Physical self-perceptions and body composition in fitness instructors, regular exercisers and non-exercisers.

This study investigated physical self-perceptions (PSPP and PIP) and the relationship between physical self-perceptions and body composition measures (BMI, WHR, percentage body fat) in fitness instructors (n = 36), regular exercisers (n = 29) and non-exercisers (n = 35). Gender differences were apparent in the physical self-perceptions, males scoring higher on the attractive body, sports competence and physical self-worth sub-scales of the PSPP. Fitness instructors rated their bodily attractiveness, physical condition and physical strength significantly higher and perceived them as more important than the regular and non -exercisers. Also, fitness instructors and regular exercisers had higher levels of physical self-worth and sports competence and perceived sports competence as more important than the non-exercisers. Relationships between physical self-perceptions and body composition were found. For females higher fat percentage or BMI values were negatively associated with most of the sub-domains of the PSPP. It was concluded that participation in regular exercise is associated with more positive physical self- perceptions that might contribute to a ‘life-time’ commitment to exercise participation. Secondly, more longitudinal research is required to investigate the relationship between physical self-perceptions and changes in body composition. Finally, it was suggested that exercise programs should promote competence and should be conducted in a relatively ‘body neutral’ environment. Such an approach would propagate a more intrinsically motivated orientation to exercise participation and might have a more pronounced effect on physical self-perceptions and global physical self-estee

Craft idiocy, Erikson and Footballing Identities.

In our opinion the current talent development strategies and schemes of the England Football Association and clubs resulted in the development of unhealthy personalities and an un-mature sense of self-identity through the high exposure to a single area of competence. In particular, academy players are in danger of developing self-identities that are characterized as foreclosed. In some way this mirrors the concept called ‘craft idiocy’ (Marx, 1955). Craft idiocy refers to the notion that through their specialisation experts know aspects of their immediate tasks but lack understanding of other methods and abilities and are thus at a disadvantage within societal interrelations. Although there are some positive aspects of a strong athletic identity, there appears to be a growing body of literature that highlights the negative consequences of such a self-concept (e.g., lower psychosocial maturation, lower interpersonal maturity, and lower career planning development). The danger is thus that footballers invest heavily in an athletic identity only to find themselves ‘craft idiots’ once the game is over. We suggest that Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development provides a useful framework for the exploration of a ‘healthy’ development

Self-determined motivation in rehabilitating professional rugby union players

Background The aim of the present study was to explore the views of professional rugby union players during the early rehabilitation, late rehabilitation and return to play stages, following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Methods A qualitative dominant, mixed methodological approach was utilized with five players who had suffered an ACL injury requiring reconstructive surgery. A longitudinal approach, concurrent with each player’s rehabilitation, consisting of twice monthly interviews, a self-report diary and three established questionnaires (MOS-Social Support Survey, Sherbourne & Stewart, 1991; Sport Climate Questionnaire, Deci & Ryan, n.d.; Injury Rehabilitation Questionnaire, Deci & Ryan, n.d.) were completed. Results Theoretical thematic analysis was conducted on three distinct phases (Early Limited Participation phase, 10 higher order themes; Late Limited Rehabilitation phase, 11 higher order themes; and Return to Play phase, 9 higher order themes) and coded relating to autonomy, competence and relatedness. Conclusions The findings suggest that increased autonomy and control assist emotional and behavioral responses during rehabilitation and return to play, while development of competence increases self-confidence

Relationship between physical self-perceptions and body composition following a 10 week exercise program for previously sedentary participants.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether body composition and engagement in an exercise program influenced participants’ physical self-perceptions. The study consisted of 92 participants, 40 males and 52 females; with an average age of 31.9± 9.37 years. The Physical Self-Perception Profile was used to assess physical self-perceptions(PSPP; Fox & Corbin, 1989). Body fat percentage was measured using a bioelectrical impedance analyser (RJL systems,Detroit). In addition, height,weight, BMI and WHR was assessed. The study consisted of an exercise intervention group (N = 72) and a control group (N = 20). Participants in the intervention group attended public gyms in North-west London.Measurements were taken at the induction session and after a 10 week intervention period. All participants were provided with an individual training program which followed the ACSM guidelines. Adherence was assessed by means of an electronic entry card to the gym facilities and a self-report measure. For statistical analysis the participants in the exercise group were categorised as either adherers (> 30 sessions; N = 35), and non-adherers (< 30 sessions; N= 26). Repeated measures analysis of variance [3 (adherers, non-adherers, control) x 2 (pre-, post-test)] and follow-up post-hoc comparisons showed that the adherers had a significant decrease in % body fat and BMI and a significant increase on the body, condition and strength subscales of the PSPP from pre- to the post-test.Additionally, correlational analysis for the change in the dependent variables from pre- to post-test showed only significant correlations for the adherers. The participants who adhered to the exercise program showed significant changes in their body composition in terms of a decrease in % body fat and BMI and this change was associated with perceiving oneself in better physical condition, and stronger. They were also more satisfied with their physique. These findings partially support Fox’s (1997) intervention hypothesis in that engaging in regular physical exercise and its associated physical changes can positively alter participants’ physical self-perceptions

Video game addiction, engagement and symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety: The mediating role of coping.

