ORCID Profile
0000-0001-5448-3990
Current Organisations
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam Instituut Beleid en Management Gezondheidszorg
,
Erasmus University Rotterdam
,
Curtin University
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Sports Medicine | Health Promotion | Family and Household Studies | Psychology | Public Health and Health Services | Finance | Social and Community Psychology
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Preventive Medicine | Substance Abuse | Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences | Work and Family Responsibilities | Savings and Investments |
Related Links
Publications
Strengthening resilience in military officer cadets: A group-randomized controlled trial of coping and emotion regulatory self-reflection training.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1037/CCP0000356
Abstract: This group-randomized control trial examined the efficacy of guided coping and emotion regulatory self-reflection as a means to strengthen resilience by testing the effects of the training on anxiety and depression symptoms and perceived stressor frequency after an intensive stressor period. The s le was 226 officer cadets training at the Royal Military College, Australia. Cadets were randomized by platoon to the self-reflection ( There were no significant baseline differences in demographic or outcome variables between the intervention groups. On average, cadets commenced the resilience training with mild depression and anxiety symptoms. Analyses were conducted at the in idual-level after exploring group-level effects. No between-groups differences were observed at initial follow-up. At longer-term follow-up, improvements in mental health outcomes were observed for the self-reflection group, compared with the coping skills group, on depression (Cohen's Findings provide initial support for the use of guided self-reflection as an alternative to coping skills approaches to resilience training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
The psychosocial development of world-class athletes: Additional considerations for understanding the whole person and salience of adversity
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1016/BS.PBR.2016.11.006
Abstract: In the target article, Hardy and colleagues provided an incisive analysis of retrospectively reported psychosocial factors associated with the development and careers of 32 former athletes from Olympic sports. They found that Super-Elite athletes ("serial" medal winners at major international ch ionships, i.e., World Ch ionship or Olympic Games) differed from matched Elite performers (won medals at international competitions but not major ch ionships) with regard to several important psychosocial factors (e.g., negative life events, turning point, relative importance of sport). In this commentary, I critique and extend upon these key findings to delineate additional considerations for understanding the whole person (i.e., traits, characteristic adaptations, narrative identity) and salience of adversity (i.e., timing, frequency, and duration) with the goal to stimulate future research and theory on the psychosocial development of Olympic ch ions.
The Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice tool provides informative assessments of clinical and professional dimensions of student performance in undergraduate placements: a longitudinal validity and reliability study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
The utility of modern theories of intergroup bias for research on antecedents to team identification
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2008
The Aussie-FIT process evaluation: feasibility and acceptability of a weight loss intervention for men, delivered in Australian Football League settings
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-03-2021
DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2021.1890730
Abstract: This process evaluation aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of Aussie-FIT, a group-based weight loss intervention for men with overweight and obesity in Australia. Process data and data collected from: (1) six-participant focus groups ( We explored the feasibility and acceptability of program setting and context, recruitment strategies, factors impacting implementation and mechanisms of impact. Recruitment via Australian Football League (AFL) clubs was highly effective 426 men expressed interest within 3 days of advertising, 130 men took part. Program attendance was not consistently recorded by coaches. Coach interviews indicated a 'core group of men' participated in each session (typically 10-12 of 15 men). Program delivery proved feasible in the AFL context. Program acceptability and satisfaction were high. Internalisation of autonomous motives was identified as driving behaviour change. Behaviour change to support maintained weight loss was facilitated through habit formation, goal setting and effective management of multiple goals. Aussie-FIT sets a blueprint for future weight loss interventions that utilise behaviour change strategies and principles of self-determined motivation to support men to lose weight. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12617000515392. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Self‐control and health‐related behaviour: The role of implicit self‐control, trait self‐control, and lay beliefs in self‐control
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-08-2019
DOI: 10.1111/BJHP.12378
Abstract: We tested unique contribution of trait self-control, implicit self-control, and lay beliefs in self-control beliefs to the prediction of health-related behaviours. We also tested whether relations between trait self-control and health-related behaviour, and between implicit self-control and health-related behaviours, were moderated by self-control beliefs. Cross-sectional, correlational. Students (N = 176) completed self-report measures of trait self-control, lay beliefs that self-control is limited or non-limited, non-planning, participation in health-related behaviours (impulsive eating, impulsive drinking, exercise avoidance, watching diet, alcohol consumption, physical activity participation), and demographic variables. Participants also completed a measure of implicit self-control using an implicit association test. Analyses indicated significant negative relations between implicit self-control and impulsive drinking and alcohol consumption. We also found a positive relationship between implicit self-control and exercise behaviour, and a negative relationship between implicit self-control and impulsive eating, both of which fell marginally short of statistical significance. Trait self-control significantly predicted all behavioural measures and attenuated relations between implicit self-control and health-related behaviour. We found no relations between lay beliefs in self-control and health-related behaviour. Moderated path analyses revealed that lay beliefs in self-control moderated relations between trait self-control and impulsive drinking, implicit self-control and exercise avoidance, and implicit self-control and physical activity participation. Findings suggest that trait self-control was a consistent correlate of health-related behaviour, while the effect sizes of relationships between implicit self-control and health-related behaviours were small. Strength of relations between trait self-control and health-related behaviours may depend on whether or not in iduals believe self-control is limited. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Self-control represents in iduals capacity to override impulses, break habits, and avoid temptations. Trait self-control is consistently and positively related to uptake of health-promoting behaviours (e.g., physical activity, healthy eating). Trait self-control is consistently and negatively related to health-compromising behaviours (e.g., alcohol consumption, unhealthy snacking). What does this study add? Proposes that self-control can also be measured implicitly, beyond in iduals' awareness. Examined effects of implicit measures of self-control and self-reported trait self-control on multiple health behaviours. Effects of implicit self-control on health behaviours were small and subsumed by trait self-control. Effects of lay beliefs in self-control moderated effects of implicit and trait self-control on some health behaviours.
