scholarly journals Stopping the Drop: Examining the Impact of a Pilot Physical Literacy-Based Intervention Program on Physical Activity Behaviours and Fitness during the Transition into University

Author(s):  
Matthew Y. W. Kwan ◽  
Jeffrey D. Graham ◽  
Cierra Healey ◽  
Natalie Paolucci ◽  
Denver M. Brown

The move to university is a major life transition associated with precipitous declines in physical activity (PA). While it remains unclear how these declines can be best attenuated, the concept of physical literacy (PL) or enhancements of PL may be a promising modality to promote PA during life transitions. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of a pilot PL-based intervention on PA and fitness for students transitioning into university. Participants included 65 first-year students (Mage = 17.85 ± 0.51; n = 46 females), enrolled in a quasi-experimental study. Intervention participants (n = 26) participated in a 12-week novel movement skills program conducted in a group-based environment. Results from the 2 × 2 repeated measures ANOVA found moderate effects in the time by condition interaction F(1,56) = 2.70, p = 0.11, ηp2 = 0.08 for PA behaviors as well as for estimated cardiorespiratory fitness F(1,61) = 8.35, p = 0.005, ηp2 = 0.12. Findings from our pilot program suggest that PL may be an effective modality to help first-year university students maintain fitness and attenuate the declines in PA behaviors when transitioning into university. Similar trials with larger samples are required.

Author(s):  
Elizabeth S. Bambacus ◽  
Abigail H. Conley

While mindfulness intervention research is prevalent, it is limited in (1) relation to college students’ grade point average (GPA) and retention and (2) minimum dosage recommended for the intervention. This repeated-measures quasi-experimental nonequivalent control groups study investigated differences in mindfulness, stress, flourishing, GPA, and retention between students ( n = 248) in first-year experience seminars who received a brief mindfulness intervention and the comparison group ( n = 125) who did not receive the intervention. The intervention consisted of three- to five-minute mindfulness exercises at the beginning of class that met once a week. In contrast to results of previous studies, this study—when controlling for class sections and gender—showed no significant differences in any outcome variable between groups. These results provide important evidence that a mindfulness dosing limit might exist. A post hoc binary logistic regression supported previous findings that GPA predicts retention. Implications are discussed in regard to college administrators, faculty, and student affairs professionals.


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 516-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Larouche ◽  
Louis Laurencelle ◽  
Roy J. Shephard ◽  
Francois Trudeau

Background:Several studies have reported an age-related decline of physical activity (PA). We examined the impact of 4 important transitional periods—adolescence, the beginning of postsecondary education, entry into the labor market, and parenthood—on the PA of participants in the Trois-Rivières quasi-experimental study.Methods:In 2008, 44 women and 42 men aged 44.0 ± 1.2 years were given a semistructured interview; the frequency and duration of physical activities were examined during each of these transition periods. Subjects had been assigned to either an experimental program [5 h of weekly physical education (PE) from Grades 1 to 6] or the standard curriculum (40 min of weekly PE) throughout primary school.Results:The percentage of individuals undertaking ≥ 5 h of PA per week decreased from 70.4% to 17.0% between adolescence and midlife. The largest decline occurred on entering the labor market (from 55.9% to 23.4%). At midlife, there were no significant differences of PA level between experimental and control groups. Men were more active than women at each transition except for parenthood.Conclusions:Our results highlight a progressive nonlinear decline of PA involvement in both groups. Promotion initiatives should target these periods to prevent the decline of PA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ching-Ling Lin ◽  
Li-Chi Huang ◽  
Yao-Tsung Chang ◽  
Ruey-Yu Chen ◽  
Shwu-Huey Yang

Introduction: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of diabetes self-management and HbA1c affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the epidemic prevention work.Methods: This quasi-experimental study collected a pooled data from a randomized-control study between February and May 2020 in which 114 participants who presented type 2 diabetes were recruited. The intervention group had health coaching and usual care, whereas the control had usual care only. The main outcome variables of this observation study were the change of HbA1c, physical activity, and eating out behavior within this time interval.Results: We found that the eating out behavior of both groups had decreased, and if a health coach helped the patients set physical activity goals in the two groups, the physical activity behavior will not be impacted due to the pandemic.Conclusions: While every country is focusing on COVID-19 pandemic prevention, especially when strict home quarantine measures and social distancing are adopted, reminding and assisting chronic patients to maintain good self-management behavior may lessen the social and medical system burdens caused by the deterioration of chronic conditions due to the excessive risk prevention behavior and the epidemic prevention work.Trial Registration:www.isrctn.com, identifier number: ISRCTN14167790, date: 12 July, 2019.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 658-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gi-cheol Kim ◽  
Rachel Gurvitch

