Practical and Clinical Approaches Using Pacing to Improve Selfregulation in Special Populations such as Children and People with Mental Health or Learning Disabilities.

For special populations such as people with a mental health issue or learning disability, a disconnect between the ability to accurately monitor and regulate exercise behaviour can lead to reduced levels of physical activity, which, in turn, is associated with additional physical or mental health problems. Activity pacing is a strategy used in clinical settings to address issues of pain amelioration, while self-pacing research is now well addressed in sport and exercise science literature. It has been proposed recently that these overlapping areas of investigation collectively support the development of self-regulatory, lifestyle exercise skills across broad population groups.

A Path Analysis of Adolescent Athletes' Perceived Stress Reactivity, Competition Appraisals, Emotions, Coping, and Performance Satisfaction.

This study examined a path analysis of adolescent athletes' individual differences in perceived stress reactivity, competition appraisals, emotions, coping, and performance satisfaction. The study aimed to extend an analysis by Nicholls et al. (2012) and further validate the use of the Perceived Stress Reactivity Scale for Adolescent Athletes (PSRS-AA).

Validating a Self-Report Measure of Student Athletes' Perceived Stress Reactivity: Associations With Heart-Rate Variability and Stress Appraisals.

Student athletes experience multiple stressors relating to both their sporting and academic commitments. Individual differences play a significant role in how well student athletes cope with the demands they face. When assessing individual differences in stress reactivity, there are a lack of valid alternatives to costly and time-consuming lab-based physiological methods (e.

Validation of a multidirectional locomotive dual-task paradigm to evaluate task-related differences in event-related electro-cortical activity.

A fundamental aspect of everyday function is the ability to simultaneously execute both cognitive and motor tasks. The ability to perform such tasks is commonly assessed using a dual-task paradigm that has the capacity to manipulate both cognitive and motor components of an action. Dual-task performance provides an opportunity to obtain an insight into how cognitive and motor function are affected during natural tasks (e.

Goal Orientation and the Presence of Competitors Influence Cycling Performance.

The aim of this study was to investigate time-trial (TT) performance in the presence of one competitor and in a group with competitors of various abilities. In a randomized order, 24 participants performed a 5-km cycling TT individually (IND), with one similarly matched participant (1v1), and in a group of four participants (GRP). For the GRP session, two pairs of matched participants from the 1v1 session were used.

Type D personality, stress, coping and performance on a novel sport task.

We investigated (1) the relationship between Type D personality, stress intensity appraisal of a self-selected stressor, coping, and perceived coping effectiveness and (2) the relationship between Type D personality and performance. In study one, 482 athletes completed the Type D personality questionnaire (DS14), stress thermometer and MCOPE in relation to a recently experienced sport stressor. Type D was associated with increased levels of perceived stress and selection of coping strategies (more emotion and avoidance coping) as well as perceptions of their effectiveness.

Familiarization Protocol Influences Reproducibility of 20-km Cycling Time-Trial Performance in Novice Participants.

Exercise performance is reproducible in experienced athletes; however, less trained participants exhibit greater variability in performance and pacing. To reduce variability, it is common practice to complete a familiarization prior to experimental testing. However, there are no clear guidelines for familiarizing novice participants to a cycling time-trial (TT), and research findings from novice populations may still be influenced by learning effects.

No Influence of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Exercise-Induced Pain and 5-Km Cycling Time-Trial Performance.

Afferent information from exercising muscle contributes to the sensation of exercise-induced muscle pain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) delivers low-voltage electrical currents to the skin, inhibiting nociceptive afferent information. The use of TENS in reducing perceptions of exercise-induced pain has not yet been fully explored.

Self-determined motivation in rehabilitating professional rugby union players.

Background: The aim of the present study was to explore the views of professional rugby union players during the early rehabilitation, late rehabilitation and return to play stages, following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Methods: A qualitative dominant, mixed methodological approach was utilized with five players who had suffered an ACL injury requiring reconstructive surgery. A longitudinal approach, concurrent with each player's rehabilitation, consisting of twice monthly interviews, a self-report diary and three established questionnaires (MOS-Social Support Survey, Sherbourne & Stewart, 1991; Sport Climate Questionnaire, Deci & Ryan, n.

Cycling in the Absence of Task-Related Feedback: Effects on Pacing and Performance.

Introduction: To achieve personal goals in exercise task completion, exercisers have to regulate, distribute, and manage their effort. In endurance sports, it has become very commonplace for athletes to consult task-related feedback on external devices to do so. The aim of the present study was to explore the importance of the presence of this information by examining the influence of the absence of commonly available task-related feedback on effort distribution and performance in experienced endurance athletes.

Evidence for Skill Level Differences in the Thought Processes of Golfers During High and Low Pressure Situations.

Two studies examined differences in the cognition of golfers with differing levels of expertise in high and low pressure situations. In study 1, six high skill and six low skill golfers performed six holes of golf, while verbalizing their thoughts using Think Aloud (TA) protocol. Higher skilled golfers' cognitive processes centered more on planning in comparison to lower skilled golfers.

Effect of a non-dieting lifestyle randomised control trial on psychological well-being and weight management in morbidly obese pre-menopausal women.

Objective: This study examined the effects of a non-dieting lifestyle intervention approach for morbidly obese women designed in the framework of the self-determination theory (SDT) and Health at Every Size on weight maintenance and psychological functioning.