Mental toughness: Critical reflections and future considerations
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 05-02-2016
Antisocial and prosocial behavior in sport: The role of motivational climate, basic psychological needs, and moral disengagement
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 06-2015
Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether the relationships between contextual factors and basic psychological needs were related to antisocial and prosocial behavior in sport. A two-study project employing Bayesian path analysis was conducted with competitive athletes (Study 1, n = 291 Study 2, n = 272). Coach and teammate autonomy-supportive climates had meaningful direct relations with need satisfaction and prosocial behavior. Coach and teammate controlling climates had meaningful direct relations with antisocial behavior. Need satisfaction was both directly and indirectly related with both prosocial and antisocial behavior, whereas moral disengagement was directly and indirectly related with antisocial behavior. Overall, these findings reflected substantial evidence from the literature on self-determination theory that autonomy-supportive motivational climates are important environmental influences for need satisfaction, and are important correlates of prosocial behavior in sport, whereas controlling coach and teammate climates, along with moral disengagement, were important correlates of antisocial behavior in sport.
The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC): Dimensionality and age-related measurement invariance with Australian cricketers
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2011
The Cortisol Awakening Response and Resilience in Elite Swimmers
Publisher: Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Date: 28-10-2015
Abstract: The sports environment is stress-eliciting in that it encapsulates perceived uncontrollability, unpredictability and requires ego-involvement. The HPA axis has been shown (indicated by cortisol release) to respond to anticipated sports competition up to a week prior to the event. Research also alludes to the importance of in idual differences, such as optimism and trait perfectionism, in moderating the impact of cortisol upon performance. In total, 41 (male n=27) national (n=38) and international (n=3) swimmers were recruited from northeast England and Australia. Swimmers completed a measure of resilience and also provided buccal saliva swabs, from which total cortisol release prior to and during the event was calculated. Findings revealed that resilience significantly predicted performance and the influence of AUC (cortisol release) upon performance was moderated by resilience. These findings suggest that resilience can influence athletic performance either directly or indirectly, through appraisal (i. e., interpretation of the stressor to be facilitative and non-threatening).
Measuring decentering as a unidimensional construct: The development and initial validation of the Decentering Scale for Sport
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2016
Changing physical activity and sedentary behaviour in people with COPD
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-11-2016
DOI: 10.1111/RESP.12680
Abstract: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) engage in low levels of physical activity (PA). Given the evidence for the health benefits associated with participating in 150 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA each week, there is considerable interest in methods to increase PA in people with COPD. Studies to date have focused largely on exercise training and behavioural approaches, and many have demonstrated minimal, if any effect. An intermediate goal that focuses on reducing time spent in sedentary behaviour (SB) and increasing participation in light intensity PA is a more realistic goal in this population and offers a gateway to higher intensity PA. Although strategies that are capable of reducing time spent in SB in COPD are unknown, studies that have shown some increase in PA in this population often provide in idualized goal setting, motivational interviewing and frequent contact with health-care professionals to provide advice regarding strategies to overcome barriers. Therefore, these approaches should be considered in interventions to reduce time in SB. There are a range of devices available to monitor time in SB for use in both clinical and research settings. To move this area forward, a theoretically informed and systematic approach to behaviour change is needed. The theoretical model, the 'behaviour change wheel', is described and an ex le is provided of how it can be applied to a person with COPD.
Motivational Climate in the Classroom
Publisher: Hogrefe Publishing Group
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1027/1015-5759/A000524
Abstract: Abstract. Adaptive motivation is central to positive functioning. Social agents such as teachers play a significant role in shaping the motivation of people with whom they interact by satisfying or thwarting their psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The development and validation of tools that assess the types of behaviors social agents adopt to satisfy these psychological needs are important agenda items for substantive and applied researchers. In this study, we examined factorial and convergent validity evidence of a need support scale adapted from the physical education context for use in tertiary settings with health science students. Factor analyses of responses from 290 health science students indicated that need-supportive behaviors are best captured by one latent factor, rather than the a priori 4-factor structure designed to capture needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Regression analyses supported the convergent validity of the unidimensional structure, such that students who perceived higher levels of need-supportive behaviors from their tutor reported higher levels of behavioral engagement, and experiences of vitality and learning. Validation of a scale that assesses need-supportive behaviors within a health science context provides researchers with a tool to employ in future research that aims to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of such behaviors, as well as the effects of interventions designed to equip educators with the skills, motivation, and knowledge to employ successfully such behaviors.
Identifying market risk for substandard and falsified medicines: an analytic framework based on qualitative research in China, Indonesia, Turkey and Romania
Publisher: F1000 Research Ltd
Date: 16-04-2019
DOI: 10.12688/WELLCOMEOPENRES.15236.1
Abstract: Introduction: Substandard and falsified medicines undermine health systems. We sought to unravel the political and economic factors which drive the production of these products, and to explain how they reach patients. Methods: We conducted in-depth case studies in China, Indonesia, Turkey and Romania. We reviewed academic papers and press reports (n = 840), developing semi-structured questionnaires. We interviewed regulators, policy-makers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, physicians, pharmacists, patients and academics (n=88). We coded data using NVivo software, and developed an analytic framework to assess national risks for substandard and falsified medicines. We tested the framework against cases reported to the World Health Organization, from countries at all income levels. Results: We found that increasing political commitment to provision of universal health coverage has led to public procurement policies aimed at lowering prices of medical products. In response, legitimate, profit-driven pharmaceutical companies protect their margins by cutting costs, or withdrawing from less profitable markets, while distributors engage in arbitrage. Meanwhile, health providers sometimes protect profits by 'upselling' patients to medicines not covered by insurers. Cost-cutting can undermine quality assurance, leading to substandard or degraded medicines. Other responses contribute to shortages, irrational demand and high prices. All of these provide market opportunities for producers of falsified products they also push consumers outside of the regular supply chain, providing falsifiers with easy access to customers. The analytic framework capturing these interactions explained cases in most high and middle-income settings additional factors operate in the poorest countries. Conclusions: Most efforts to secure medicine quality currently focus on product regulation. However, our research suggests market mechanisms are key drivers for poor quality medicines, including where political commitments to universal health coverage are under-resourced. We have developed a framework to guide country-specific, system-wide analysis. This can flag risks and pinpoint specific actions to protect medicine quality, and thus health.
