Influence of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Gene Polymorphism on the Correlation between Alexithymia and Hypervigilance to Pain

The psychological characteristic of having difficulty expressing emotions, known as alexithymia, is associated with hypervigilance to pain and is considered one of the risk factors for chronic pain. The correlation between alexithymia and hypervigilance to pain can be observed even in healthy individuals. However, the factors influencing this correlation remain unknown. We explored the dopamine system, which is known to be involved in emotion and pain. The dopamine-degrading enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) has a genetic polymorphism known to influence dopamine metabolism in the prefrontal cortex. COMT polymorphism reportedly affects various aspects of pain and increases pain sensitivity in Met allele carriers. Therefore, we investigated whether the correlation between alexithymia and hypervigilance to pain is influenced by COMT polymorphism in healthy individuals. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between the “difficulty describing feelings” of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the “attention to changes in pain” of the pain vigilance and awareness questionnaire in COMT Met carriers but not in Val/Val individuals. This finding suggests that the correlation between alexithymia and hypervigilance to pain is influenced by COMT polymorphism.

Elite Youth Soccer Players’ Sources and Types of Soccer Confidence

Sport confidence is a psychological characteristic considered vital for youth soccer players to possess. However, only limited research has explored the types and sources of sport confidence important to elite youth performers in professional soccer academies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 academy footballers (aged 10 or 11). Abductive hierarchical content analysis identified types of confidence to include achievement, skill execution, psychological factors, superiority to opposition and tactical awareness. Key sources of confidence identified by players were performance accomplishments, coaching, social support, and preparation. Even though the dimensions reported were similar to previous research, a number of unique sub-themes of confidence sources emerged, including pre-training/competition emotions, coach and team-mate feedback. The results demonstrate the importance of considering maturation levels and context when seeking to understand and develop confidence in youth performers.

Ginástica para Todos e corpos experientes: um diálogo entre a ginástica e outras práticas corporais

INTRODUÇÃO: A Ginástica para Todos (GPT) vem consolidando experiências nos mais diferentes contextos socioeducativos e abarcando diferentes públicos. No Brasil, país onde essa prática gímnica é fortemente associada à Extensão Universitária, observamos nos últimos anos seu desenvolvimento junto ao público idoso. OBJETIVO: Analisar a experiência de integrantes do projeto de GPT intitulado “Ginástica para Corpos Experientes”, vinculado ao Programa UniversIDADE (Unicamp), e as possíveis relações entre essa experiência com a GPT e as vivências das participantes em outras práticas corporais. MÉTODOS: De natureza qualitativa e caracterizada como estudo de caso, partimos da realização de entrevistas estruturadas com nove integrantes do referido projeto. A análise de dados foi subsidiada pela Análise de Conteúdo. RESULTADOS: Os resultados indicam que as experiências corporais das colaboradoras se concentram nas categorias “Ginástica de Condicionamento” e “Ginástica de Conscientização Corporal”, sendo, em sua maioria, realizadas de forma individual. Oito entre as nove participantes afirmaram notar diferenças significativas entre as experiências em outras práticas e aquelas com a GPT. As diferenças apontadas versam, principalmente, sobre a proposta pedagógica utilizada neste projeto e sobre os seus desdobramentos: a criação de vínculos sociais entre integrantes, as possibilidades de adaptação de movimentos e técnicas, o fomento de habilidades sociais por meio das dinâmicas coletivas e a ação das(os) professoras(es) como facilitadores para o aprendizado de movimentos e possibilidades do corpo. CONCLUSÃO: Concluímos que o projeto “Ginástica para Corpos Experientes” oportuniza a prática da GPT de modo a contribuir com as demandas e os interesses – sociais, físicos e psicológicos – característicos do processo de envelhecimento, oportunizando a prática da ginástica de forma flexível, motivada e potente para a constituição de relações sociais. TITLE: Gymnastics for All and experienced bodies: a dialogue between gymnastics and other physical activities ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Gymnastics for All (GfA) has been consolidating experiences in the most different socio-educational contexts, increasingly reaching heterogeneous participants. In Brazil, a country where GfA is strongly associated with University Extension, we have observed in recent years its development with the elderly public. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyse the experiences of participants of the GfA project entitled “Gymnastics for Experienced Bodies”, from the “Programa UniversIDADE” (Unicamp), and the possible relations with the participants’ previous experiences regarding other physical activities. METHODS: In this case study, structured interviews were made with nine participants of the project. The data analysis was carried out based on the Content Analysis methodology. RESULTS: The results indicate that the participants’ previous experiences are concentrated in two subcategories – “Fitness” and “Mind-Body Exercises” – being mostly done individually. Eight out of nine participants said they noticed significant differences between their previous experiences and their participation on the GfA project. The differences pointed out were, mainly, on the pedagogical proposal that guides this GfA project and on the consequences of this approach: the creation of social bonds with other participants, the possibilities of adapting movements and their techniques, the promotion of social skills through cooperative dynamics, and, finally, the coach’s role as a facilitator whilst learning new movements and skills. CONCLUSION: We conclude that GfA can contribute to the demands and interests – social, physical, and psychological – characteristic of the aging process, allowing the practice of gymnastics in a flexible, motivated, and powerful way, mainly regarding the constitution of social ties.