Participants And Design: Predominantly white (97%), morbidly obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg m(-2) with at least one co-morbid condition or a BMI ≥ 40 kg m(-2)) pre-menopausal women (N=62), aged between 24 and 55 years were initially randomly assigned to 12 weeks of lifestyle intervention (IIG) or delayed start control group (DSCG). The program consisted of 3 months intensive lifestyle intervention followed by 9 month maintenance phase.

Fundamental Movement Skills Are More than Run, Throw and Catch: The Role of Stability Skills.

Introduction: In motor development literature fundamental movement skills are divided into three constructs: locomotive, object control and stability skills. Most fundamental movement skills research has focused on children's competency in locomotor and object control skills. The first aim of this study was to validate a test battery to assess the construct of stability skills, in children aged 6 to 10 (M age = 8.

Examination of the suitability of collecting in event cognitive processes using Think Aloud protocol in golf.

Two studies examined the use of Think Aloud (TA) protocol as a means for collecting data of cognitive processes during performance in golf. In Study 1, TA was employed to examine if different verbalisation (Level 2 or Level 3 TA) instructions influence performance of high and low skilled golfers. Participants performed 30 putts using TA at either Levels 2, 3, or no verbalization condition.

The role of depressive symptomatology in peri- and post-menopause.

Objectives: There is evidence that menopausal symptoms manifested at peri-menopause occur less frequently when compared to the symptoms experienced at post-menopause. The aim of this study was to investigate this and to test the hypothesis that depressive symptomatology mediates the relationship between menopausal stage and symptom frequency.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 213 women (M age=52 years), of whom 125 were peri- and 88 post-menopausal.

Relationship between Type-D personality, physical activity behaviour and climacteric symptoms.

Background: A number of factors have been identified which might influence the variation observed in climacteric symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women. We examined the role of the distressed or Type-D personality and mode of physical activity or exercise on the climacteric symptoms experienced by peri- or post-menopausal women.

Methods: 213 Women (M age 52.

Do children emotionally rehearse about their body image?

This study examined the association between propensity for emotional rehearsal, body image self-perception and weight status in Chinese Hong Kong pre-adolescents. Children 8-12 years of age (n = 278) completed measurement of body mass index, body image and emotional rehearsal. Multinomial regression analyses revealed that body mass index was positively associated with body image dissatisfaction and a significant predictor of body size estimation.

Longitudinal kinematic and kinetic adaptations to obstacle crossing in recent lower limb amputees.

Background: Obstacle crossing is an important activity of daily living, necessary to avoid tripping or falling, although it is not fully understood how transtibial amputees adapt to performing this activity of daily living following discharge from rehabilitation.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the longitudinal adaptations in obstacle crossing in transtibial amputees post-discharge from rehabilitation.

Study Design: Longitudinal repeated measures.

Understanding the contexts of adolescent female participation in sport and physical activity.

Purpose: Participation in physical activity (PA) is reported to decline in adolescence, particularly for girls. However, we do not know if this decline in PA is consistent across modes and settings or whether there are transfers of participation between modes and settings. Nor do we understand the changes in specific types of PA or the interaction between types of participation and different modes/settings.

Temporal adaptations in generic and population-specific quality of life and falls efficacy in men with recent lower-limb amputations.

This study examined the longitudinal changes in generic health-related quality of life (QOL), prosthesis-related QOL, falls efficacy, and walking speed in men with lower-limb amputations up to 6 months following discharge from rehabilitation. Seven male unilateral transtibial amputees completed the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire, and the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale at 1, 3, and 6 months postdischarge from rehabilitation. Walking speed was also recorded to objectively assess participants' mobility.

Daily L-leucine supplementation in novice trainees during a 12-week weight training program.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of daily oral L-leucine ingestion on strength, bone mineral-free lean tissue mass (LTM) and fat mass (FM) of free living humans during a 12-wk resistance-training program.

Methods: Twenty-six initially untrained men (n = 13 per group) ingested either 4 g/d of L-leucine (leucine group: age 28.5 ± 8.

Effects of various sodium bicarbonate loading protocols on the time-dependent extracellular buffering profile.

Although much research has investigated the types of exercise that are enhanced with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion, to date, there has been limited research on the dosage and timing of ingestion that optimizes the associated ergogenic effects. This study investigated the effects of various NaHCO3 loading protocols on the time-dependent blood-buffering profile. Eight male volunteers (age, 22.

Think aloud: acute stress and coping strategies during golf performances.

A limitation of the sport psychology coping literature is the amount of time between a stressful episode and the recall of the coping strategies used in the stressful event (Nicholls & Polman, 2007). The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a technique to measure acute stress and coping during performance. Five high-performance adolescent golfers took part in Level 2 verbalization think aloud trials (Ericsson & Simon, 1993), which involved participants verbalizing their thoughts, over six holes of golf.

The lived experiences of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in relation to exercise.

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Seven active exercisers with MS participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their exercise experiences since diagnosis. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA; Smith  & Osborn, 2003 ).

Coping in sport: A systematic review.

The aim of this paper was to systematically review the literature on coping in sport, examining evidence for both the trait and process perspectives, the types of coping strategies used by athletes, gender differences, age-related differences, and coping effectiveness. A comprehensive literature search of SPORTdiscus, PsychLIT, and PsychINFO in November 2004 yielded 64 studies spanning 16 years (1988 - 2004). The results indicated that athletes use a variety of coping strategies.