Paper vs. Pixel: Can we use a pen-and-paper method to measure athletes' implicit doping attitude?
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 12-06-2017
Towards an understanding of mental toughness in Australian football
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 18-07-2008
I think they believe in me: The predictive effects of teammate- and classmate-focused relation-inferred self-efficacy in sport and physical activity settings
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 10-2014
Abstract: Despite the prevalence of group-/team-based enactment within sport and physical activity settings, to this point the study of relation-inferred self-efficacy (RISE) has been focused upon estimations regarding a single target in idual (e.g., one’s coach). Accordingly, researchers have not yet considered whether in iduals may also form RISE estimations regarding the extent to which the others in their group/team as a whole are confident in their ability. We applied structural equation modeling analyses with cross-sectional and prospective data collected from members of interdependent sport teams (Studies 1 and 2) and undergraduate physical activity classes (Studies 3 and 4), with the purpose of exploring these group-focused RISE inferences. Analyses showed that group-focused RISE perceptions (a) predicted in iduals’ confidence in their own ability, (b) were empirically distinct from conceptually related constructs, and (c) directly and/or indirectly predicted a range of downstream outcomes over and above the effects of other efficacy perceptions. Taken together, these findings provide preliminary evidence that in iduals’ group-focused RISE appraisals may be important to consider when investigating the network of efficacy perceptions that develops in group-based physical activity contexts.
On the transition into elite rugby league: Perceptions of players and coaching staff
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 02-2014
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000013
Choking under pressure in sensorimotor skills: Conscious processing or depleted attentional resources?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2008
Progressing measurement in mental toughness: A case example of the Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 08-2012
DOI: 10.1037/A0027190
WITHDRAWN: Stressor reflections and elite athlete psychological well-being and ill-being: An experimental test of self-distancing
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
The effectiveness of team reflexivity interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 08-2021
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000251
The effectiveness of self‐distanced versus self‐immersed reflections among adults: Systematic review and meta‐analysis of experimental studies
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-09-2022
DOI: 10.1002/SMI.3199
Abstract: Stressor events can be highly emotional and disruptive to our functioning, yet they also present opportunities for learning and growth via self‐reflections. Self‐distanced reflections in which one reasons about target events in ways that maximise their removal of the current self from the experiential reality are said to facilitate this reflective process. We tested the expectation that self‐distanced reflections offer an advantage over self‐immersed vistas via a pre‐registered systematic review of seven electronic databases (Scopus, Medline, Web of Science, PsycInfo, CINAHL Plus, Embase, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global) to identify experimental tests with adults aged 18–65 years where the focus of the reflection was a stressor or adverse event that participants had already experienced. A three‐level, random effects meta‐analysis of 25 experiments ( N = 2,397, 68 effects) revealed a small‐to‐moderate advantage of self‐distanced reflections ( g = 0.19, SE = 0.07, 95% CI [0.05, 0.33]) and were most effective when they targeted a stressor experience that emphasised one's emotional state or lifetime. Nevertheless, our assessment of the overall quality of evidence including risk of bias suggested uncertainty regarding the benefit of this pragmatic self‐regulatory tactic and therefore the need for future high‐powered, high‐quality experiments.
An intervention to optimize coach motivational climates and reduce athlete willingness to dope (CoachMADE): Protocol for a cross-cultural cluster randomized control trial
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 09-01-2018
Latent profiles of elite Malaysian athletes' use of psychological skills and techniques and relations with mental toughness
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 15-05-2018
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.4778
Abstract: The majority of past work on athletes’ use of psychological skills and techniques (PSTs) has adopted a variable-centered approach in which the statistical relations among study variables are averaged across a s le. However, variable-centered-analyses exclude the possibility that PSTs may be used in tandem or combined in different ways across practice and competition settings. With this empirical gap in mind, the purposes of this study were to identify the number and type of profiles of elite athletes’ use of PSTs, and examine differences between these clusters in terms of their self-reported mental toughness. In this cross-sectional survey study, 285 Malaysian elite athletes (170 males, 115 females) aged 15–44 years ( M = 18.89, SD = 4.49) completed measures of various PSTs and mental toughness. Latent profile analysis was employed to determine the type and number of profiles that best represent athletes’ reports of their use of PSTs in practice and competition settings, and examine differences between these classes in terms of self-reported mental toughness. Our results revealed three profiles (low, moderate, high use) in both practice and competition settings that were distinguished primarily according to quantitative differences in the absolute levels of reported use across most of the PSTs assessed in practice and competition settings, which in turn, were differentially related with mental toughness. Specifically, higher use of PSTs was associated with higher levels of mental toughness. This study provides one of the first analyses of the different configurations of athletes’ use of PSTs that typify unique subgroups of performers. An important next step is to examine the longitudinal (in) stability of such classes and therefore provide insight into the temporal dynamics of different configurations of athletes’ use of PSTs.
The emergence of team resilience: A multilevel conceptual model of facilitating factors
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-08-2018
DOI: 10.1111/JOOP.12237
A meta-study of qualitative research on mental toughness development
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2016
A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study of a Gamified Therapy Prescription App for Children with Neurodisability
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-10-2023
Resilience enhanced aFteR ACTiOn ReviewS (REFRACTORS) for teams: A pilot, nonrandomized investigation of feasibility within military settings.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000308
When the going gets tough: Mental toughness and its relationship with behavioural perseverance
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2014.12.005
Abstract: This study examined the association between self-reported mental toughness and behavioural perseverance among a s le of male Australian footballers in a naturalistic context. Cross-sectional field study, with the multistage 20m shuttle run test (MST) employed as a proxy for behavioural perseverance. 330 male Australian footballers aged between 15 and 18 years (M=16.86 SD=.71) with between 2 and 14 years playing experience (M=9.32 SD=2.51) participated. Initially, footballers completed a mental toughness questionnaire, before having their height and body mass measurements taken. Subsequently, a performance testing session was completed, which included the 20m sprint, Australian football-specific agility run, vertical jump, and the MST. Bayesian estimation was employed to allow for the simultaneous examination of existing findings with our new data in a way that provides an automatic meta-analysis of evidence in this area. The analysis indicated a 95% probability that the association between mental toughness and behavioural perseverance lies between .14 and .34, even when controlling for other factors known to influence MST performance, including age, height, body mass, and years playing experience. Taken together with previous research, these findings support the theoretical proposition that persistence, effort or perseverance represents a behavioural signature of mental toughness.
