Physical activity interventions for the promotion of mental health outcomes in at-risk children and adolescents: a systematic review.

Many young people are exposed to risk factors that increase their risk of mental illness. Physical activity provision is an increasingly popular approach to protect against mental illness in the face of these risk factors. We examined the effectiveness of physical activity interventions for the promotion of mental health outcomes in at-risk children and adolescents.

Measurement properties and feasibility of chronic pain assessment tools for use with children and young people with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: Chronic pain assessment tools exist for children, but may not be valid, reliable, and feasible for populations with functional, cognitive or communication limitations, for example, cerebral palsy (CP). This study aimed to (i) identify chronic pain assessment tools used with children and young people and rate their measurement properties; (ii) develop a CP specific feasibility rating tool to assess the feasibility of tools in CP; and (iii) categorise tools according to reporting method.

Materials And Methods: Assessment tools were identified by literature review.

Parents on the Concept of Physical Literacy: What Do They Know, What Do They Do, and What Do They Want?

Physical literacy development in early childhood, viewed by many as the foundation for lifelong physical activity engagement, is significantly influenced by parents. Our aim was to explore parents' understanding of physical literacy and gain insight into their perspectives on physical literacy promotion. We recruited 18 parents of children between 5 and 8 years old in Australia.

Early childhood educator outcomes from online professional development for physical literacy: A randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Early childhood is recognised as a critical window of opportunity for physical literacy development, however early childhood educators typically lack the training required to effectively provide appropriate physical literacy opportunities for children. We examined the effects of an online physical literacy professional development program-relative to continuing with 'standard' practice-on early childhood educators' physical literacy knowledge and application.

Methods: We conducted a parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial, in which 88 early childhood educators were randomly assigned to an online professional development program designed to support educators' physical literacy instructional skills (intervention arm; n = 37), or a 'standard practice' control condition (n = 51).

Pain coping tools for children and young adults with a neurodevelopmental disability: A systematic review of measurement properties.

Aim: To systematically identify and evaluate the measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and observer-reported outcome measures (parent proxy report) of pain coping tools that have been used with children and young adults (aged 0-24 years) with a neurodevelopmental disability.

Method: A two-stage search using MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PsycInfo was conducted. Search 1 in August 2021 identified pain coping tools used in neurodevelopmental disability and search 2 in September 2021 located additional studies evaluating the measurement properties of these tools.

Perceptions of a family-based lifestyle intervention for children with overweight and obesity: a qualitative study on sustainability, self-regulation, and program optimization.

Background: Family-based lifestyle interventions (FBLIs) are an important method for treating childhood weight problems. Despite being recognized as an effective intervention method, the optimal structure of these interventions for children's overweight and obesity has yet to be determined. Our aim was to better understand participants' (a) implementation of behaviour strategies and long-term outcomes, (b) perceptions regarding the optimal structure of FBLIs, and (c) insights into psychological concepts that may explain the success of these programs.

A qualitative exploration of motivations and barriers for community leisure organisations' engagement with the Jooay™ mobile app.

Purpose: Participation in leisure activities is key to the physical and mental health of children and adolescents with disabilities. The Jooay™ mobile app aims to link children and adolescents with disability to participation opportunities in their community. This study explored the perspectives of community leisure organisations and their motivations and perceived barriers to be listed as a leisure service on Jooay™.

'They deserve a treat': the nature and antecedents of parental licensing surrounding children's physical activity.

Objective: Little is known about parents' compensatory health beliefs (CHB) surrounding their children's engagement in physical activity (PA). Our aim was to provide evidence regarding the nature of, and factors underpinning, parents' PA-related compensatory beliefs for their children.

Design: A qualitative descriptive approach and thematic content analysis were employed.

Exploring associations between neuromuscular performance, hypermobility, and children's motor competence.

Objectives: To evaluate if neuromuscular performance and hypermobility are factors associated with children's motor competence.

Design: Cross-sectional observation study.

Methods: Data was collected on 60 children aged 6-12 years; motor competence was determined using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 test, with children classified into 3 groups (Typically Developing n=30; 'At Risk' of low motor competence (LMC) n=9; LMC n=21).

Physiological characteristics, self-perceptions, and parental support of physical activity in children with, or at risk of, developmental coordination disorder.

Children with low movement proficiency have been identified as having poorer physiological and psychosocial outcomes; however, the varied measurement approaches used to assess these outcomes have varied resulting in conflicting evidence regarding the presence and magnitude of differences compared to Typically Developing (TD) children. Additionally, there has been limited research into the role of parental support for physical activity (PA) in this group. We compared children with varying levels of movement proficiency on physiological characteristics and self-perceptions regarding PA.

Reliability and validity of the adapted Resistance Training Skills Battery for Children.

Objectives: Resistance training (RT) is emerging as a training modality to improve motor function and facilitate physical activity participation in children across the motor proficiency spectrum. Although RT competency assessments have been established and validated among adolescent cohorts, the extent to which these methods are suitable for assessing children's RT skills is unknown. This project aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the adapted Resistance Training Skills Battery for Children (RTSBc), in children with varying motor proficiency.

Re-Thinking Anxiety: Using Inoculation Messages to Reduce and Reinterpret Public Speaking Fears.

Inoculation theory offers a framework for protecting individuals against challenges to an existing attitude, belief, or state. Despite the prevalence and damaging effects of public speaking anxiety, inoculation strategies have yet to be used to help individuals remain calm before and during public speaking. We aimed to test the effectiveness of an inoculation message for reducing the onset of public speaking anxiety, and helping presenters interpret their speech-related anxiety more positively.

Development of a Kinect Software Tool to Classify Movements during Active Video Gaming.

While it has been established that using full body motion to play active video games results in increased levels of energy expenditure, there is little information on the classification of human movement during active video game play in relationship to fundamental movement skills. The aim of this study was to validate software utilising Kinect sensor motion capture technology to recognise fundamental movement skills (FMS), during active video game play. Two human assessors rated jumping and side-stepping and these assessments were compared to the Kinect Action Recognition Tool (KART), to establish a level of agreement and determine the number of movements completed during five minutes of active video game play, for 43 children (m = 12 years 7 months ± 1 year 6 months).

Adaptation of the Resistance Training Skills Battery for Use in Children Across the Motor Proficiency Spectrum.

Purpose: The study aim was to adapt the Resistance Training Skills Battery for use in children and assess its interrater and intrarater reliability. The RTSBc provides an assessment of resistance training (RT) skill competency and an indication of readiness to perform RT. The RTSBc includes 6 basic RT skills.

A systematic review of mirror neuron system function in developmental coordination disorder: Imitation, motor imagery, and neuroimaging evidence.

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the evidence of abnormal functioning of the mirror neuron system (MNS) in children and adults with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), through examination of imitation, motor imagery, and neuroimaging literature.

Methods: The following databases were comprehensively searched for relevant articles: CINAHL Plus, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Pubmed, and Web of Science. Full-text articles of all potentially relevant citations were obtained and assessed for eligibility by two authors.

Cortical functioning in children with developmental coordination disorder: a motor overflow study.

This study examined brain activation in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) to reveal areas that may contribute to poor movement execution and/or abundant motor overflow. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, 13 boys with DCD (mean age = 9.6 years ±0.

Does movement proficiency impact on exergaming performance?

There is growing interest in the use of consumer level exergames in movement skill acquisition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between movement proficiency and performance in virtual exergaming. Twenty seven children, aged 10-15years participated in an experiment completing the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (MABC-2) and a series of XBOX360 Kinect Sports exergaming tasks.