Background: Teacher wellness affects teaching performance and students’ academic achievement; hence, teacher wellness matters and should be a concern to educational researchers and practitioners. There are several teacher wellness approaches, but no one of them specifically focuses on a Sports-based Physical Activity programme. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a Sports-based Physical Activity programme on teachers’ relatedness, stress and motivation towards physical activity. Method: Middle school teachers ( n = 32) volunteered to participate in the research as programme participants ( n = 12) or non-programme participants ( n = 20). The Sports-based Physical Activity programme included 7 weeks of training in Catchball, a team sport and a tournament as the culminating event. The study adopted a mixed-methods design: a quasi-experimental design collecting quantitative data from online surveys and a case study design collecting qualitative data from interviews with the programme participants, non-participants and the school principal. Results: Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed that the Sports-based Physical Activity programme was effective in relatedness, F(1, 30) = 5.16, p = .031, [Formula: see text] = .147, and in one of the six motivation subscales, external regulation, F(1, 30) = 4.23, p = .048, [Formula: see text] = .124. The qualitative analysis findings supported the programme’s contribution to teachers’ relationship, stress and exercise motivation. Conclusion: Overall, the programme was effective in promoting teachers’ relationships in school, controlling levels of teachers’ stress and fostering teachers’ motivation towards physical activity. Further studies are required to examine the impact of a Sports-based Physical Activity approach in diverse school contexts and its impact on student learning.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S129-S129
Author(s):  
Olga Grunwald ◽  
Marleen Damman ◽  
Kène Henkens

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Retirement is a major life transition. People gain a considerable amount of free time, but also loose the benefits from work. Volunteering has been identified as a gratifying way to fill that time and to compensate some retirement-related losses, but is stratified by educational level. Research on how retirement changes volunteering behavior, particularly among different educational groups, is scarce. This study aims to fill this gap. Based on role theory, we hypothesize that the transition into retirement expands levels of volunteering, and that this effect will be relatively strong for the higher educated. METHODS: We use two-wave panel data that were collected in 2015 and 2018 among 5,312 Dutch individuals who were aged 60-65 and employed at baseline. Around half has retired at follow-up (N=2,618). RESULTS: Descriptive findings show that the share of frequent volunteers (i.e., at least once a week) was around 18% at baseline. At follow-up, the share of frequent volunteers rose to 36% among those who retired, but did not change among those who remained employed. Conditional change models show that transitioning into retirement significantly increases volunteering frequency, when controlling for demographic factors and individual resources. As hypothesized, the effect of retirement is relatively strong for the higher educated. DISCUSSION: To deal with the life changes upon retirement, volunteering appears to be an often-used strategy, in particular among the higher educated. Whether this is motivated by work role loss (compensation), or reflects having more time to ‘do good’ (opportunity) is an important question for future research.


2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 300-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Lenz

Life transitions are periods in time when individuals experience major changes. Transitions may occur during periods between two relatively stable states of human development. The associated changes with the transition bring instability as the person passes through the period. During this period, the individual is typically required to make major adjustments, to develop new skills, or to learn to cope with new experiences. One major life transition begins during the final year or years of high school. This transition, unlike childhood transitions, for many individuals will include a move from one’s childhood home and away from their family of origin and from an established network of friends. A successful transition to young adulthood will form a foundation for the individual in future stages of development and transitions. Three frameworks of transition, developmental psychology, counseling, and nursing, are described.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. SART.S22464
Author(s):  
Catherine Arseneault ◽  
Marc Alain ◽  
Chantal Plourde ◽  
Francine Ferland ◽  
Nadine Blanchette-Martin ◽  
...  

Objectives This study evaluates the effects of a prison-based addiction intervention program. The evaluation is based on a multidimensional data collection that draws a portrait of the respondents’ substance use, and of their psychological/emotional, social, and judicial spheres. It measures the changes, or lack thereof, in substance use; the psychological/emotional, social, and judicial spheres; as well as the post-treatment services used. Method A quasi-experimental repeated measures design (0, 6 weeks, and 6 months) was used. Effects of the program were identified by comparing the results obtained by a group of inmates who had participated in the program ( n = 80; experimental group) with those of another group who had received no intervention ( n = 70; control group). Results The preliminary results suggested a certain treatment effect related to impulsivity and psychological distress. Conclusion Although the preliminary results were promising, the experimental and control groups did not differ significantly when more robust analyses were used.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 360-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Goodwin ◽  
Ela Polek ◽  
Anat Bardi

Values and beliefs (or social axioms) are important personality constructs, but little previous work has examined the relationship between the two, and none has examined their real–life longitudinal effects on one another. Major life transitions—such as moving to a new culture—can challenge existing values and beliefs and therefore provide a particularly useful context for the analysis of value and belief change. The main aim of this research was to examine whether values may predict theoretically meaningful belief change and vice versa. Polish migrants participated in the study shortly after their arrival in the UK and at two, subsequent, nine–month intervals ( N = 172). Cross–lagged effects suggested reciprocal effects of values and beliefs, depending on the value involved. Findings are discussed in light of current debates over personality change, as well as the broader impact of significant life transitions on personality. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 504-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Clement ◽  
Vanessa Shannon

The current study’s primary purpose was to determine the impact of a sport psychology workshop on athletic training students’ sport psychology behaviors. Using a quasi-experimental research design, partial randomization was used to assign athletic training students (n = 160) to a treatment group or control group. A 2 × 2 repeated measures MANOVA revealed a significant multivariate effect for Group x Time interaction [Wilks’s Λ = .22, F (5, 154) = 1, p < .001, η2 = .77]. Follow up ANOVAs revealed significant interactions for all sport psychology behaviors (allp < .01) except referring an injured athlete to a sport psychologist. Results from the current study revealed that members of the experimental group reported a significant increase in their use of total sport psychology behaviors at the six week follow-up when compared with those in the control group. Such increases highlight the need for increased exposure of athletic training students to sport psychology. Given the potential benefits that could be derived from the incorporation of sport psychology skills and techniques into injury rehabilitation by athletic training students’, the assertion that injured athletes’ physical rehabilitation could be enhanced with the incorporation of psychological skills and techniques appears to be supported.


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