Ten essential features of European dual career development environments: A multiple case study

AimDual career development environments (DCDEs) support athletes' effort in combining their competitive sporting careers with education or work. The characteristics of the environments may differ across cultures. The aim was to identify essential features of DCDEs based on a cross-case analysis of seven European DCDEs in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom within the Erasmus+ Sport project “Ecology of Dual Career”.DesignThe study was designed as a multiple case study and based on two holistic ecological working models (Henriksen et al., 2020). The cross-case analysis included series of focus group discussions, in which two-three researchers from each partner country and four dual career (DC) support providers compared the findings across seven national cases with a primary focus on similarities rather than differences.ResultsA list of ten essential features of the DCDEs, structured into two overarching themes. (1) Holistic structure with five subthemes: Dedicated DC support team, Integration of efforts across the whole environment, A clear understanding of DC issues and support from across the environment, Role models and mentorship, and Access to expert support. (2) Shared DC philosophy also had five subthemes: A whole-person approach, An empowerment approach, Flexible DC solutions, Care of DC athlete's mental health and wellbeing, and An open and proactive approach to the development of the environment.ConclusionThe features are introduced in the manner of discussions, thus providing detailed information about the DCDEs without losing (too much) contextual information. These features can help researcher-practitioners to understand DCDEs and guide their optimization.     

特殊教育师范生感知班级氛围对学习投入的影响:专业认同的中介作用与未来取向的调节作用

探讨特殊教育师范生感知班级氛围与学习投入的关系,考察专业认同在两者之间的中介作用,以及未来取向的调节作用。采用学生感知班级氛围量表、学习投入量表、大学生专业认同量表和未来取向问卷对582名特殊教育师范生进行调查。结果发现：（1）特殊教育师范生感知班级氛围对学习投入具有正向预测作用;（2）专业认同在感知班级氛围与学习投入的关系中起着重要的中介作用;（3）未来取向显著调节特殊教育师范生感知班级氛围对学习投入的直接路径,也调节中介效应的后半段即特殊教育师范生专业认同对学习投入的影响。本研究结果丰富了特殊教育职前教育理论,对提升特殊教育师范生培养质量具有实践意义。     

The effect of a psycho-educational intervention on weight management in obese military personnel

Obesity is a serious health problem for many population groups, including military personnel. Model-based health education programs have been shown to be effective in reducing weight. This study assessed the efficacy of an educational intervention based on a trans-theoretical model (TTM) targeting weight loss among active duty military. A single group experimental study using a before-after design was conducted in 49 military personnel with obesity. Constructs such as self-efficacy, decisional balance, stages of change, and processes of change as well as anthropometric measures including weight, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) were assessed at three times (baseline, 2 months after the intervention, and 4 months later). The intervention consisted of 10 educational sessions developed based on TTM constructs. At baseline, 30 (61%) and 19 (39%) persons were in the pre-action and action stages, respectively. By 2 months after the intervention, only 24 persons (49%) were in pre-action stages and 25 (51%) were in the action stages. Four months later, one (2%) and 43 (88%) were in pre-action and action stages. The mean changes in self-efficacy (25.7 ± 4.1 to 29.3 ± 2.4), decisional balance (9.2 ± 3.6 to 13.8 ± 1.9), total cognitive (74.7 ± 8.5 to 84.7 ± 6.3), and total behavioral change (60.8 ± 9.8 to 71.7 ± 7.8) were significantly different across the three time points. Reductions in weight (99.8 ± 10.4 to 93.0 ± 9.6), waist circumference (105.9 ± 14.2 to 100.2 ± 13.0), and BMI (32.5 ± 5.2 to 30.3 ± 4.5) from baseline to 4 months after the intervention were also significant (p < 0.05). An educational program based on TTM may be effective in reducing weight among obese military staff.     

Sexual Self-Esteem and Perfectionism in Women With and Without Overweight

The purpose of this study was to examine sexual self-esteem and perfectionism among Iranian women with and without overweight based on the role of age and education; and to investigate the relationships of sexual self-esteem, perfectionism, and body mass index in a sample of adult women. Participants were 200 women with and without overweight who were selected following a purposive sampling method from Shiraz City, Iran. A demographic questionnaire, Sexual Self-Esteem Inventory for Women (SSEI-W), and Perfectionism Inventory (PI) were used. Resulting data showed that women without overweight had higher total scores of sexual self-esteem and on the WWEI-W subscale of attractiveness compared with women who are overweight. Also, women who are overweight had higher total scores of perfectionism, as well as higher scores on subscales of interpersonal sensitivity and high standards for others compared to women without overweight. There was no significant effect for age and educational level on sexual self-esteem and perfectionism. The results demonstrated significantly negative relationships between overall sexual self-esteem, attractiveness subscale of sexual self-esteem, and body mass index. Also, the overall perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity, striving for excellence, organization, and standards for others subscales of perfectionism had a significant positive relationship to the body mass index.     

