The hippocampus is closely tied to spatial navigation, a central component in cognitive functioning, and critically involved in age-associated cognitive decline and dementia. This study evaluated a novel, cognitive computerized spatial navigation training (CSNT) program targeting the hippocampus, with expectation of mitigating possible cognitive decline with bed rest (BR). During a 14-day BR study with 16 healthy, older men (mean age = 60 ± 3, range = 55-65 years), half received CSNT for 12 days in 50-min sessions and half were controls (watching documentaries). This design uniquely controlled diet, sleep, and other personal and environmental activities. Although there were no cognitive declines in controls post-BR, CSNT participants demonstrated significant increases in executive/attention ability and processing speed, and continued spatial navigation testing showed improvement to 400 days post-BR. This intervention may prove useful to mitigate cognitive declines known to occur in long periods of immobilization and could have broader implications in protecting against age-related cognitive decline.
AimThe objective of the study was to examine self-esteem, anxiety level and coping strategies among secondary school students in relation to their involvement in organized sports.MethodsThe sample included 280 Slovenian male and female secondary school students aged between 15 and 19 years. The participants completed The Adolescent Coping Scale, the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the PSDQ Selfesteem Scale.ResultsParticipants engaged in organized sports exhibited higher self-esteem scores and lower anxiety scores in comparison to non-sport participants. Differences between the two groups have also been identified with respect to the use of certain coping strategies. Sport participants reported more productive coping than non-sport participants, which represents an active and problem-focused approach to dealing with everyday problems. Gender differences in the referred variables have also been studied, with female athletes exhibiting higher levels of anxiety than male athletes. Female participants were also found to use more non-productive coping than males, focused mainly on reducing emotional effects of stress.ConclusionsOrganized youth sports have an important role in improving and maintaining a favorable sense of self-worth, reducing anxiety, and promoting productive coping strategies in adolescents when dealing with everyday problems.
The study aimed to investigate measurement invariance of the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) across gender, age, and education. Adults from a general population of Slovenia ( N = 431; 58% female; age 18 to 59 years) filled in the CD-RISC-10, the short form of the Mental Health Continuum and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Measurement invariance of the proposed one-factor model of CD-RISC-10 by gender, age, and level of education was examined using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis. The results showed configural, metric, and scalar invariance of the CD-RISC-10 across gender, age, and educational groups. The measure showed satisfactory reliability, positive associations with emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and negative links with negative emotional states. Group differences in latent means suggested higher resilience in men than women, early adults as compared to emerging adults, and people with higher as compared to those with lower level of education. The Slovenian version of the CD-RISC-10 is an acceptably reliable and valid measure of resilience, suitable to detect possible differences between gender, age, and educational groups. Resilience shows favorable associations with enhanced positive mental health and diminished symptoms of mental problems.
Formal education is crucial for the development of nurses’ professional identity and can play a decisive role in attracting students to the nursing profession. This is even more important during a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate nursing students’ attitudes and feelings toward their future profession and academic studies during the first COVID-19 lockdown. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted on 361 nursing students. The data were collected through the Students’ attitudes toward the nursing profession during the COVID-19 outbreak scale, and the Satisfaction with online learning scale. Nursing students expressed higher levels of commitment and dedication to their profession compared to perceived job security. They were generally satisfied with their distance learning experience in terms of accessibility of study materials, adaptation of lectures and quality of communication with academic staff. However, students perceived the ICT-supported distance learning as moderately effective. Students’ satisfaction with online learning was positively related to their perceived professional commitment. In times of health crisis, faculties should consider students’ perceived quality of nursing education and attitudes toward future profession to promote appropriate professional identity.
In addition to an athlete's physical abilities, his or her mental state is also vital for optimal recovery and a successful return to sport after an injury. The purpose of the present review was to determine which psychological factors affect the success of rehabilitation and return to sport following the most frequent musculotendinous thigh injuries (hamstrings, hip adductors, knee extensors), and to present the main psychological screening tools and interventions that can aid the athlete's rehabilitation and return to sport. A systematic review of the literature did not reveal any relevant results related to those injuries; therefore, the search was expanded to whole lower limb injuries, which showed that several different psychological factors could have a significant impact on an athlete's rehabilitation and decision to return to sport. It can be presumed that these factors can similarly affect the post-injury process for thigh injuries, which should be considered when planning the rehabilitation programme. Systematically implementing psychological screening and psychological interventions (if needed) into the already established rehabilitation protocols would be reasonable for optimizing an athlete's recovery and for helping with the decision to return to sport. KEY WORDS psychology, leg injuries, rehabilitation, return to sport REVIEW PAPER
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