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Developing an assessment toolbox
No full textIn the fourth article in this series focusing on play in emergency settings, Debra Laxton, Sarah Ndlovu and Priyanka Handa Ram share more about the development of an assessment tool tailored to play-based provision
My coach says: The effects of accelerated eccentric and landing cues to elicit change in countermovement jump propulsive and landing performance
No full textThe study aimed to determine if an accelerated eccentric (AE) cue during a countermovement jump (CMJ) produces distinct kinetic outputs. Eighteen strength-trained males (mean ± standard deviation ±SD: age = 25.9 ± 4.5 years; body mass = 87.1 ± 12.2 kg; stature = 181.7 ± 6.2 cm) completed a jump cue ("jump as high and fast as possible" (NORM) or AE ("fast downward, max braking, and jump as high and fast as possible") with two types of landing cues: deceleration eccentric (DC) ("decelerate as fast as possible once landed") and dissipating eccentric (DP) ("stop in your own time"). The Hawkin Dynamics Cloud system was used for jump analysis, including additional landing metrics. Participants performed 4 repetitions of AEDC, AEDP, NORMDC, and NORMDP in a randomized order on two separate occasions. When compared to the NORM conditions, the AE conditions had significantly greater peak and mean braking velocity (effect size (ES) = -0.77 to -0.89 and -0.60 to -0.83, respectively), mean braking power (ES =-0.56 to -0.59, mean braking force (ES = 0.40 to 0.46), braking impulse (ES = 0.35 to 0.41), force at minimal displacement (ES = 0.26 to 0.32), and peak propulsion force (ES = 0.24 to 0.26), with a reduced braking phase time (ES = 0.59 to 1.14). Only landing impulse showed acceptable reliability for landing metrics, with no significant differences between groups. Findings highlight AE's enhance braking (eccentric) metrics and overall CMJ performance. Future research should explore AE in strength-based exercises and further investigate CMJ landing phase metrics
The impact of gender diversity on expression - the language of sexuality - how early childhood studies students understand the semantics of gender dysphoria
Get PDFGender diversity is a current and much debated topic. Students are entering university with contemporary meanings and beliefs around the use of language in the discussion of gender that can challenge traditional value systems surrounding biological determination. This qualitative research was carried out with Early Childhood Studies students by means of self-directed focus groups. The aims were to investigate students’ views on the language of gender diversity, gender differences, and the extent to which language can reflect and create gender identity. The research finding provides deeper understanding about how a group of traditional and non-traditional students interpret, use, and understand the language of gender. Keywords: Gender dysphoria, gender inclusive language, discourse, semantics, identit
A physical activity and socioemotional intervention for residents of a large vulnerable community in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled study
Get PDFIntroduction
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health issues, particularly in vulnerable communities. Non-psychiatric interventions, including psychological emotional regulation, contemplative practices, and physical activity, can be powerful tools for improving mental health, especially in vulnerable populations. The present study evaluates the effect of a novel low-cost Socioemotional and Physical Activity Intervention in a Brazilian large vulnerable community during the pandemic’s final period.
Materials and methods
Participants were adults (18 to 60 years of age) that resided in the Paraisópolis, the third largest favela in Brazil. Recruitment was done through advertising via mobile messaging. Participants were divided into two groups, Intervention (Group I) or Waiting List Control (Group C). Group I participants underwent an in-person Multidimensional Intervention of 1 h per week, for 12 weeks, which was composed of socioemotional skills learning and moderate physical activities, while Group C maintained their usual daily routines. All participants were evaluated before (T0) and after (T1) the Intervention. The evaluation included four validated questionnaires to assess mental health (DASS-21, PANAS, WHO-5 and BRS), IPAQ for evaluating physical activity levels and a physical fitness assessment, which provided quantitative data. A semi-structured interview was also done, which provided qualitative data and was analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
Quantitative data was collected from 88 participants, 43 from Group I and 45 from Group C. We observed a reduction in the scores for depression (DASS−21; Mean difference between evaluations [MD] = −3.2 [± 1.13, SEM], p = 0.006) and negative affects (PANAS, MD = −2.7 [± 0.97], p = 0.012) observed only in the participants of the I group in T1 compared to T0, but not for the C group. We also found a reduction in systolic arterial blood pressure in hypertensive or pre-hypertensive participants after exercise (Group I n = 28; −7.0 [± 2.8] mmHg, p = 0.014), an increase in physical endurance (walk test, MD = +56.0 [±8.7] m, p < 0.001) and flexibility (sit and reach test, MD = +5.12 [±0.85] cm, p < 0.001) only in the I group on T1, compared to T0. The reflexive thematic analysis results suggest that the Intervention not only alleviated negative emotional states, such as anxiety and sadness, but also provided a notable enhancement in participant’s physical vitality, corroborating and complementing the quantitative analysis results.