Perfectionism for children,anti-perfectionism for adults

This paper explores the debate between perfectionists and anti-perfectionists in the context of children. It suggests that the most influential and compelling arguments in favour of anti-perfectionism are adult-centric. It does this by considering four leading reasons given in favour of anti-perfectionism and shows that none apply in the case of children. In so doing, the paper defends a perfectionist account of upbringing from the attacks made against perfectionism more generally. Furthermore, because the refutation of the various anti-perfectionist arguments are made exclusively dealing with children, the paper suggests that the perfectionist view of upbringing is compatible with anti-perfectionist restrictions on dealing with adults. This dual view combining perfectionism for children and anti-perfectionism for adults is referred to as restricted perfectionism.     

An experimental investigation of physical education teachers’ and coaches’ reactions to weight-based victimization in youth

Objectives

Overweight youth are frequent targets of weight-based victimization during Physical Education (PE) and sports. In addition, previous research indicates that teachers’ perceptions and expectations may influence their likelihood of intervening during victimization, and physical educators may endorse biased perceptions and expectations of overweight youth. Despite this evidence, no research has examined how physical educators respond to weight-based victimization of their students. Thus, the current study examined PE teachers’ and coaches’ responses to different types of victimization involving average weight and overweight students.

Design

This study utilized an experimental design that assessed participants’ reactions to situations of weight-related victimization using hypothetical scenarios accompanied by photographs of youth.

Methods

PE teachers and sport coaches (N = 162) were randomly presented with a scenario and follow-up questions about an average weight or an overweight student. Each participant completed two conditions: one with a male target, and one with a female target.

Results

Participants were more likely to take action when overweight female students were victims of bullying, specifically in situations of verbal and relational victimization. Male participants were less likely to respond to victimization than female participants.

Conclusions

Findings suggest the importance of increasing awareness about weight-based victimization and its consequences, especially among male physical educators. Implications for the psychological, social, and physical development of overweight youth are discussed.     

Enhancing spatial skills of preschoolers from under-resourced backgrounds: A comparison of digital app vs. concrete materials

Spatial skills support STEM learning and achievement. However, children from low-socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds typically lag behind their middle- and high-SES peers. We asked whether a digital educational app—designed to mirror an already successful, spatial assembly training program using concrete materials—would be as effective for facilitating spatial skills in under-resourced preschoolers as the concrete materials. Three-year-olds (N = 61) from under-resourced backgrounds were randomly assigned to a business-as-usual control group or to receive 5 weeks of spatial training using either concrete, tangible materials or a digital app on a tablet. The spatial puzzles used were an extension of items from the Test of Spatial Assembly (TOSA). Preschoolers were pretested and posttested on new two-dimensional (2D) TOSA trials. Results indicate that both concrete and digital spatial training increased performance on the 2D-TOSA compared to the control group. The two trainings did not statistically differ from one another suggesting that educational spatial apps may be one route to providing early foundational skills to children from under-resourced backgrounds.     

Insights into the effectiveness of messaging promoting intentions to use connected vehicle technology

Connected vehicles offer considerable promise for reducing congestion, pollution, and crashes. Nonetheless, less than a third of road users are aware of the potential for connected vehicles to transform transport systems. This study examined the effectiveness of messaging aimed to increase the public’s knowledge of connected vehicle technologies using a short, animated video and its effects as assessed via a survey. Participants were assigned to either a control group, who were not exposed to the messaging, or an intervention group, who were exposed to the messaging, within a pre-post design. Participants (in the intervention group) answered questions about their knowledge of and experience with connected vehicle technologies prior to seeing the messaging and again following being exposed to such messaging together with their intentions to use these technologies in the future. As a theoretically informed investigation, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) constructs of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control were also measured. The results showed that the messaging increased knowledge about and intention to use connected vehicle technologies. Furthermore, changes in how the TPB constructs predicted intentions were found between the control and intervention groups which may help to explain how the messaging influenced participants’ intentions to use such technology in the future.     

Parents’ self-efficacy and the quality of supervised driving practice they provide for their children

Learner drivers must gain supervised driving practice in a wide variety of driving situations to prepare them for independent driving. This study investigated the way that sociodemographic factors, parental self-efficacy and driving self-efficacy of parents are associated with the quality of supervised driving practice they provide to their learner driver children. An online survey was completed by 293 fully licensed parents (female = 86%) of learner (52%) and provisional (intermediate; 48%) drivers from Queensland, Australia. A variable indicating quality of supervised practice was defined based on the understanding that higher frequency and greater variety of driving situations and environments represents higher quality supervised practice. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyse parent responses. As predicted, driving self-efficacy was significantly and positively associated with quality of supervised practice. However, no significant association was found between parental self-efficacy and quality of supervised practice. Parent gender and perceived level of involvement were also important predictors of supervised practice quality. The association between previous experience with providing supervised practice and supervised practice quality was unclear. A key implication of this research is that devising methods to improve the driving self-efficacy of parents may contribute to provision of more frequent and varied supervised practice.