Psychometric properties of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) in seven countries

Objectives

In the sport context, the coach-athlete relationship has been viewed and studied as a universal phenomenon. It is thus important to assess the universality of the psychometric scale that is used to measure the quality of coach-athlete relationships. The present study examined the cultural equivalence or measurement invariance of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (11-item, athlete version CART-Q).

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

A total of 1363 athletes from Belgium (N = 200), Britain (N = 382), China (N = 200), Greece (N = 115), Spain (N = 120), Sweden (N = 169), and United States of America (N = 177) completed the CART-Q.

Results

Multi-group mean and covariance structure (MACS) analyses supported the factorial validity of the CART-Q in a three-first-order factor model across the seven countries. An examination of the latent mean differences of the CART-Q revealed some variation in terms of the intensity that athletes perceive in the quality of the relationship with their coach across the different countries.

Conclusions

Overall, these results supply additional evidence of the psychometric properties of the CART-Q and highlight that it is a sound instrument that can be applied cross-culturally.     

Improving the efficacy of appearance-based sun exposure interventions with the terror management health model

The terror management health model (TMHM) suggests that when thoughts of death are accessible people become increasingly motivated to bolster their self-esteem relative to their health, because doing so offers psychological protection against mortality concerns. Two studies examined sun protection intentions as a function of mortality reminders and an appearance-based intervention. In Study 1, participants given a sun protection message that primed mortality and shown a UV-filtered photo of their face reported greater intentions to use sun protection on their face, and took more sunscreen samples than participants shown a regular photo of their face. In Study 2, reminders of mortality increased participants’ intentions to use facial sun protection when the UV photo was specifically framed as revealing appearance consequences of tanning, compared to when the photo was framed as revealing health consequences or when no photo was shown. These findings extend the TMHM, and provide preliminary evidence that appearance-based tanning interventions have a greater influence on sun protection intentions under conditions that prime thoughts of death. We discuss implications of the findings, and highlight the need for additional research examining the applicability to long-term tanning behaviour.     

Racial disparities in smoking knowledge among current smokers: Data from the health information national trends surveys

Although African-Americans (Blacks) smoke fewer cigarettes per day than European-Americans (Whites), there is ample evidence that Blacks are more susceptible to smoking-related health consequences. A variety of behavioural, social and biological factors have been linked to this increased risk. There has been little research, however, on racial differences in smoking-related knowledge and perceived risk of lung cancer. The primary goal of the current study was to evaluate beliefs and knowledge that contribute to race disparities in lung cancer risk among current smokers. Data from two separate nationally representative surveys (the Health Information National Trends surveys 2003 and 2005) were analysed. Logistic and hierarchical regressions were conducted; gender, age, education level, annual household income and amount of smoking were included as covariates. In both studies, Black smokers were significantly more likely to endorse inaccurate statements than were White smokers, and did not estimate their lung cancer risk to be significantly higher than Whites. Results highlight an important racial disparity in public health knowledge among current smokers.     

The fatigue limits of copper single crystals cyclically deformed at constant plastic strain amplitudes

Based on systematic surface observations, experimental measurements on the fatigue limits of differently oriented copper single crystals cyclically deformed at constant plastic strain amplitudes are summarized, and an orientation dependence of the fatigue limit is sketched. It was found that the fatigue limits of crystals depend mainly upon the low-strain-amplitude dislocation structures, which are characteristic of the particular crystal orientations. When multiple-slip deformation is the main mode of deformation and ultimately produces stable lowenergy dislocation structures such as labyrinth and cell structures, the fatigue limit can be improved notably.     

Shear band evolution during large plastic deformation of brittle and ductile metallic glasses

Four monolithic metallic glasses (MMGs) with different plasticities varying from brittle to ductile behavior under unconstrained loading were subjected to small punch testing. All specimens undergo large plastic deformation with multiple cobweb-like shear bands under these conditions. The process of shear band evolution was carefully controlled and investigated. Plasticity of MMGs is characterized by equivalent plastic strain ε* (product of shear band density and critical shear offset). Thus, this article provides an experimental basis for a better understanding of the shear band evolution during plastic deformation of MMGs.     

Friction and wear behaviour of Inconel 718 alloy fabricated by selective laser melting after heat treatments

ABSTRACT

The effect of heat treatments (solution and double aging) on friction and wear behaviour of Inconel 718 (IN718) alloy fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) were studied. After heat treatment of solution and double aging, the friction and wear of the alloy have been improved. The worn surfaces of heat-treated IN718 alloy became smoother, and micro-ploughing became shallower. After solid solution hearting, a portion of the Laves phase ((Ni, Fe, Co)₂(Nb, Ti, Mo)) dissolves into the matrix, after which the γ″ phase (Ni₃Nb) andthe equilibrium phase of the δ phase (Ni₃Nb) precipitates during double ageing. After solution and double aging, nano-scale γ′ (Ni₃(Al, Ti)) and γ″ phases distribute homogeneously in the matrix, which improves the material hardness and wear resistance of the SLMed IN718 alloy.     

Unusual stress behaviour of CeO2-doped diamond-like carbon nanofilms

CeO₂-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with thicknesses of 180–200 nm were deposited by unbalanced magnetron sputtering. When the CeO₂ concentration is in the range 5–8%, the residual compressive stress of the deposited films is reduced by 90%, e.g. from about 4.1 GPa to 0.5 GPa, whereas their adhesion strength increases. These effects are attributed to the dissolution of CeO₂ within the DLC amorphous matrix and a widening interface between the DLC film and the Si substrate, respectively.     

Correlation between ductility and work function in NiAl–Ce–Cr alloys

In spite of many superior high-temperature properties of intermetallics, it has been difficult to understand their intrinsic brittleness. To eliminate or improve the embrittlement, the conventional alloying technique based on the trial-and-error method is still the most effective and practical. However, it remains a main challenge for both physicists and materials scientists to provide either an alloying principle or a deep insight into its toughening mechanism at an atomic or electronic level. This letter reports a simple experimental approach that uses work function (WF) as a sensitive indicator of the role of alloying in changing mechanical behavior. NiAl is chosen as a typical example. It is found that with the addition of Cr and Ce, the ductility of NiAl increases significantly. Such an increase in ductility corresponds to a concomitant decrease in the WF, which is attributed to a change in the nature of the atomic bonding or in the electronic structure induced by the alloying. This fundamental understanding on the embrittlement nature of NiAl could provide some alloying guidelines or principles for other intermetallics.     

Electronegativity difference as a factor for evaluating the thermal stability of Al-rich metallic glasses

This article proposes a factor, the critical electronegativity difference Δx _cri, to correlate alloy composition with thermal stability and glass-forming ability of Al–Ni–RE (RE: Rare Earth element) ternary metallic glasses. The Al-rich metallic glasses with Δx > Δx _cri exhibit glassy behavior, whereas alloys with Δx < Δx _cri are nanocrystalline. Nanoglassy alloys occur when Δx ≈ Δx _cri. The best glass formers are located near Δx _cri. Furthermore, an equation has been deduced to calculate Δx _cri with varying RE covalent atomic radius.