Youth Leisure-Time Physical Activity From the Perspectives of Young Adults With Visual Impairments

The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning that young adults with visual impairments ascribe to their youth leisure-time physical activity experiences. This study adopted an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) research approach. Ten participants (aged 21-34 years; eight women, two men) with visual impairments were included in this study. Semi-structured, audio-taped telephone interviews acted as the primary source of data for this study. Data were analyzed thematically using a four-step process informed by IPA and three interrelated themes were constructed: (a) I just always felt normal when I was doing them : Preferences for unstructured activities, (b) They didn\u27t baby me : Importance of supportive parents, and (c) They didn\u27t know how to deal with my disability : Comparing stakeholders in integrated versus self-contained sport . The participants described a strong preference for unstructured physical activities and reported that support from parents was critical in allowing them to enjoy physical activities during youth

Gopher FITStep Pro Accuracy When Measuring Steps and Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity

Background: The Gopher FITStep Pro (GFSP) is a commercially available objective physical activity monitor that records steps taken and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the GFSP for measuring steps taken in a guided walking condition and MVPA during planned fitness activities. Method: University-aged participants (N = 35, Mage = 20) wore two GFSP (right and left side) pedometers and one ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer during both conditions. Results: Paired samples t-tests determined that self-step counts in the guided walking condition were not significantly different than the right side GFSP (p =.084) but were significantly different from the left side GFSP (p =.006). Mean absolute percent error (MAPE) was less than 3% between self-step counts with the left (1.9%) and right side GFPS (1.7%). However, MVPA estimates were significantly different between the GT3X+ accelerometer and the left side and right side GFSP (p \u3c.001). High MAPE occurred between the GT3X+ accelerometer with the left (51%) and right side GFSP (41%) in the planned fitness activity condition. Conclusion: The GFSP may be an appropriate instrument for estimating steps, however users should be cautious when consuming MVPA estimates for educational, research, or health-related purposes

A Continuum of Paraeducator Support for Utilization in Adapted Physical Education

This article describes three different ways of using paraeducators during adapted physical education. (1.) Having paraeducators read a portion of the lesson plan that describes the desired support towards lesson objectives. Paraeducators then assist all students when needed. (2.) Assigning specific modifications for paraeducators through the IEP process. These modifications maybe designed for a single child and listed in the lesson plan. The paraeducator then provides specific support for a particular child. (3.) Using video modeling to create media clips for paraeducators to view prior to assisting children during the lesson. The media clips include modeling of key lesson concepts aimed at helping paraeducators understand physical education activities that a child is expected to accomplish during the lesson. The physical educator is then free to attend to other learners with different needs during portions of the lesson. Recommendations for using video technology are provided

Iranian Parents\u27 Perceptions on Physical Activity for Their Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic is a remarkable health crisis that enforced most people to stay at home and quarantine for a period of time and seems to be having negative impacts on physical activity and mental health worldwide. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a deficit in social interaction characteristics, relationships, and stereotyped behaviors. This study examined Iranian parents’ perceptions of physical activity for their children with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this study, an explanatory qualitative methodology was used and data were collected via semi-structured phone interviews. The samples included 40 Iranian parents (aged 25-50 years) who had children with ASD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 Edition (DSM-5) criteria (aged 7-12 years). Results: The results showed that the parents observed their children’s physical activity to decrease greatly than before the pandemic. Parents experienced weight gain, increased anxiety, increased stereotypic behaviors, and decreased orderliness, communicative interactions, and social skills. The parents stated that, when their children were more active before the COVID-19 pandemic, they were more cheerful, more adaptable, and communicated more verbally. Parents believed that physical activities have positive effects on the development of their children’s physical health and behavior. They also reported some barriers to their children’s participation in physical activity. Conclusion: Participating in daily physical activity and support from parents were consequential factors in the promotion of their physical and behavioral health and the development of their independent performance and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic

Environmental and social determinants of leisure-time physical activity in children with autism spectrum disorder

Background: It is increasingly recognized that children\u27s physical activity behaviors are shaped by neighborhood environment factors and their parent\u27s support. However, these factors have been scarcely studied among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a population at risk of inactivity. Objective: This cross-sectional survey study was designed to examine how neighborhood environmental factors and parental support are related to physical activity levels of children with ASD. Also, this study examined if the relationship between the environment and physical activity is modified by demographic factors and COVID-19 related concerns. Methods: An online survey was completed by parents of children with ASD aged 10–17 years. The questionnaire included items related to environmental factors (i.e., distance to school, distance to park, existence of sidewalks, walkability), parent support for physical activity (i.e., encouraging, watching, and providing transportation), child\u27s physical activity, and demographic characteristics. The instrument also queried parental concerns about COVID-19 and their child\u27s physical activity participation. Results: The results indicate that proximity to a local park and to school is positively associated with physical activity. Parent\u27s encouraging behavior correlated with and predicted children\u27s physical activity levels. Also, higher levels of COVID-19 related concerns among parents were related to decreased physical activity supporting behaviors. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the neighborhood environment, in particular the distance between home and parks and schools, and parent support behavior are influential factors that may shape physical activity behaviors for children with ASD