Dyadic interventions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour: systematic review and meta-analysis
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 14-10-2019
DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2018.1532312
Abstract: Several interventions have targeted dyads to promote physical activity (PA) or reduce sedentary behaviour (SB), but the evidence has not been synthesised. Sixty-nine studies were identified from MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, and 59 were included in the main meta-analyses (providing 72 independent tests). Intervention details, type of dyadic goal, participant characteristics, and methodological quality were extracted and their impact on the overall effect size was examined. Sensitivity analyses tested effect robustness to (a) the effects of other statistically significant moderators (b) outliers (c) data included for participants who were not the main target of the intervention. Dyadic interventions had a small positive, highly heterogeneous, effect on PA g = .203, 95% CI [0.123-0.282], compared to comparison conditions including equivalent interventions targeting in iduals. Shared target-oriented goals (where both dyad members hold the same PA goal for the main target of the intervention) and peer/friend dyads were associated with larger effect sizes across most analyses. Dyadic interventions produced a small homogeneous reduction in SB. Given dyadic interventions promote PA over-and-above equivalent interventions targeting in iduals, these interventions should be more widespread. However, moderating factors such as the types of PA goal and dyad need to be considered to maximise effects.
Construing the athlete and exerciser: Research and applied perspectives from personal construct psychology
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-05-2009
Measuring Mental Toughness in Sport: A Psychometric Examination of the Psychological Performance Inventory–A and Its Predecessor
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 07-2012
DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2012.660292
Abstract: Touted as a multidimensional measure of mental toughness in sport, this study explored the psychometric properties of the Psychological Performance Inventory (PPI Loehr, 1986 ) and its successor the Psychological Performance Inventory-A (PPI-A Golby, Sheard, & Van Wersch, 2007 ). Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to examine the extent to which data collected with 333 Australian footballers aged between 15 and 18 years (M = 16.88, SD = .71) fitted the a priori measurement models of both inventories. The results did not support the psychometric properties of the PPI both in terms of model fit and internal consistency. Although model fit data for the PPI-A were encouraging, inadequate levels of internal consistency were evidenced. Convergent validity analyses involving measures of achievement goals and global mental toughness generally supported the validity of the PPI and PPI-A subscales. Taken together with previous research (e.g., Middleton et al., 2004 ), caution is urged when considering the use of the PPI as a measure of mental toughness in sport. Although the empirical data were generally supportive of the psychometric properties of the PPI-A, conceptual (e.g., lack of conceptual underpinnings) and methodological (i.e., revalidated a flawed inventory) concerns become important factors when considering the PPI-A as a measure of mental toughness.
The emergence of resilience: Recovery trajectories in sleep functioning after a major stressor.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2021
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000268
Mental toughness as a moderator of the intention-behaviour gap in the rehabilitation of knee pain
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2015.06.010
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of mental toughness in maximising the effect of intentions to perform rehabilitative exercises on behaviour among a s le of people with knee pain. Cross-sectional survey, with a 2-week time-lagged assessment of exercise behaviour. In total, 193 in iduals (nfemale=107, nmale=84) aged between 18 and 69 years (M=30.79, SD=9.39) participated, with 136 (70.5%) retained at both assessment points. At time 1, participants completed an online, multisection survey that encompassed measures of demographic details, severity of problems associated with the knee (e.g., pain, symptoms), past behaviour, mental toughness, and the theory of planned behaviour constructs (TPB attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural, intentions). Two weeks later, participants retrospectively reported their exercise behaviour for the past 14 days using an online survey. Moderated regression analyses indicated that mental toughness and its interaction with intention accounted for an additional 3% and 4% of the variance in exercise behaviour, respectively. Past behaviour, attitudes, and mental toughness all had direct effects on behaviour, alongside a meaningful interaction between intentions and mental toughness. Specifically, intentions had a stronger effect on exercise behaviour among those in iduals high in mental toughness compared to those low in this personal resource. The results of this study shed new light on the intention-behaviour gap by indicating that mental toughness increases the likelihood that intention is translated into action.
Intervention Mapping of a Gamified Therapy Prescription App for Children With Disabilities: User-Centered Design Approach
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 09-08-2022
DOI: 10.2196/34588
Abstract: Mobile health (mHealth) apps for children are increasing in availability and scope. Therapy (physiotherapy, speech pathology, and occupational therapy) prescription apps to improve home or school program adherence work best when developed to be highly engaging for children and when they incorporate behavior change techniques (BCTs) within their design. The aim of this study was to describe the development of a user-centered therapy prescription app for children (aged 6-12 years) with neurodevelopmental disabilities (eg, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disability) incorporating intervention mapping (IM) and gamified design. We used an iterative, user-centered app development model incorporating the first 3 steps of IM. We conducted a needs analysis with user feedback from our previous mHealth app study, a literature review, and a market audit. Change objectives were then specified in alignment with the psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness identified in self-determination theory. From these objectives, we then selected BCTs, stipulating parameters for effectiveness and how each BCT would be operationalized. A gamification design was planned and implemented focusing on maximizing engagement in children. In total, 2 rounds of consultations with parents, teachers, and therapists and 1 round of prototype app testing with children were conducted to inform app development, with a final iteration developed for further testing. The IM process resulted in the specification of app elements, self-determination theory–informed BCTs, that were embedded into the app design. The gamification design yielded the selection of a digital pet avatar with a fantasy anime visual theme and multiple layers of incentives earned by completing prescribed therapy activities. Consultation groups with professionals working with children with disabilities (4 therapists and 3 teachers) and parents of children with disabilities (n=3) provided insights into the motivation of children and the pragmatics of implementing app-delivered therapy programs that informed the app development. User testing with children with disabilities (n=4) highlighted their enthusiasm for the app and the need for support in the initial phase of learning the app. App quality testing (Mobile Application Rating Scale-user version) with the children yielded means (out of 5) of 4.5 (SD 0.8) for engagement, 3.3 (SD 1.6) for function, 3.3 (SD 1.7) for aesthetics, and 4.3 (SD 1.1) for subjective quality. mHealth apps designed for children can be greatly enhanced with a systematic yet flexible development process considering the specific contextual needs of the children with user-centered design, addressing the need for behavior change using the IM process, and maximizing engagement with gamification and strong visual design.
