Optimal Development of Youth Athletes Toward Elite Athletic Performance: How to Coach Their Motivation, Plan Exercise Training, and Pace the Race

Elite athletes have invested many years in training and competition to reach the elite level. One very important factor on the road to elite performance is the decision-making process regarding the regulation of effort over time, termed as pacing behavior. The regulation of effort is vital for optimal athletic performance during a single race and over a longer period of time (e.g., a competitive season) as an inadequate regulation could result in a higher risk of injuries, overtraining, and drop-out. Despite this, there is limited knowledge on how young athletes learn and develop the abilities related to pacing. Pacing behavior of athletes develops from childhood throughout adolescence and is thought to be closely connected to physical maturation, the development of pre-frontal cortical related (meta-) cognitive functions, as well as the gathering of experience with exercise tasks. The motivation of an athlete can critically influence how an athlete paces a single race, but also how they distribute their effort over a longer period of time. Coaches are advised to closely monitor the development of pacing behavior during adolescence (e.g., by gathering split times, and related physiological measurement, during training and competition), as well as the underlying factors including physical maturation (meta-) cognitive development and the motivation of young athletes. Furthermore, pacing behavior development could be aided by providing training in which the task, individual, and environment are manipulated. Hereby, presenting athletes with the opportunity to gain experience in situations which closely resemble the perceptual-motor conditions of upcoming competitions

A lifestyle screening tool for young children in the community:needs and wishes of parents and youth healthcare professionals

Background: Youth healthcare has an important role in promoting a healthy lifestyle in young children in order to prevent lifestyle-related health problems. To aid youth healthcare in this task, a new lifestyle screening tool will be developed. The aim of this study was to explore how youth healthcare professionals (YHCP) could best support parents in improving their children’s lifestyle using a new lifestyle screening tool for young children. Methods: We conducted four and seven focus groups among parents (N = 25) and YHCP (N = 25), respectively. Two main topics were addressed: the experiences with current practice of youth healthcare regarding lifestyle in young children, and the requirements for the lifestyle screening tool to be developed. The focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using an inductive approach. Results: Both parents and YHCP indicated that young children’s lifestyles are often discussed during youth healthcare appointments. While parents felt that this discussion could be more in-depth, YHCP mainly needed clues to continue the discussion. According to parents and YHCP, a new lifestyle screening tool for young children should be easy to use, take little time and provide courses of action. Moreover, it should be attractive to complete and align with the family concerned. Conclusions: According to parents and YHCP, a new lifestyle screening tool for young children could be useful to discuss specific lifestyle topics in more detail and to provide targeted advice.</p

Exercise dependence as a multidimensional construct : a study of its origins, characteristics and consequences

Cette thèse avait pour objectif de mieux comprendre le phénomène de la dépendance à l’exercice en étudiant la relation de celle-ci avec des facteurs motivationnels et personnels variés. Différentes théories concernant la motivation, le perfectionnisme et l’estime de soi ont été utilisée afin de déterminer les facteurs les plus fortement liés avec la dépendance à l’exercice. Après le développement d’échelles de passion et de perfectionnisme adaptées à une population d’âges diverses, trois études empiriques ont été réalisées. La première étude a révélé quatre clusters distincts basés sur les profils motivationnels des individus. Le cluster incluant un grand nombre d’individus avec des scores très élevés pour la passion obsessive et le perfectionnisme socialement prescrit obtenait les scores les plus élevés pour la dépendance à l’exercice. La deuxième étude a démontrée, à l’aide des corrélations canoniques, une forte relation entre la passion obsessive et les différentes composantes de la dépendance à l’exercice. Finalement la troisième étude a démontré que la relation entre le perfectionnisme et la dépendance à l’exercice peut être médiée par la passion obsessive et par l’estime de soi dépendant du sport. La conclusion de cette thèse est alors que la passion obsessive est fortement liée à la dépendance à l'exercice, et que le perfectionnisme et une estime de soi fortement dépendant du sport jouent probablement un rôle important dans le développement de cette dépendance à l’exercice.The objective of this thesis was to gain a better understanding of the concept of exercise dependence, by studying its relationship with a variety of motivational and personal factors. Different theories concerning motivation, perfectionism and self-esteem have been used in order to determine which of those factors were most strongly related to excercise dependence. After adapting the passion and perfectionism scales for use in populations of different ages, three empricial studies have been realized. The first study revealed four different clusters based on the motivational profiles of the individuals included. The cluster containing an important number of individuals with very high scores on obsessive passion and socially prescribed perfectionism obtained the highest scores for exercise dependence. The second study has shown, by using canonical correlations, a strong relationship between obsessive passion and the different composing factors of exercise dependence. Finally, the third study has revealed that the relationship between perfectionism and exercise dependence can be mediated by obsessive passion and by a self-esteem depending on sport. The conclusion of this thesis is therefore that obsessive passion is strongly related to exercise dependence, and that perfectionism and a form of self-esteem extremely dependant on sport, probably play an important role in the development of this exercise dependence

