Confirmatory factor analysis of the irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory (iPBI) in a sample of amateur and semi-professional athletes

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd Objectives This investigation sought to test the construct validity of the irrational performance beliefs inventory (iPBI) in a sample of amateur and semi-professional athletes. Method In total, 550 athletes (312 men, 212 women, M age = 38.04 ± 13.80 years) completed the iPBI and demographic questions at a single time point. Results Confirmatory factor analysis showed lower than acceptable fit indices for the 28-item iPBI (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.84). After removal of potential problem items, a 20-item version (iPBI-2) was developed (CFI = 0.91). Results showed that amateur athletes scored higher than semi-professional athletes on primary irrational beliefs and low frustration tolerance, whereas semi-professional athletes scored higher than amateur athletes on depreciation. Conclusions This study provides initial evidence of construct validity for a 20-item version of the iPBI in an athletic sample, and shows medium effect size differences in irrational beliefs between amateur and semi-professional athletes

The "Home Advantage" in Athletic Competitions

Game location has a powerful influence on performance outcomes in sport. We reviewed recent research on three conceptual models that outline (a) the various game-location factors that can alter athletes' psychological states, (b) the natural protective response to territorial incursion in humans, and (c) the increased probability of involuntary attentional shifts in the presence of a supportive audience. Investigators recently have accumulated support for each of these models and linked variations in game location to psychological, hormonal, and behavioral states of athletes, coaches, and officials. We considered how an integrative approach might benefit the study of the home-advantage phenomenon and described an assortment of research questions to support the development of an integrative framework. By studying how audience support contributes to physiological reactivity, attention, stress responses, and decision making (among athletes and officials), researchers can achieve a better understanding of the processes through which a home environment can benefit (and occasionally harm) athletes and teams. © The Author(s) 2014

The Association between Food Insecurity, Glycemic Control, Self-Care, and Quality of Life in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Food insecurity is the inability to obtain adequate nutritious food. Therefore, the study assessed the relationship between food insecurity, glycemic control, self-care behaviors, and quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Cross sectional study of 356 adults with T2DM recruited from an academic medical center and a veterans affairs medical center. The independent predictor was food insecurity, and the outcomes were glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, self-care behaviors, and quality of life (QOL). Logistic regression was used to assess the independent factors associated with food insecurity. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the association between food insecurity and outcomes. Stata was used for the analyses. The majority (88%) was ≥50 years old, male (70%), and non-Hispanic black (55%). Thirty-five percent were food insecure. Compared to those who had 16 years of education were less likely to be food insecure (Odds ratio (OR) 0.25; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.07, 0.92). Compared to those making \u3c$10,000, those with income levels of$20,000-$34,999 (OR 0.31; 95$35,000 (OR 0.15, 95% 0.06, 0.38) were less likely to be food insecure. In adjusted modeling, food insecurity was marginally associated with glycemic control (βeta coefficient =-0.41; 95% CI -0.85, 0.02), and not significantly associated with self-care behaviors or QOL. In this sample of adults with T2DM, food insecurity was significantly associated with education and income and marginally associated with glycemic control. Further research is needed to assess the relationship between these factors

Passive Aeroelastic Tailored Wing Modal Test Using the Fixed Base Correction Method

In modal testing and finite element model correlation, analysts desire modal results using free-free or rigid boundary conditions to ease comparisons of test versus analytical data. It is often expensive both in cost and schedule to build and test with boundary conditions that replicate the free-free or rigid boundaries. Static test fixtures for load testing are often large, heavy, and unyielding, but do not provide adequate boundaries for modal tests because they are dynamically too flexible and often contain natural frequencies within the frequency range of interest of the test article. Dynamic coupling between the test article and test fixture complicates the model updating process because significant effort is required to model the test fixture and boundary conditions in addition to the test article. If there were a way to correct the modal results for fixture coupling, then setups used for other structural testing could be adequate for modal testing. In the case described in this paper, a partial static loads testing setup was used, which allowed significant schedule and cost savings by eliminating a unique setup for a modal test. A fixed base correction technique was investigated during modal testing of a flexible wing cantilevered from part of a static test fixture. The technique was successfully used to measure the wing modes de-coupled from the dynamically active test fixture. The technique is promising for future aircraft applications, but more research is needed

Polysomnographic and Subjective Sleep Predictors of Alcoholic Relapse

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65219/1/j.1530-0277.1998.tb03995.x.pd