Understanding Parents\u27 Experiences with Children with Type 1 Diabetes: A Qualitative Inquiry

Parenting is often described as a stress-inducing experience, which can be further complicated or made more stressful and anxiety-inducing when parenting children with chronic conditions such as type 1 diabetes (T1D). The incidence of T1D among children has risen and continues to rise globally, resulting in a need to understand the experiences of parenting children with T1D. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the lived experiences, and the meaning ascribed to those experiences, of being a parent of a child with T1D. This qualitative study was conducted through an interpretivist paradigm and includes the experiences of 29 parents (19 mothers and 10 fathers) of 24 children (aged 6 to 15 years) with T1D. Parents, and parent dyads, completed demographic questionnaires and written prompts, and participated in focus group interviews. Three themes were developed from the data, namely, (a) the costs of T1D, (b) the ultimate helicopter mom, and (c) dealing with “being different”. Generally, the participants reported on the direct (e.g., financial and time) and indirect (e.g., family planning) costs associated with parenting children with T1D, their role as a primary provider and anxieties with relinquishing control and dealing with the stigma surrounding a diabetes diagnosis. Unique findings from this study included the impact a T1D diagnosis had on future family planning as parents navigated the fear and uncertainty of having additional children with T1D, as well as the internal conflict parents had with entrusting others to care for their child, especially if they deemed them to be unqualified or unnecessarily stigmatizing or ostracizing their child

Academic Stress, Physical Activity, Sleep, and Mental Health Among Chinese Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of academic stress on physical activity and sleep, and subsequently their impacts on anxiety and depression. Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data from a convenience sample of 1533 adolescents in an eastern province in China. Surveys were used to collect data on academic stress, anxiety, depression, sleep, physical activity, and demographics. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and path analysis were used to analyze data. Results: The participants reported about 6.77 ± 0.89 h of sleep per day and 1.62 ± 1.79 days of 60 min of physical activity each week. Academic stress was positively correlated with anxiety and depression, which were negatively correlated with physical activity and sleep. The path analysis showed that academic stress directly predicted anxiety (β = 0.54) and depression (β = 0.55), and hours of sleep (β = 0.024) and the number of days of 60 min physical activity (β = 0.014) mediated the relation. Conclusion: The results largely supported our hypotheses and supported the need to lessen academic stress experienced by Chinese adolescents, in effort to enhance mental health indices directly, and by allowing for engagement in health-related behaviors such as physical activity and sleep

Everybody Wants to Be Included : Experiences with \u27Inclusive\u27 Strategies in Physical Education

This study examined how students with orthopedic impairments experienced strategies identified in the literature to support ‘inclusion’. An interpretative phenomenological analysis research approach was used, and six students with orthopedic impairments (age 10–14 years) served as participants. Data sources were written prompts, semi-structured, audiotaped interviews, and reflective interview notes. Based on thematic data analysis, four themes were constructed: “It’s kind of embarrassing”: experiences with support; “I don’t want to be different”: equipment, activity, and rule modifications; “I like to be a part of the conversation”: autonomy and choice in PE; and “I would rather be like the other students”: discussing disability. The experiences portrayed through these themes highlighted the differential effects of these explicated strategies, where each strategy contributed to feelings of inclusion, as well as marginalization among participants. As such, the findings indicated that ‘inclusive’ strategies should not be considered as blanket recommendations; instead, attempts to promote ‘inclusion’ of students with disabilities should start with a reflexive look at the unique needs of each individual student

Movement in High School: Proportion of Chinese Adolescents Meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine the proportions of adolescents in China who partially or fully meet three 24-h movement guidelines on physical activity, screen-time, and sleep duration and (b) to examine whether there were gender differences in the proportion of boys and girls meeting these guidelines. The sample was made up of high school adolescents from an eastern province of China (N = 1338). The participants completed a self-reported survey on demographic variables and weekly health behaviors including physical activity, screen-time, and sleep duration. A frequency analysis was conducted to summarize the number of 24-h movement guidelines met of the total sample and by gender; chi-squared tests were used to examine the gender differences in the proportion of students meeting different guidelines, independently and jointly. A high proportion of adolescents did not meet physical activity (97.2%, 95% CI = 96.2–98.0%), or sleep (92.1%, 95% CI = 90.6–93.5%) guidelines, but met screen-time (93.6%, 95% CI = 92.4–94.7%) guidelines. Overall, only 0.3% (95%CI = 0.1–0.6%) of the sample met all three guidelines, 8.8% (95%CI = 7.5–10.2%) met two, 85.8%% (95%CI = 84.0–87.4%) met one, and 5.1% (95%CI = 4.0–6.4%) met none. There was no statistically significant percentage difference between female and male participants in meeting physical activity, screen-time viewing, or sleep duration guidelines, independently or jointly (p values \u3e 0.05). These figures of participants meeting all three guidelines or physical activity and sleep independently are much lower than many estimates in prior research internationally. Considerations to improve adherence to physical activity and sleep guidelines are critical in this population