. Testirano je 239 studenata, 143 muškog i 96 ženskog pola, starosti od 18 do 24 godine. Za procenu eksplozivne izometrijske sile stiska šake RFDBASICHG korišćena je standardizovana oprema, klizni instrument za merenje izometrijske sile pregibača prstiju sa tenziometrijskom sondom unutar nje. Rezultatiti dobijeni ovim istraživanjem pokazuju da testirani ispitanici muškog pola imaju značajno veće vrednosti eksplozivne sile stiska šake obe ruke (dominantne i nedominantne) u odnosu na ispitanike ženskog pola, sa aspekta kako apsolutnih tako i relativnih vrednosti. Statistička analiza je utvrdila da između posmatranih sub uzoraka između muškaraca i žena postoji generalna statistički značajna razlika svih ispitivanih kontraktilnih karakteristika na nivou Wilks Lambda 0.519, F = 30.567, p = 0.000. U funkciji pola, statistički značajne razlike funkcionalnog dimorfizma izmerene su kod žena, dominantna ruka je snažnija od nedominantne na nivou statističke značajnosti t = 2.389, p = 0.019. Na osnovu definisanog modela karakteristika, dobijeni rezultati se mogu koristiti kao kritetirijumi u različite svrhe testiranja, za procenu eksplozivne sile stiska šake kod trenirane i netrenirane populacije oba pola ili u svrhu procene polnog i funkcionalnog dimorfizma

Trend promene osnovnih antropometrijskih karakteristika studenata Kriminalističko-policijske akademije u toku studija

By applying transversal method of research on a sample of 267 male and 88 female students of the Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies, Belgrade determination of basic anthropometrical characteristics in the function of the year of study was conducted. Basic anthropometrical characteristics were expressed in following variables: body weight - BW, expressed in kg; body height - BH, expressed in cm; body mass index - BMI, expressed in kg/m2. The obtained results showed statistically significant tendency of change in students of the ACPS during the course of studies, namely in increase of BM as basic measure for estimation of body voluminosity (1.2 kg per a study year, F ratio 4287, p = 0.039), as well as in BMI, as a measure for the assessment of the body status, that is, the state of nourishment (0.42 kg/m2 per a study year, F ratio 7.191, p = 0.008). As for female students, the obtained results showed statistically significant tendency of change, namely in decrease of BMI, as a measure for the assessment of the body status, that is, the state of nourishment (- 0.56 kg/m2 per a study year, F ratio 8.290, p = 0.005). At this point, based on the research results, we can not say for sure what could be the cause of the determined trend of increase of voluminosity and body nourishment in male students, and decrease of body nourishment in female students, which should be determined in future researches.Na uzorku od 267 ispitanika muškog pola i 88 ispitanika ženskog pola studenata Kriminalističko-policijske akademije (KPA) iz Beograda primenom transverzalne metode istraživanja izvršeno je dijagnostikovanje osnovnih antropometrijskih karakteristika u funkciji godine studija. Osnovne antropometrijske karakteristike ispitanika su bile predstavljene sledećim varijablama: telesna masa - TM, izražena u kg; telesna visina - TV, izražena u cm; i telesno-maseni indeks (BMI), izražen u kg/m2. Dobijeni rezultati su pokazali da je kod studenata KPA u toku studija došlo do statistički značajnog trenda promene, i to povećanja kod TM, kao osnovne mere za procenu voluminoznosti tela (1.20 kg po godini studija, F odnos 4.287, p = 0.039) kao i kod BMI, kao mere za procenu telesnog statusa, tj. stanja uhranjenosti (0.42 kg/m2 po godini studija, F odnos 7.191, p = 0.008). U odnosu nastudentkinje, dobijeni rezultati su pokazali da je u toku studija KPA došlo do statistički značajnog trenda promene, i to smanjenja kod BMI, kao mere za procenu telesnog statusa, tj. stanja uhranjenosti (- 0.56 kg/m2 po godini studija, F odnos 8.290, p = 0.005). U ovom trenutku se na osnovu rezultata istraživanja ne može sa sigurnošću tvrditi šta je posledica utvrđenog trenda povećanja voluminoznosti i telesne uhranjenosti kod studenata odnosno smanjenja telesne uhranjenosti kod studentkinja, što treba utvrditi u narednim istraživanjima

Relations between anthropometric parameters and motor skills of the preadolescent female students