Cross-cultural validity and measurement invariance of the Organizational Stressor Indicator for Sport Performers (OSI-SP) across three countries
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-05-2017
DOI: 10.1111/SMS.12688
Abstract: Organizational stressors are a universal phenomenon which can be particularly prevalent and problematic for sport performers. In view of their global existence, it is surprising that no studies have examined cross-cultural differences in organizational stressors. One explanation for this is that the Organizational Stressor Indicator for Sport Performers (OSI-SP Arnold, Fletcher, & Daniels, 2013), which can comprehensively measure the organizational pressures that sport performers have encountered, has not yet been translated from English into any other languages nor scrutinized cross-culturally. The first purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the cross-cultural validity of the OSI-SP. In addition, the study aimed to test the equivalence of the OSI-SP's factor structure across cultures. British (n = 379), Chinese (n = 335), and Malaysian (n = 444) sport performers completed the OSI-SP. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the cross-cultural validity of the factorial model for the British and Malaysian s les however, the overall model fit for the Chinese data did not meet all guideline values. Support was provided for the equality of factor loadings, variances, and covariances on the OSI-SP across the British and Malaysian cultures. These findings advance knowledge and understanding on the cross-cultural existence, conceptualization, and operationalization of organizational stressors.
Advancing mental toughness research and theory using personal construct psychology
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2009
Handling effect size dependency in meta-analysis
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 30-06-2021
Implicit theories of mental toughness: Relations with cognitive, motivational, and behavioral correlates
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 05-2015
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000024
Exploring longitudinal measurement invariance and the continuum hypothesis in the Swedish version of the Behavioral Regulation in Sport Questionnaire (BRSQ): An exploratory structural equation modeling approach
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
Team resilience emergence: Perspectives and experiences of military personnel selected for elite military training
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2021
DOI: 10.1002/EJSP.2795
Abstract: We conducted a longitudinal (3‐month) qualitative study to examine elite military personnel's (N = 32) experiences and perspectives of team resilience emergence following two team‐oriented training courses within an 18‐month high‐stakes training programme where personnel are required to operate in newly formed tactical teams for extended periods. Our thematically informed interpretations of the participants’ subjective experiences of reality were constructed according to five key themes: (i) adversity is an enduring, shared experience of an event (ii) in iduals recognise adversity through physiological and/or behavioural states (iii) social resources bind together in idual self‐regulatory capacities when confronted with adversity to support team functioning (iv) shared experiences of adversity and collective structures strengthen social bonds and mental models needed for resilience emergence and (v) behavioural processes and shared states are how collectives turn in idual and team capacities into performance under adversity. These findings provide novel insights that supplement our current understanding of team resilience emergence, including the varying means by which adversity may be collectively experienced, synergies between specific forms of adversity and resilience processes or protective factors, and the unique influence of performance context (e.g., task type).
The Concept of Mental Toughness: Tests of Dimensionality, Nomological Network, and Traitness
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-02-2015
DOI: 10.1111/JOPY.12079
Abstract: Mental toughness has received increased scholarly attention in recent years, yet conceptual issues related to its (a) dimensionality, (b) nomological network, and (c) traitness remain unresolved. The series of studies reported in this article were designed to examine these three substantive issues across several achievement contexts, including sport, education, military, and the workplace. Five studies were conducted to examine these research aims-Study 1: N = 30 Study 2: calibration s le (n = 418), tertiary students (n = 500), athletes (n = 427), and employees (n = 550) Study 3: N = 497 employees Study 4: N = 203 tertiary students Study 5: N = 115 army candidates. Collectively, the results of these studies revealed that mental toughness may be best conceptualized as a unidimensional rather than a multidimensional concept plays an important role in performance, goal progress, and thriving despite stress and can vary and have enduring properties across situations and time. This series of studies provides a foundation for further basic and applied research of mental toughness across various achievement contexts.
Toward a multidimensional model of athletes' commitment to coach-athlete relationships and interdependent sport teams: A substantive-methodological synergy
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 02-2014
Abstract: Drawing from a three-factor model of organizational commitment, we sought to provide validity evidence for a multidimensional conceptualization designed to capture adolescent athletes’ commitment to their coach–athlete relationship or their team. In Study 1, 335 in idual-sport athletes ( M age = 17.32, SD = 1.38) completed instruments assessing affective, normative, and continuance commitment to their relationship with their coach, and in Study 2, contextually modified instruments were administered to assess interdependent-sport athletes’ ( N = 286, M age = 16.31, SD = 1.33) commitment to their team. Bayesian structural equation modeling revealed support for a three-factor (in comparison with a single-factor) model, along with relations between commitment dimensions and relevant correlates (e.g., satisfaction, return intentions, cohesion) that were largely consistent with theory. Guided by recent advancements in Bayesian modeling, these studies provide a new commitment instrument with the potential for use and refinement in team- and relationship-based settings and offer preliminary support for a conceptual framework that may help advance our understanding of the factors underpinning in iduals’ engagement in sport.