Drive in Sports: How Mental Fatigue Affects Endurance Performance

Performance in endurance sports relies on athletes’ drive, which is the sum of all factors pushing athletes to exert effort during exercise. Mental fatigue can influence endurance performance by decreasing athletes’ drive to exercise. From a psychological point of view, mental fatigue has two separate components: it can affect drive by increasing the perceived effort necessary for a given task (“I cannot do this, I am too exhausted”), or by decreasing the perceived value of the reward that can be obtained (“I do not want to do this, it is not worth it”). Neurophysiological theories confirm this dual nature of mental fatigue. It is suggested that mental fatigue can activate the inhibition centers of the brain, increasing perceived effort for a given task, hence decreasing drive and willingness to act. On the other hand, it may also deactivate facilitative brain centers (normally responsible for motivated behavior and increased drive toward a reward), also resulting in decreased drive. In this Perspective we will adopt a multidimensional approach, describing how mental fatigue interacts with drive and performance in endurance exercise. We aim to show how mental fatigue affects endurance performance via two main mechanisms: perceived effort and reward. We will study the interaction between mental fatigue and other factors impacting on drive, such as perceived exertion and motivation, and examine how these factors combined result in athletes’ exercise behavior (such as pacing) and performance. This will provide researchers, coaches, and athletes with useful tools in order to understand, influence and enhance athletes’ drive in exercise, which is of high relevance in elite endurance sports, where mental fatigue, motivation, and stakes all are of the highest level

La dépendance à l'exercice comme construit multidimensionnel (étude de ses origines, caractéristiques et conséquences)

Cette thèse avait pour objectif de mieux comprendre le phénomène de la dépendance à l exercice en étudiant la relation de celle-ci avec des facteurs motivationnels et personnels variés. Différentes théories concernant la motivation, le perfectionnisme et l estime de soi ont été utilisée afin de déterminer les facteurs les plus fortement liés avec la dépendance à l exercice. Après le développement d échelles de passion et de perfectionnisme adaptées à une population d âges diverses, trois études empiriques ont été réalisées. La première étude a révélé quatre clusters distincts basés sur les profils motivationnels des individus. Le cluster incluant un grand nombre d individus avec des scores très élevés pour la passion obsessive et le perfectionnisme socialement prescrit obtenait les scores les plus élevés pour la dépendance à l exercice. La deuxième étude a démontrée, à l aide des corrélations canoniques, une forte relation entre la passion obsessive et les différentes composantes de la dépendance à l exercice. Finalement la troisième étude a démontré que la relation entre le perfectionnisme et la dépendance à l exercice peut être médiée par la passion obsessive et par l estime de soi dépendant du sport. La conclusion de cette thèse est alors que la passion obsessive est fortement liée à la dépendance à l'exercice, et que le perfectionnisme et une estime de soi fortement dépendant du sport jouent probablement un rôle important dans le développement de cette dépendance à l exercice.The objective of this thesis was to gain a better understanding of the concept of exercise dependence, by studying its relationship with a variety of motivational and personal factors. Different theories concerning motivation, perfectionism and self-esteem have been used in order to determine which of those factors were most strongly related to excercise dependence. After adapting the passion and perfectionism scales for use in populations of different ages, three empricial studies have been realized. The first study revealed four different clusters based on the motivational profiles of the individuals included. The cluster containing an important number of individuals with very high scores on obsessive passion and socially prescribed perfectionism obtained the highest scores for exercise dependence. The second study has shown, by using canonical correlations, a strong relationship between obsessive passion and the different composing factors of exercise dependence. Finally, the third study has revealed that the relationship between perfectionism and exercise dependence can be mediated by obsessive passion and by a self-esteem depending on sport. The conclusion of this thesis is therefore that obsessive passion is strongly related to exercise dependence, and that perfectionism and a form of self-esteem extremely dependant on sport, probably play an important role in the development of this exercise dependence.PARIS11-SCD-Bib. électronique (914719901) / SudocSudocFranceF

A lifestyle screening tool for young children in the community:needs and wishes of parents and youth healthcare professionals