The aim of this research was to examine the relations between morphological markers and motor skills of preadolescent female students. In this cross-sectional study, the pertinent sample of N = 162 was represented by V grade elementary school female students (M= .11.24 years, SD= .86), while 16 measuring instruments were used for the evaluation of anthropometric characteristics, and the battery of 7 tests for motor skills evaluation. The findings have revealed that the two groups of the variables manifested are linearly correlated via one statistically significant canonical function which, explains 42% of the common variance proportion. The attained pair of canonical factors in anthropometric space has determined orthogonal linear combinations of the latent dimensions variables (subcutaneous fatty tissue, body voluminosity and body mass, transversal dimensionality of the skeleton and longitudinal dimensionality of the skeleton), while in the motor space it has been determined by the mechanism of female students' motor skills. The results have signaled that the participants who achieved higher scores on the motor skills tests (60 m sprint - crouch start, handstand against a vertical surface, 'scissors' high jump, forward shoulder roll on the dominant side, shot from the mark using basic technique, one-handed standing shot and ball bouncing on fingertips from the middle volleyball position) had lower canonical coefficients in the subcutaneous fatty tissue and body voluminosity measurements, and vice versa. Indicators of redundancy show that motor test variability depends on the variability of the anthropometric measurements, that is to say, that using the system of the anthropometric variables examined one can anticipate 15,23% of common motor variables variance, and using the system of motor variables 19,26% of motor variables variability

Relations between anthropometric and motor variables of seven-year-old girls with the differentiated level of nutritional status

The objective of this paper is to examine the frequency of nutritional status and the relations between anthropometric characteristics and motor skills of the first-grade elementary schools girls from Valjevo. A battery of 16 anthropometric measurements and 9 motor tests was conducted on the pertinent sample (N = 332) of seven-year-old girls. Data were analyzed using common measures of central tendency, measures of variability and canonical correlation analysis. Based on the measured body mass index, 75% of participants have normal body mass, 21% has increased body mass, and 4% is overweight. The results showed that in the group of participants with normal body mass there is no significant connection between two systems of variables (morphological characteristics and motor skills). Data from the group of overweight participants show that the two statistically relevant correlations were extracted in the morpho-motoric space and were interpreted as canonical functions: (1) circular dimensionality of the skeleton and body mass, and explosive strength and (2) subcutaneous fatty tissue and segmented run and running speed. Canonical factors indicate that the greater the size of chest, thigh, shin and body mass, the lower are the results of the composite motor tests (plyometric jump, forward lean-backward lean-throw, long jump and standing jump), that is the girls who had higher values of back skinfold, stomach skinfold, thigh skinfold and shin skinfold, had worse result realization of motor tasks (hand-tapping, foot-tapping and running 5 x 10 m). Empirical data of the research on the isolated canonical structure are relevant from the theoretical point of view, but they also have relevant implications for identifying increased level of nutritional status and the advancement of physical education in elementary school education

Personality dimensions and social variables – predictors of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption in adolescence

Introduction. The aim of the study was to examine the contribution of personaltraits and social variables to the prediction of the frequency of cigarette andalcohol use in adolescents.Methods. Two questionnaires: Big Five Inventory (BFI) and Role of Parentsand Friends questionnaire were used in the pertinent sample of fourth-gradeelementary school students (N = 268), 18 ± 1.76 years of age. The calculatedCronbach’s alpha coefficient indicated a satisfactory internal consistency ofthe applied measuring instruments.Results. Approximately 70% of adolescents did not smoke cigarettes, and 64%of them did not consume alcohol. Correlation analysis showed statisticallysignificant connection between several variables. The results of hierarchicalregression analysis, with the p < 0.01, showed that predictors explained 26%of total criterion variance (the frequency of cigarette smoking), and 27% oftotal criterion variance (the frequency of alcohol consumption), respectively.Thereat the following variables had statistically significant independentcontribution to cigarette smoking: gender, neurosis, openness to experiences,cigarette smoking – parents and friends’ reaction to cigarettes, while the bestpredictors of alcohol consumption among adolescents were agreeableness,alcohol consumption – friends, and friends’ reaction to alcohol consumption.Conclusion. The obtained data provided an important insight into the significanceof insufficiently explored relations between social factors and personalitytraits and cigarette and alcohol use among adolescents

The latent structure of anthropometric variables in female volleyball players aged 12-14 years

The goal of this transverse research was to establish the correlations between morphological characteristics, and identifying the latent morphological structure. In the morphological space, a group of 12 standard anthropometric variables was measured. The sample encompassed 158 female subjects, aged 12 to 14 years, from volleyball clubs of the Kolubara-Macva Inter regional Serbian league. Statistical data analysis was conducted using Pearson's coefficient of correlation and Principal component analysis (PCA). Results from the correlation analysis showed statistically significant linear correlations in almost all anthropometric variables of female U14 volleyball players. Using the method of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), together with the Kaiser-Guttman criteria and Varimax rotation, a threecomponent model was extracted which comprised 83,35% of proportion of the total variance of manifested anthropometric variables. This model was structured by the hypothetical factors with their characteristic roots (ƛ > 1), which were interpreted as: longitudinal skeleton dimensionality (F1), body volume and body mass (F2), and subcutaneous fat tissue (F3). The limitations of this study were discussed, as well as recommendations for future longitudinal research. Objectively, an insufficient amount of conducted empiric studies so far presents a motive for other authors to establish a relationship between morphological landmarks and defining the build of the morphological space in preadolescent population of female volleyball population