Understanding the coach's role in the development of mental toughness: Perspectives of elite australian football coaches
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2009
DOI: 10.1080/02640410903150475
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore elite coaches' perceptions of how they can both facilitate and impede the development of key mental toughness characteristics in the context of Australian football. Eleven coaches from a previous study (Gucciardi, Gordon, & Dimmock, 2008) were re-interviewed and the transcribed verbatim data were analysed using grounded theory data analytical procedures (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). Five categories that appear to be central to the coach's role in the development of mental toughness in Australian football emerged. Four of these categories (coach-athlete relationship, coaching philosophy, training environments, and specific strategies) were said to facilitate the developmental process, whereas the final category (negative experiences and influences) was said to impede this process. A grounded theory in which the aforementioned categories enable coaches to nurture a "generalized form" of mental toughness acquired during one's formative years into a "sport-specific form" pertinent to Australian football is presented. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Team resilience: A scoping review of conceptual and empirical work
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-10-2018
Enhancing functional recovery for young people recovering from first episode psychosis via sport-based life skills training: outcomes of a feasibility and pilot study
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 21-11-2022
A gender-sensitised weight-loss and healthy living program for men with overweight and obesity in Australian Football League settings (Aussie-FIT): A pilot randomised controlled trial
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 06-08-2020
Can an online exercise prescription tool improve adherence to home exercise programmes in children with cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental disabilities? A randomised controlled trial
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 12-2020
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2020-040108
Abstract: Determine the adherence to and effectiveness of an 8-week home exercise programme for children with disabilities delivered using Physitrack, an online exercise prescription tool, compared with traditional paper-based methods. Single-blinded, parallel-groups, randomised controlled trial (RCT). Intervention took place in participants’ homes in Western Australia. Children aged 6 to 17 years, with neurodevelopmental disabilities including cerebral palsy (CP), receiving community therapy services. All participants completed an in idualised home exercise programme, which was delivered to the intervention group using Physitrack and conventional paper-based methods for the control group. Adherence to exercise programme, goal achievement and exercise performance. Enjoyment, confidence and usability of Physitrack. Fifty-four participants with CP (n=37) or other neurodevelopmental disabilities (n=17) were recruited. Fifty-three were randomised after one early withdrawal. Forty-six completed the 8-week programme, with 24 in the intervention group and 22 in the control group. There was no difference between the two groups for percentage of exercises completed (intervention (n=22): 62.8% (SD 27.7), control (n=22): 55.8% (SD 19.4), between group mean difference −7.0% (95% CI: −21.6 to 7.5, p=0.34)). Both groups showed significant improvement in their self-rated performance of in idualised goal activities, however there was no statistically significant difference between groups for goal achievement, quality of exercise performance, enjoyment, confidence or preferred method of delivery. There were no adverse events. Physitrack provides a therapist with a new means of providing an exercise programme with online tools such as exercise videos, but our preliminary findings indicate that it may be no better than a traditional paper-based method for improving exercise adherence or the other outcomes measured. Exercise programmes remain an intervention supported by evidence, but a larger RCT is required to fully evaluate online delivery methods. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616000743460.
Protocol for a gender-sensitised weight loss and healthy living programme for overweight and obese men delivered in Australian football league settings (Aussie-FIT): A feasibility and pilot randomised controlled trial
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 10-2018
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2018-022663
Abstract: Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent among Australian men. Professional sports settings can act as a powerful ‘hook’ to engage men in weight loss programmes the Football Fans in Training programme delivered in professional UK soccer clubs was successful and cost-effective in helping men lose weight. The Australian Football League (AFL) is a potentially attractive setting to engage men in a weight loss programme. We aim to develop, pilot and evaluate the feasibility of a weight loss intervention for overweight/obese middle-aged men, delivered in AFL settings, to promote weight loss and healthier lifestyles and determine its suitability for a future randomised control trial. 120 overweight/obese male fans will complete baseline physical and psychological health measures and objective measures of physical activity (PA), weight, waist size and blood pressure prior to randomisation into the intervention or waitlist comparison group. The intervention group will receive 12 weekly 90 min workshops incorporating PA, nutrition education, behaviour change techniques and principles of effective motivation. Four community coaches will be trained to deliver Aussie-FIT at two AFL clubs in Western Australia. Measurements will be repeated in both groups at 3 months (post-intervention) and 6 months (follow-up). Outcomes will include programme uptake, attendance, changes in lifestyle and weight variables to inform power calculations for a future definitive trial, fidelity of programme delivery, acceptability, satisfaction with the programme and perceptions of effectiveness. We will also determine trial feasibility and potential to gather cost-effectiveness data. Ethics approval was granted by Curtin University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC2017-0458). Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and reports. A multicomponent dissemination strategy will include targeted translation and stakeholder engagement events to establish strategies for sustainability and policy change. ACTRN12617000515392 Pre-results.
Development and preliminary validation of the cricket mental toughness inventory (CMTI)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2009
DOI: 10.1080/02640410903242306
Abstract: The purpose of this research project was to develop a psychometrically sound measure of mental toughness in cricket, using a multi-method research design. Two qualitative studies in which current and former cricketers' (n = 16) perceptions of the key components of mental toughness in cricket and the suitability of an item pool to target those key components (n = 9) were assessed. We then conducted two quantitative studies to examine both the within- and between-network properties of the Cricket Mental Toughness Inventory (CMTI) using confirmatory factor analysis and correlations. Support for the existence of a five-factor, 15-item model was revealed with three independent s les of cricketers two contained cricketers from several different countries (n = 285 and 285), whereas one contained Australian cricketers only (n = 433). Each of the five subscales (affective intelligence, attentional control, resilience, self-belief, and desire to achieve) were positively correlated with dispositional flow, hardiness, and resilience and negatively correlated with athlete burnout. Although requiring replication and extension, the results of the present study provide preliminary support for the factor structure, internal reliability, and construct validity of the CMTI.
Evening electronic device use and sleep patterns in athletes
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 16-10-2018
DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2018.1531499
Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate pre-sleep behaviours (including evening electronic device use) and sleep quantity in well-trained athletes. Seventy well-trained athletes (44 females, 26 males) aged 21 ± 4 y from a range of team and in idual sports were asked to complete an online sleep diary for 7 days. The sleep diary included questions about pre-sleep behaviours (e.g. napping, caffeine intake), electronic device use in the 2 h prior to bedtime (e.g. type of device and duration of use) and sleep (e.g. time in bed, sleep onset latency). On average, athletes spent 8:20 ± 1:21 h in bed each night. Associations between age, time in bed and sleepiness suggested that younger athletes spent more time in bed (B = -0.05, p = 0.001) but felt sleepier (r = -0.32, p < 0.01) than older athletes. On average, athletes mostly used electronic devices for 0-30 min prior to sleep. The use of multiple devices in the evening was associated with more perceived difficulty in falling asleep (B = 0.22, p = 0.03), but no associations existed with other sleep variables. In summary, younger athletes may require later start times or improved sleep quality to resolve excessive sleepiness.