A number of studies have reported a co-occurrence between video game addiction and poorer mental health, but few have contextualised this relationship by identifying mediating variables. Further, there remains uncertainty in how to differentiate high engagement from what may be termed addiction in the context of video gaming. This study examined the mediating role of coping between one measure of video game addiction and engagement, and mental health. An international sample of 552 adult participants (M age 24.9 years, 52.3% Australian) completed an online survey including the Computer Addiction-Engagement Scale (CAES), Depression, Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Approach/Avoidance Coping Questionnaire (BACQ). Multiple mediation analysis showed that coping explained a significant portion of the relationship between video game addiction and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. However, even after accounting for coping, a direct relationship remained. Video game engagement, on the other hand, indicated full mediation with no direct connection to declined mental health, except in the case of anxiety. Less use of approach coping strategies and particularly more use of resignation and withdrawal coping strategies were related to poorer mental health. Gaming for distraction was unrelated to mental health. This study identified maladaptive coping as a partial explanation of the relationship between video game addiction and poorer mental health. Also, the findings provide validity for making a distinction between video gaming engagement and addiction. Highly engaged gamers with maladaptive coping styles may be more vulnerable to developing video game addiction

How useful is the Rehearsal Scale for Children – Chinese in measuring emotional rehearsal in pre-adolescents of different ages?

The Rehearsal Scale for Children – Chinese (RSC-C) measures the propensity to rehearse emotionally taxing experiences in children, however, the initial development of the scale has overlooked the validity of the scale for pre-adolescents of different ages whose cognitive development may differ considerably. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the internal validity of RSC-C for the different age groups (aged 6-7, 8-9 and 10-12) across an age range of 6 to12 years. Confirmatory factor analysis based on the original factor structure suggested that the internal validity of the RSC-C is poor and the scale was modified for the age groups concerned. Test-retest reliability for the modified scales was stronger for the younger age groups and moderate concurrent validity against the Chinese Trait Anxiety Scale for Children (CTAS-C) was established. No gender differences were found. The results highlight the importance of testing the validity of a psychometric instrument across different age ranges, given the potential for significant developmental differences. The current study also provided a new set of psychometrically sound RSC-C for the different age groups to promote greater understanding of the role of emotional rehearsal and psychological stress in physical and psychological well-being in young childre

The cortisol awakening response and resilience in elite swimmers.

The sports environment is stress-eliciting in that it encapsulates perceived uncontrollability, unpredictability and requires ego-involvement. The HPA axis has been shown (indicated by cortisol release) to respond to anticipated sports competition up to a week prior to the event. Research also alludes to the importance of individual differences, such as optimism and trait perfectionism, in moderating the impact of cortisol upon performance. In total, 41 (male n=27) national (n=38) and international (n=3) swimmers were recruited from northeast England and Australia. Swimmers completed a measure of resilience and also provided buccal saliva swabs, from which total cortisol release prior to and during the event was calculated. Findings revealed that resilience significantly predicted performance and the influence of AUC (cortisol release) upon performance was moderated by resilience. These findings suggest that resilience can influence athletic performance either directly or indirectly, through appraisal (i. e., interpretation of the stressor to be facilitative and non-threatening)

Cross-cultural comparison of motor competence in children from Australia and Belgium

Motor competence in childhood is an important determinant of physical activity and physical fitness in later life. However, childhood competence levels in many countries are lower than desired. Due to the many different motor skill instruments in use, children’s motor competence across countries is rarely compared. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the motor competence of children from Australia and Belgium using the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK). The sample consisted of 244 (43.4% boys) Belgian children and 252 (50.0% boys) Australian children, aged 6–8 years. A MANCOVA for the motor scores showed a significant country effect. Belgian children scored higher on jumping sideways, moving sideways and hopping for height but not for balancing backwards. Moreover, a Chi squared test revealed significant differences between the Belgian and Australian score distribution with 21.3% Belgian and 39.3% Australian children scoring “below average.” The very low levels reported by Australian children may be the result of cultural differences in physical activity contexts such as physical education and active transport. When compared to normed scores, both samples scored significantly worse than children 40 years ago. The decline in children’s motor competence is a global issue, largely influenced by increasing sedentary behavior and a decline in physical activity