Seven Sketches to the Tree of Life

In many ancient cultures the number seven was distinguished with a special type of symbolism. There is also an aureole of mystique surrounding the cycle “Seven Sketches for Piano” by Saratov-based composer Elena Gokhman. In order to line up one of the possible conceptions of the composition the author turned her attention to the universal Kabbalistic model of the human being – the Tree of Life. The seven components of the Tree – the sephiroths – reflect the seven psychological characteristic features of the human being which it is necessary to develop and perfect, harmonizing them with both each other and with the outer world. The analogies between the Tree of Life and the pieces comprising the piano cycle line up the psychological portrait of our contemporary: permeated with contradictions, aspiring towards harmony and conveying clemency to the world.

Impact of Consumer Loss Aversion on Operations in the Context of Remanufacturing

Loss aversion is an important psychological characteristic that has become well supported in finance and marketing. This paper introduces consumer loss aversion into the game model with two substitutable products in a remanufacturing system. The loss-averse consumers gain utility from comparing the price and value dimensions with the superior product. Our model highlights alternative products competition, product selections, and consumption psychology in a remanufacturing environment. The results show that consumer loss aversion has important implications on key decisions in the remanufacturing system. When the manufacturer faces loss-averse consumers, there is a tendency to charge higher prices for two types of products. At the same time, the sales prices increase with the degree of loss aversion. Further analysis reveals that if the manufacturer manipulates consumers with a high probability of purchase, the feature of loss aversion usually benefits him. Our theoretical analyses are proven by numerical computation and some useful conclusions are summarized in this paper.

The Relation Between Mental Stubbornness and Sports-Burnout of Injured Athletes at Karadeniz Technical University

Sports-burnout stems from chronic stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mental stubbornness and sports-burnout in injured athletes at the Karadeniz Technical University.The present study is a correlational study that is applied in terms of its nature. The statistical population of the present study contains the injured athletes of Karadeniz Technical University, whose number is equal to 39 people. Because of the limited statistical population, we used the total number method. Fuller et al. (2006) Injury Report Form was used to select the injured athletes and the mental stubbornness Questionnaire and Sports disability Questionnaire were used to collect information. To analyze the data, SPSS software version 22 was used, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationship between the variables, and finally, the regression coefficient was used to determine and predict the sports-burnout of athletes affected by mental stubbornness.The results show that there is a significant negative relation between confidence (r = -0.51, p < 0.01), sustainability (r = -0.51, p < 0.01), control (r = -0.42, p < 0.01) and a total score of mental strength and sports- burnout of injured athletes (r = -0.47, p < 0.01).We conclude that mental stubbornness reduces the likelihood of athletic impairment in athletes and is a psychological characteristic of a personality that protects athletes from developing athletic impairment.

ARE THERE DIFFERENCE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INDONESIAN SEA GAMES ATHLETES IN TERMS OF TEAM SPORTS BASED ON SEX?

The objective of this study is to investigate differences the psychological characteristic of Indonesian SEA Games athletes in terms of team sports based on sex. This research employed the quantitative approach using the survey method with a restrospective causal-comparative design. This research was population research. All subjects in the population were included in this research with a total of 83 athletes while 43 male athletes and 40 female athletes were from team sports. The data were collected using the Psychological Skills Inventory for Sports (PSIS) questionnaire and analyzed using the independent sample t test at the significance level of 0.05. The research findings revealed that there were significant differences in the psychological characteristics of Indonesian SEA Games athletes in terms of team sports based on sex with the mean score of male athletes = 150.1395 and female atheles = 139.3500 and sig. values = 0.000 < 0.05. There were significant differences in the psychological characteristics of Indonesian SEA Games athletes in terms of team sports based on sex.

PROFESIONALITAS DAN PERSONALITAS GURU KRISTEN: PENGEMBANGAN SUMBER DAYA MANUSIA BERKARAKTER DAN KOMPETEN MENUJU INDONESIA UNGGUL

Many studies assume that the professionalism of teachers is influenced by his personality. Personality is a psychological characteristic that contributes to learning outcomes and academic achievement. However, research that proves this assumption is limited in the domain of Christian teachers as part of teachers inIndonesia. This study aims to analyze the correlation between teachers’ personality and professionalism obtained through questionnaires and interviews. The analysis was carried out on 16 Christian teachers participated who were attending the Postgraduate Program in "Educational Professional Development" instruction. The results of the correlation test using the SPSS Version 21 program showed that Sig. (2-tailed) = 0.042 <0.05. It concluded that there is a positive correlation between the personality and professionalism of Christian teachers. Qualitative analysis is discovered that the teachers' personality is in the criteria of good and very good, as well as their professionality. The lowest percentage of personality is on the positive self-concept indicator (62.9%) with good criteria, whereas professionality is on the self-confidence indicator (64.5%) with good criteria. The results of interviews as the self-assessment be discovered that Christian teachers with high performance are 18.75%; the adjusted teachers are 43.75%; the teachers hopeless are 43.75%, and not giving answering by 25%. It was concluded that assumptions about teachers’ personality and professionalism have a proven correlation for Christian teachers participated. Therefore, to improve professionalism as an Indonesian teachers’ competence, it has to develop the personality of Christian teachers sustainable. The personality of the Christian teachers is an entity of Christ's character and professionalism is the existence of ability, attitude, and skills based on common sense. The researcher argues that toward a superior Indonesia is marked by teachers who excel in professionalism and personality.