No abstract

Background The main purpose of the research was to examine the differences between adults in the age group 70+ and two other age groups (45–59 and 60–69), concerning their healthy and active lifestyle. The death toll of the current COVID-19 pandemic is strongly biased toward the elderly. However, some studies of crises suggest that older adults tend to perceive events as less stressful than do younger people. Therefore, we examined healthy behavior in populations at risk according to the age cutoff-points used by the Ministry of Health at the time of vaccination, and divided the participants into three age groups (45–59, 60–69, and 70+) following health organizations’ recommendations. Methods Participants were 1202 people, 381 males and 821 females, aged 45–90. A survey comprised of six parts was used: Demographic background, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–short version, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule – PANAS, the Connor and Davidson Resilience Scale, a questionnaire for measuring depressive moods, and questions regarding weight change, based on the Israeli National Health and Nutrition (MABAT) survey. Data were collected in Israel during the first complete lockdown. The questionnaire was distributed via e-mail, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook using a snowball sampling method. Results Resilience and negative feelings and depression symptoms were higher in age group 45–59 compared to 70+ year-old participants, and the depression symptoms score was also higher among participants aged 45–59 compared to ages 60–69. Physical activity was associated with higher resilience, fewer depression symptoms, and fewer negative emotions. Regarding gender and psychological variables, no differences were found. During the time of lockdown, weight change was not prevalent and sleeping hours increased. Conclusion In adults at 70+, the physical activity level, physical activity before and during the lockdown, emotions, sleeping hours, and weight change were similar to the other adult groups that were examined (45–59 and 60–69). However, in the older adults groups (70+ and 60–69), resilience and depression symptoms were lower than in the youngest age group.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to test and expand the Motivation of Marathoners Scale (MOMS) model (Masters et al., 1993).MethodsThe MOMS questionnaire was distributed to 306 male and female marathon runners (age range: 20–77 years) with experience in marathon running (range: 1–44 runs). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed that the original model failed to fit the data. Hence, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to test the best factorial solution for the current data, and a subsequent CFA was performed on the revised factorial structure. Then, a series of EFAs using maximum likelihood factor extraction method were performed.ResultsThe best structure solution for model-data fit resulted in 11 factors: psychological coping—emotional-related coping, psychological coping—everyday-life management, life meaning, self-esteem, recognition, affiliation, weight concerns, general health orientation—reduced disease prevalence and longevity, general health orientation—keep fit, competition, and personal goal achievement.ConclusionThis study provides a sound and solid framework for studying motivation for physically demanding tasks such as marathon runs, and needs to be similarly applied and tested in studies incorporating physical tasks which vary in mental demands.

Background: The term teacher efficacy is defined as teachers' belief in their ability to significantly affect their pupils' learning. Studies in the physical education (PE) domain seeking sources of teaching efficacy reported on the links among external environmental factors, content knowledge, and 'learners' active engagement in learning, and the effect of these ties on teachers' efficacy. In the majority of the studies, self efficacy was assessed mostly on in-service experienced teachers. Purpose: to study teaching efficacy of pre-service (second and third year) and student teachers STs (fourth year) in a four-year teacher education program, and to determine whether their teaching efficacy changed during any one year of the program. Participants and data collection: Two hundred and three pre-service teachers enrolled in second, third, and fourth year of a teacher education program (N ¼ 53, 95, and 55 respectively) filled out questionnaires that examined their general teaching efficacy (GTE) and physical education teaching efficacy (PETE) in the beginning and at the end of one academic school year. Data analysis: A MANOVA test was performed to explore the differences among three groups of students in the questionnaire factors. In order to examine whether one year of teacher education has an influence on the teaching efficacy of STs, t-tests were conducted. Findings: Teaching efficacy of STs significantly increased along one year of college education for all participants in all of the questionnaire factors. Conclusions: This study presents a comprehensive new instrument for evaluating PE teachers' efficacy. Based on the data, the teacher education program provided STs with sufficient knowledge, competencies, and practicum to enhance the teaching efficacy needed for actual teaching. Practical implications suggest evaluating the program in order to eliminate its weaknesses and preserve its strengths. For example, the longer the STs' experience was, the greater was their efficacy. Therefore, extending field experience and including sport and movement classes that emphasize the practice of teaching methods, are vital for teacher education programs intended to produce qualified and confident graduates.

This study aimed to examine to what extent academic achievements, learning disorders, behavior problems and loneliness explain the variance of students' social skills. The differences between students diagnosed with learning disorders and students without learning disorders in all four variables were examined. Participants were 733 elementary students (642 without LD; 91 with LD). Homeroom teachers assessed students' academic achievements, behavior problems, and social skills. Students completed questionnaires regarding their loneliness feelings. Regression analysis showed that academic achievement and behavior problems explained approximately 70% of the students' social skills variance, whereas LD did not, and loneliness explained social skills variance only among boys. These unexpected but encouraging findings are discussed in terms of the positive process of change that occurred since the announcement of the Israeli National Special Education Law of 1988, which made it possible for students with LD to be integrated in regular classes.

This study examined whether body perception (BP) and body satisfaction (BS) among adolescents correspond with healthy body size criteria as recommended by various world health authorities, and assessed the relationships between BP and BS and physical activity (PA) among adolescents. Participants included 6274 Israeli boys and girls from grades 7-12 who took part in the first Israeli Health and Nutrition Youth survey. Data regarding their BP and BS, body mass index (BMI) and PA were gathered. Among the overweight and obese participants, 66.4% and 40.6% of the boys, respectively, and 46.7% and 26.1% of the girls, respectively, perceived their body shape and size as satisfactory (OK). Another important finding was that overweight and obese girls were three times more active than underweight girls, and the highest per cent of active boys appeared among the overweight boys or those who perceived themselves as fat. Regression analyses revealed that BMI, gender and age accounted for 29.8% of the variance in participants' BP; BMI, gender and age accounted for 22.1% of BS variance, and PA was not related to either BP or BS. In conclusion, adolescents do not perceive their body according to healthy body size criteria recommended by various world health authorities. In addition, PA as a variable does not explain body image. Therefore, increasing body awareness seems to be a fundamental step in programs that aim to reduce obesity.

No abstract

This study extends support for the construct validity of the three strongest physical self-concept measures for 395 Israeli university students (60% women) aged 18 to 54, demonstrating a new extension of the multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) design that incorporates external validity criteria and a test of jingle-jangle fallacies. Structural equation models of this MTMM data confirmed the a priori 23-factor structure of the three instruments, and the convergent and discriminant validity of factors from each instrument in relation to those from the other instruments. There were few age effects, whereas gender differences were smaller than expected and stable over age. In support of the known-group-difference approach, physical education majors had systematically higher physical self-concepts than management majors. Relations of body image to self-concept factors supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the physical self-concept factors and the separation of body fat from physical appearance self-concepts, but having a more obese body was not significantly related to health self-concept or global self-esteem factors.