Conclusion
The results presented here indicate that the Intervention presented here has the potential to reduce symptoms correlated with mental disorders and improve physical fitness in residents of a large vulnerable community
Cusps and evolution in coaching psychology: An editorial on a special issue of the Chichester Coaching Psychology Conference
Get PDFWelcome to the latest issue of The Coaching Psychologist, which is a special issue bringing you some of the best papers from the University of Chichester’s inaugural coaching psychology conference. I have the honour of having been joined as co-editor for this special issue by Dr Ian Tyndall from Chichester’s Department of Psychology and also Chair of the conference. In this editorial, we will explain how this conference came into being, how this fits in to the wider growth in interest and activity within the field of coaching psychology, as well as preview the articles featured within this issue
Dopamine-scrolling: a modern public health challenge requiring urgent attention
No full textThis manuscript examines the emerging phenomenon of dopamine-scrolling and its implications for public health, particularly regarding mental wellbeing and digital behaviour patterns. While extensive research exists on Internet addiction, problematic social media use, and doom-scrolling, the authors of this paper identify dopamine-scrolling as a distinct behavioural pattern that warrants specific attention from public health professionals and policymakers
Effects of New Zealand blackcurrant extract on exercising substrate utilisation and post exercise blood pressure in males and females
Get PDFNew Zealand blackcurrant extract (NZBC) has been shown to increase fat oxidation during exercise and the post-exercise blood pressure in males and females. The change in fat oxidation by NZBC has also been shown to be correlated to body composition in males and females. There has never been a comparison of sex responses within the same study. Twenty-two participants (11 males and 11 females, age: 29±8 years, maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max): 44±9 mL·kg−1·min−1, body fat: 18±6 %) had resting blood pressure measured for 2 hr (no exercise). In a double-blind, placebo-controlled (PLA), randomised crossover design, participants completed one hour of treadmill exercise at 50% V̇O2max with expired gas measurement, followed by 2-hr resting blood pressure measurement with 7-days of NZBC or PLA. Average fat oxidation was different between the conditions (NZBC: 0.27±0.11, PLA: 0.21±0.12 g·min-1, P0.05) between body fat percentage and change in fat oxidation (ΔFATOX) (r=-0.079), with males also demonstrating no relationship (r=-0.069), but females did demonstrate a relationship (r=0.691, P<0.05). In the 2-hr rest, systolic pressure delta change was larger with NZBC than PLA (no exercise vs. NZBC: -5.5±5.4, vs. no exercise vs. PLA: -2.9±5.1 mmHg, P<0.001) but was not different between males and females. A 7-day intake of NZBC extract increases fat oxidation during moderate-intensity exercise and decreases post-exercise blood pressure in males and females. The magnitude of change in fat oxidation in females is correlated to body fat percentage
As near as possible: the cy-près doctrine and community sporting associations
No full textThis article explores the application of the cy-près doctrine within the context of community and amateur sport. While designed to preserve charitable intent when a gift’s original purpose fails, cy-près presents distinct challenges in grassroots contexts where sentiment, informality, and civic spirit often outweigh legal precision. Community sports clubs, deeply embedded in local identity yet structurally fragile, increasingly depend on charitable funding. When these organisations dissolve or lose status, courts must determine how to redirect gifts without undermining donor intent. This article reframes cy-près as a measure of public trust in charity law—one that must evolve to preserve not just the gift—but the shared values and local identities that inspire it
The effect of sex and protein supplementation on protein turnover and muscle function during a 36-h military field exercise in energy deficit
No full textThis study investigated sex differences in, and the effect of protein supplementation on, whole-body protein turnover during a military field exercise. Forty-four British Army trainees (14 women) completed a 36-h field exercise. Participants consumed their habitual diet (n = 14 women [Women], protein intake 1.7 g·kg-1·d-1; n = 15 men [Men Controls], protein intake 1.6 g·kg-1·d-1) or the habitual diet and an additional 46.6 g·d-1 protein (n = 15 men [Men Protein], protein intake 2.1 g·kg-1·d-1). Total 24 h whole-body protein turnover was measured using the [15N]-glycine end-product method and muscle protein breakdown was estimated from urinary 3MH:creatinine 24 h before, during, and 96 h after field exercise. Women and Men Protein were compared with Men Controls to examine the effect of sex and protein supplementation. Whole-body protein turnover, synthesis, breakdown, and balance, and 3MH:creatinine did not differ between time-points (p ≥ 0.056). Whole-body protein balance was higher and 3MH:creatinine was lower in Women than Men Controls (all time-points, p ≤ 0.032) with no difference between sexes for other measures of protein turnover (p ≥ 0.072). Men Protein and Men Controls were not different for any outcome (p ≥ 0.060) but adjusted mean differences [95% confidence intervals] showed protein balance was 1.12 [0.28, 1.97] g·kg-1·d-1 higher in Men Protein than Men Controls during the field exercise. Women have higher whole-body protein balance than men in arduous training, likely due to higher energy balance. Protein supplementation may be effective for protecting whole-body protein balance in men