Strengthening resilience in military officer cadets: A group-randomized controlled trial of coping and emotion regulatory self-reflection training
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 29-11-2019
What if it really was an accident? The psychology of unintentional doping
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 21-09-2016
Stress, Physical Activity, and Resilience Resources: Tests of Direct and Moderation Effects in Young Adults
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000152
Military police investigator perspectives of a new self-reflective approach to strengthening resilience: A qualitative study
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 14-08-2019
An examination of the Sport Drug Control Model with elite Australian athletes
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2011.03.009
Abstract: This study presents an opportunistic examination of the theoretical tenets outlined in the Sport Drug Control Model(1) using questionnaire items from a survey of 643 elite Australian athletes. Items in the questionnaire that related to the concepts in the model were identified and structural equation modelling was employed to test the hypothesised model. Morality (cheating), benefit appraisal (performance), and threat appraisal (enforcement) evidenced the strongest relationships with attitude to doping, which in turn was positively associated with doping susceptibility. Self-esteem, perceptions of legitimacy and reference group opinions showed small non-significant associations with attitude to doping. The hypothesised model accounted for 30% and 11% of the variance in attitudes to doping and doping susceptibility, respectively. These present findings provide support for the model even though the questionnaire items were not constructed to specifically measure concepts contained in it. Thus, the model appears useful for understanding influences on doping. Nevertheless, there is a need to further explore in idual and social factors that may influence athletes' use of performance enhancing drugs.
Adolescent performers' perspectives on mental toughness and its development: The utility of the bioecological model
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 09-2014
Abstract: In light of the extant literature, the aim of the current study was to compare adolescents’ perspectives on mental toughness and its development across performance contexts, and to explore if such perspectives align with Bronfenbrenner’s (2001) bioecological model. Eighteen mentally tough adolescents (9 boys, 9 girls, Mage = 15.6 years) from three performance contexts (i.e., sport, academia, and music) participated in focus groups, 7 of whom also participated in follow-up one-to-one interviews. Inductive analyses revealed that mental toughness was conceptualized by 9 personal characteristics, and that while similar across performance contexts, some difference between previous mental toughness conceptualization and the current study existed. Analyses also revealed that mental toughness development was predicated on significant others, supportive social processes, critical incidents, and curiosity. These findings resonated with the properties of the bioecological model. Future research into how bioecological factors combine to facilitate mental toughness development during critical stages of life was suggested.
Effects of a brief action and coping planning intervention on completion of preventive exercises prescribed by a physiotherapist among people with knee pain
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2017.02.008
Abstract: The present study aimed to test the efficacy of action and coping planning in promoting engagement with preventive exercises among a s le of people with knee pain. Experimental trial. In iduals who presented to a physiotherapist with knee pain (N=373, 57% female M age=31.54, SD=10.06, age range=18-69 years) completed two assessments separated by 14 days. At baseline, participants completed measures of severity of problems associated with the knee (e.g., pain, symptoms) and past behavior. Subsequently, participants were randomly assigned to an action and coping planning or control group. Two weeks later, participants retrospectively reported their preventive exercise behavior over the past 14 days. Analyses revealed that the experimental group reported a higher number of preventive exercise sessions over the 14day period when compared with the control group. Participants who planned action and coping strategies reported a greater frequency of completed preventive exercises over a 2-week period than people who did not. The results of this study underscore the importance of action and coping planning for the enactment of preventive exercises that are designed to manage or prevent knee pain.
Evaluating the effectiveness of home exercise programmes using an online exercise prescription tool in children with cerebral palsy: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 2018
Controlling coaching and athlete thriving in elite adolescent netballers: The buffering effect of athletes’ mental toughness
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2017.02.007
Abstract: The purposes of this study were to examine the association between controlling coach behaviours and athlete experiences of thriving and test the buffering effect of mental toughness on this relation. A cross-sectional survey. In total, 232 female netballers aged 11 to 17 years (14.97+1.52) with between 1 and 15 years of experience in their sport (7.50+2.28) completed measures of controlling coach interpersonal style, mental toughness and thriving. Latent moderated structural models indicated that (i) controlling coach behaviours were inversely related with experiences of vitality and learning (ii) mental toughness was positively associated with psychological experiences of both dimensions of thriving and (iii) mental toughness moderated the effect of coach's controlling interpersonal style on learning but not vitality experiences, such that the effect was weaker for in iduals who reported higher levels of mental toughness. This study extends past work and theory to show that mental toughness may enable athletes to counteract the potentially deleterious effect of controlling coach interpersonal styles.
Goal motives and mental contrasting with implementation intentions facilitate strategic goal persistence and disengagement
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-08-2022
DOI: 10.1111/JASP.12915
Abstract: In three experiments, we examine the role of motives underlying goal pursuit and the metacognitive strategy of mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) to predict the strategic use of self‐regulation responses (persistence, disengagement, and reengagement) when faced with attainable, unattainable, or multiple goals. We trained half of the participants to use MCII and treated the rest as control. Experiment 1 ( N = 261) underscored the role of autonomous motivation in nurturing adaptive cognitive appraisals and coping mechanisms, which facilitated persistence and progress with a difficult but attainable goal. In contrast, controlled motives undermined striving by predicting threat appraisals and giving up coping. MCII training ameliorated the negative impact of controlled motivation on goal striving by reducing threat appraisals. In Experiment 2 ( N = 391), we manipulated the task to make the initial goal unattainable. Strategic goal striving (disengagement from the unattainable goal followed by reengagement with an alternative goal) was facilitated by MCII and autonomous goal motives, and culminated in increases in positive affect. In Experiment 3 ( N = 432), we extended these findings to a multiple‐goal setting. The research further develops the literatures on self‐regulation and self‐determination, while having implications for life domains where in iduals pursue multiple and/or difficult goals.
