Publications by authors named "Michaela Cocca"

Objective: Since there is no scientifically validated German version of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3), the aim of this study was to assess its psychometric parameters and invariance across sex in a sample of German-speaking young adults. The BREQ-3 is an instrument measuring the social and internal influences of motivation toward exercising. This tool is widespread within the scientific community and has been validated in several languages.

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Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) is one of the pedagogical models used for increasing health through physical education (PE), being associated with several psychological benefits. However, only few studies have studied the effect of TGfU on physical fitness. This study aims at assessing the changes in students' physical fitness after a six-month TGfU-based program with primary school children.

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Promotion of healthy active behaviors should start from early ages, as behaviors learned in youth are more likely to endure. A fundamental body of research in this field focuses on the implementation of programs within physical education (PE), thanks to its favorable characteristics. However, traditional PE based on exercise training and controlling styles seems to have weaker association with students' health benefits.

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This article aims to study the relation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and body image in adolescents from two different social environments in Spain and Mexico, and to compare the construction of an appropriate body scheme in youth from these two countries. The majority of participants were found to be in the normal weight category of BMI. No significant differences were found in BMI or body image comparing Mexican and Spanish adolescents.

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