Background: Youth healthcare has an important role in promoting a healthy lifestyle in young children in order to prevent lifestyle-related health problems. To aid youth healthcare in this task, a new lifestyle screening tool will be developed. The aim of this study was to explore how youth healthcare professionals (YHCP) could best support parents in improving their children’s lifestyle using a new lifestyle screening tool for young children. Methods: We conducted four and seven focus groups among parents (N = 25) and YHCP (N = 25), respectively. Two main topics were addressed: the experiences with current practice of youth healthcare regarding lifestyle in young children, and the requirements for the lifestyle screening tool to be developed. The focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using an inductive approach. Results: Both parents and YHCP indicated that young children’s lifestyles are often discussed during youth healthcare appointments. While parents felt that this discussion could be more in-depth, YHCP mainly needed clues to continue the discussion. According to parents and YHCP, a new lifestyle screening tool for young children should be easy to use, take little time and provide courses of action. Moreover, it should be attractive to complete and align with the family concerned. Conclusions: According to parents and YHCP, a new lifestyle screening tool for young children could be useful to discuss specific lifestyle topics in more detail and to provide targeted advice.</p

Effects of Match Result and Social Comparison on Sport State Self-Esteem Fluctuations

International audienceObjectiveThe principal aim of this study was to test fluctuations of sport state self-esteem components (Perceived Athletic Competence [PAC] and Satisfaction with Current Sport Performance [SCSP]) depending on match results (win, loss) and social comparison which is defined in three directions: downward, lateral or upward comparison.Method95 tennis players (33 women, 62 men; Mage = 28.06; SD = 10.22) volunteered to complete a State Self-Esteem Scale (EESES; Bardel, Fontayne, &amp; Colombel, 2008) before and after a tennis competition. Subjects of this study are categorised according to their opponent's tennis level (respectively an inferior, comparable or a superior ranking).ResultsThe results highlight: (1) a main effect of match result on PAC and SCSP levels (win &gt; loss) and, (2) an interaction effect of match result and social comparison on PAC level. More precisely, PAC significantly decreases in case of defeat against an inferior ranked opponent (downward comparison). SCSP only fluctuates in relation with match result.ConclusionIt seems that failure has more impact on state self-esteem level than success. This study shows that sport state self-esteem level can fluctuate according to match result and social comparison

Are dietary supplement users more likely to dope than non-users? : a systematic review and meta-analysis

In the past decade, a body of evidence has reported that dietary supplement use is related to prohibited performance enhancing substance use (i.e., doping). To help international and national sport organisations understand the degree to which dietary supplement use is related to doping, the objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to 1) compare the prevalence of doping between dietary supplement users and non-users and 2) identify whether supplement use is related to doping social cognitive factors. We searched for studies sampling athletes and that measured both dietary supplement use and doping in EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus from database creation to May 2022. Risk of bias was assessed using JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for cross-sectional studies and the STROBE checklist. Twenty-six cross-sectional studies, involving 13,296 athletes were included. Random-effect models revealed that doping was 2.74 (95% CI=2.10 to 3.57) times more prevalent in dietary supplement users (pooled prevalence = 14.7%) than non-users (6.7%), and that users reported stronger doping intentions (r=0.26, 0.18 to 0.34) and attitudes (r=0.21, 0.13 to 0.28) compared to non-users. Preliminary evidence also suggests that dietary supplement users were less likely to dope if they were more task oriented and had a stronger sense of morality. Results of the review are limited by the cross-sectional design used in all studies and lack of consistency in measurement of dietary supplement use and doping. Data indicate that athletes using dietary supplements are more likely to self-report doping Anti-doping policy should, therefore, target dietary supplement use in anti-doping education programmes by providing alternative strategies for performance enhancement or highlighting the safest ways they can be consumed. Similarly, as a large proportion of athletes use dietary supplements without doping, further research is needed to understand the factors that protect a dietary supplement user from doping. No funding was received for the review. A study protocol can be found here: https://osf.io/xvcaq

Development of a tool to recognize small airways dysfunction in asthma (SADT)

Background: Small airways dysfunction (SAD) contributes to the clinical expression of asthma. The identification of patients who suffer from SAD is important from a clinical perspective, as targeted therapy may improve patients' well-being and treatment efficacy. Aims: We aimed to realize the first step in the development of a simple small airways dysfunction tool (SADT) that may help to identify asthma patients having SAD. Methods: Asthma patients with and without SAD were interviewed. Patients were selected to participate in this study based on FEF50% and R5-R20 values from spirometry and impulse oscillometry respectively. Results: Ten in depth interviews and two focus groups revealed that patients with and without SAD perceived differences in symptoms and signs, habits and health related issues. For example, patients with SAD reported to wheeze easily, were unable to breathe in deeply, mentioned more symptoms related to bronchial hyperresponsiveness, experienced more pronounced exercise-induced symptoms and more frequently had allergic respiratory symptoms after exposure to cats and birds. Based on these differences, 63 items were retained to be further explored for the SADT. Conclusions: The first step of the development of the SADT tool shows that there are relevant differences in signs and respiratory symptoms between asthma patients with and without SAD. The next step is to test and validate all items in order to retain the most relevant items to create a short and simple tool, which should be useful to identify asthma patients with SAD in clinical practice