Fictorians: historians who \u27lie\u27 about the past, and like it

Debates about history and fiction tend to pitch novelist against historian in a battle over who owns or best represents the past. This article posits that things are not quite so dichotomous: novelists write non-fiction histories, and historians even sometimes write novels. In fact, these latter seem, anecdotally, to be increasing in number in recent decades. The author approached some of these historians to find out why they have turned to writing fictionalised versions of the past to complement, or sometimes replace, their non-fiction publications. For the sake of clarity, in the article I have playfully dubbed the historians who write historical fiction as ‘fictorians’. The article considers their responses within wider discussions about history and fiction, and reflects briefly upon the meaning of this ‘fictional turn’ for the future of the history discipline

Effects of SPARK Self-Management Program on the promotion of out-of-school physical activity

The goal of this study was to assess the utility of SPARK Self-Management Program on physical activity promotion among adolescents. This program consisted on teaching cognitivebehavioural strategies which facilitate adherence to lifetime physical activity. Eight sessions (one per week) were conducted during Physical Education classes, involving91 students from 10th and llth grade (M=15.52, SD=.78). Out-of-school Physical Activity (PA) and Behavioural Intentions (BI) were studied based on Ajzen and Fishbein's Theory ofPlanned Behaviour. Variables were measured four times: control evaluation, pre-test, post-test and follow-up. These moments have delimited three study phases: control (four weeks), experimental (nine weeks) and follow-up (eight weeks) periods.PA levels decreased during control (t=2.869; p<.001) and follow-up (t=3.842; p<.001) periods, and increased on experimental period, although not significantly. BI increased duringexperimental period (t=2.714; p<.01), and decreased during follow-up (t=2.199; p<.05). Past PA behaviour was found to be the major determinant of PA (pV68; p<.001) followed by BI (p=.18; p<.05), explaining each variable 46.5% and 3.1% of its variance, respectively. Concerning BI prediction, Perceived Behavioural Control (P=.30; p<.01) and Attitudes (P= .27; p< .01) were found to be significant predictors, explaining, respectively, 13.9% and 6.9% of its variance. It was concluded that the program reversed the tendency to reduce PA levels during schoolyear, and changed positively BI. However, these effects weren't maintained beyond intervention, which suggest that a longer intervention may be effective in changing consistently students'PA habits. It is recommended an investigation comprising an extended application of SPARK Self-Management Program

The relationship between social physique anxiety and psychosocial health in adolescents

Social physique anxiety (SPA) is a subtype of social anxiety that relates to body concerns in social contexts and has been proposed as an indicator of psychosocial adjustment in adolescents. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship of SPA with a number psychosocial and behaviour variables in adolescents. A nationally representative sample of 3331 8th- and 10th-grade students completed a survey as a part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. SPA was positively associated with poor health symptoms, larger body shape and being on a diet, while it was negatively associated with physical activity and social support. Girls, those who thought were much too fat and those who were or should be on a diet had higher SPA scores than their counterparts.Hierarchical regression analysis indicate that gender (β = .20), being on a diet (β = -.27), physical activity behaviour (β = -.06), body shape (β = -.14), psychological symptoms (β = .15) and parental (β = -.07) and peer communication (β = -.07) were significant predictors of SPA. No significant interactions with gender were significant. Interventions should help adolescents deal with the pressures of achieving a socially desirable body shape and weight, including self-acceptance and seeking appropriate social support