The TASS-Q: The Team-referent Availability of Social Support Questionnaire

Objectives To provide initial evidence for the construct validity of the Team-referent Availability of Social Support Questionnaire (the TASS-Q). Design Cross-sectional in Study 1, and two time points in Study 2. Method The preliminary study required participants (N = 47) to assess the content validity—dimensional belonging, understanding, and relevance—of the TASS-Q items. In Study 1, participants (n = 336) completed the TASS-Q and measures of social desirability and negative affectivity. In Study 2, approximately one week before a competition (Day 1, Time 1) participants (n = 413) completed the TASS-Q; approximately 1 h before the same competition (Day 7–9, Time 2) participants completed measures of collective efficacy in relation to the impending competition and team cohesion. Results Following evidence for the scale content validity of the TASS-Q in the preliminary study, Study 1 provided support for the factor structure of the TASS-Q comprising emotional, esteem, informational, and tangible dimensions. Study 2 provided partial evidence for the factor structure of the TASS-Q and evidence of the criterion-related validity of the measure, demonstrating that (a) team-referent esteem support was a positive predictor of collective efficacy, (b) support dimensions, collectively, explained significant variance in task cohesion dimensions, and (c) emotional support was a positive predictor of social cohesion (group integration—social). Conclusions The article provides initial evidence for the construct validity of the TASS-Q and demonstrates, for team-referent social support, the theoretical advantages of examining a multidimensional conceptualisation of perceived availability of social support

The Leeway of Shipping Containers at Different Immersion Levels

The leeway of 20-foot containers in typical distress conditions is established through field experiments in a Norwegian fjord and in open-ocean conditions off the coast of France with wind speed ranging from calm to 14 m/s. The experimental setup is described in detail and certain recommendations given for experiments on objects of this size. The results are compared with the leeway of a scaled-down container before the full set of measured leeway characteristics are compared with a semi-analytical model of immersed containers. Our results are broadly consistent with the semi-analytical model, but the model is found to be sensitive to choice of drag coefficient and makes no estimate of the cross-wind leeway of containers. We extend the results from the semi-analytical immersion model by extrapolating the observed leeway divergence and estimates of the experimental uncertainty to various realistic immersion levels. The sensitivity of these leeway estimates at different immersion levels are tested using a stochastic trajectory model. Search areas are found to be sensitive to the exact immersion levels, the choice of drag coefficient and somewhat less sensitive to the inclusion of leeway divergence. We further compare the search areas thus found with a range of trajectories estimated using the semi-analytical model with only perturbations to the immersion level. We find that the search areas calculated without estimates of crosswind leeway and its uncertainty will grossly underestimate the rate of expansion of the search areas. We recommend that stochastic trajectory models of container drift should account for these uncertainties by generating search areas for different immersion levels and with the uncertainties in crosswind and downwind leeway reported from our field experiments.Comment: 25 pages, 11 figures and 5 tables; Ocean Dynamics, Special Issue on Advances in Search and Rescue at Sea (2012

Scholarly Concentrations Program: A PRIME Approach to Addressing Care for the Medically Underserved and Vulnerable Populations

Examine how well the structure of the Scholarly Concentrations Program and content of each concentration relates to the goals of the federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant received to create more interest and prepare more medical school graduates to care for medically underserved and vulnerable populations. The grant funds the Primary Care Reaffirmation for Indiana Medical Education, or PRIME. project. A review of how concentrations align with the grant was conducted by reviewing program, concentration and course learning objectives and mapping to the grant objectives. Numerous concentrations were found to be an excellent fit, creating a PRIME opportunity to enhance the SC Program and move the needle on the grant objectives

A longitudinal investigation of irrational beliefs, hedonic balance and academic achievement

© 2017 Elsevier Inc. This investigation tested (linear and non-linear) cross-sectional and cross-time associations between irrational beliefs, hedonic balance and academic achievement. In total, 175 undergraduate students (M age = 20.23 ± 5.06 years) completed measures of irrational beliefs and hedonic balance at mid-semester and again before their end of semester examinations. Student academic grades were obtained from a university electronic management package. Results showed that higher levels of irrational beliefs (depreciation) were associated with a more negative affective state at mid-semester and increases in negative affect (relative to positive affect) over time. Increases in irrational beliefs (depreciation and awfulising) also coincided with increases in negative (relative to positive) affect. Irrational beliefs and hedonic balance were unrelated to academic performance. In short, this study provides evidence that irrational beliefs are related to change in student affect over time, but that irrational beliefs and hedonic balance are unrelated to objectively measured academic achievement