Mindfulness and Burnout in Elite Junior Athletes: The Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-03-2016
Substandard and Falsified Medicines: Proposed Methods for Case Finding and Sentinel Surveillance
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 16-08-2021
DOI: 10.2196/29309
Abstract: The World Health Organization and others warn that substandard and falsified medicines harm health and waste money, especially in low- and middle-income countries. However, no country has measured the market-wide extent of the problem, and no standardized methods exist to estimate the prevalence of either substandard or falsified medicines. This is, in part, because the task seems overwhelming medicine markets are huge and erse, and testing medicines is expensive. Many countries do operate some form of postmarket surveillance of medicine, but their methods and goals differ. There is currently no clear guidance on which surveillance method is most appropriate to meet specific public health goals. In this viewpoint, we aimed to discuss the utility of both case finding and risk-based sentinel surveillance for substandard and falsified medicines, linking each to specific public health goals. We posit that choosing the system most appropriate to the goal, as well as implementing it with a clear understanding of the factors driving the production and sale of substandard and falsified medicines, will allow for surveillance resources to be concentrated most efficiently. We adapted principles used for disease outbreak responses to suggest a case-finding system that uses secondary data to flag poor-quality medicines, proposing risk-based indicators that differ for substandard and falsified medicines. This system potentially offers a cost-effective way of identifying “cases” for market withdrawal, enhanced oversight, or another immediate response. We further proposed a risk-based sentinel surveillance system that concentrates resources on measuring the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines in the risk clusters where they are most likely to be found. The sentinel surveillance system provides base data for a transparent, spreadsheet-based model for estimating the national prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines. The methods we proposed are based on ongoing work in Indonesia, a large and erse middle-income country currently aiming to achieve universal health coverage. Both the case finding and the sentinel surveillance system are designed to be adaptable to other resource-constrained settings.
Development and preliminary validation of a mental toughness inventory for Australian football
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2009
Commentary: Mental toughness and individual differences in learning, educational and work performance, psychological well-being, and personality: A systematic review
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 09-01-2018
Validating a measure of life satisfaction in older adolescents and testing invariance across time and gender
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
Mental toughness as a psychological determinant of behavioral perseverance in special forces selection.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 02-2021
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000208
Adapting a behavioral coaching framework for mental toughness development
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 23-05-2018
Mental toughness: progress and prospects
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.COPSYC.2017.03.010
Abstract: Mental toughness (MT) has become a popular area of investigation and practice within sport and exercise psychology over the past two decades. Since the turn of the twenty first century, there have been hundreds of studies published on mental toughness, yet concerns remain about the conceptualisation and measurement of mental toughness. In this paper, I take stock of past work with the goal of clarifying and elaborating the most fundamental and common aspects of MT. I also look to the future and outline key substantive and methodological issues that may offer the greatest potential for refining the conceptualisation of MT and contributing to theory building on this concept. My hope is that this information will provide a platform from which to foster coherent and systematic scholarly work on MT.
Are mental toughness and mental health contradictory concepts in elite sport? A narrative review of theory and evidence
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2016.08.006
Abstract: Athlete development and management encompass a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Within elite sport, multidisciplinary sport science and medicine teams play an important role in achieving an optimal balance between preventing athlete ill-health and optimizing health and performance. The psychological aspects of athlete health and performance have gained increased attention over the past two decades, with much of this research concerned with the mental health of athletes and the concept of mental toughness. Recently, it was proposed that mental health and mental toughness are contradictory concepts in the world of elite sport. Although an interesting proposition, this claim was not substantiated. Thus, the purpose of this narrative review was to evaluate theory and evidence regarding the thesis that mental health and mental toughness are contradictory concepts in the world of elite sport, with the view to advance scholarly knowledge and inform professional practice. Narrative review. A critical evaluation of this literature suggests that mental toughness may represent a positive indicator of mental health, or facilitate its attainment, rather than be at odds with it. When implemented alongside multilayered approaches to organizational change (e.g., group structures, policies), mental toughness could be used as a 'hook' to attract athletes into settings that can open dialogue on the importance of mental health and improve knowledge of key issues (e.g., stigma, symptoms).
Enhancing shared mental models: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000288
Evaluation of a mental toughness training program for youth-aged Australian footballers: I. A quantitative analysis
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-08-2009
Longitudinal associations between exercise identity and exercise motivation: A multilevel growth curve model approach
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-08-2018
DOI: 10.1111/SMS.12951
Abstract: Past work linking exercise identity and exercise motivation has been cross-sectional. This is the first study to model the relations between different types of exercise identity and exercise motivation longitudinally. Understanding the dynamic associations between these sets of variables has implications for theory development and applied research. This was a longitudinal survey study. Participants were 180 exercisers (79 men, 101 women) from Greece, who were recruited from fitness centers and were asked to complete questionnaires assessing exercise identity (exercise beliefs and role-identity) and exercise motivation (intrinsic, identified, introjected, external motivation, and amotivation) three times within a 6 month period. Multilevel growth curve modeling examined the role of motivational regulations as within- and between-level predictors of exercise identity, and a model in which exercise identity predicted exercise motivation at the within- and between-person levels. Results showed that within-person changes in intrinsic motivation, introjected, and identified regulations were positively and reciprocally related to within-person changes in exercise beliefs intrinsic motivation was also a positive predictor of within-person changes in role-identity but not vice versa. Between-person differences in the means of predictor variables were predictive of initial levels and average rates of change in the outcome variables. The findings show support to the proposition that a strong exercise identity (particularly exercise beliefs) can foster motivation for behaviors that reinforce this identity. We also demonstrate that such relations can be reciprocal overtime and can depend on the type of motivation in question as well as between-person differences in absolute levels of these variables.
Intraindividual variability in sleep among athletes: A systematic review of definitions, operationalizations, and key correlates
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-07-2023
DOI: 10.1111/SMS.14453
Abstract: Via systematic review with narrative synthesis of findings, we aimed to document the ways by which researchers have defined, operationalized, and examined sleep variability among athletes. We identified studies in which scholars examined intraperson variability in sleep among athletes via a search of six databases (Web of Science, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, CINHAL Plus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global) using a protocol that included keywords for the target outcome (sleep*), population (athlet* OR sport*), and outcome operationalization (variability OR variation OR “standard deviation” OR fluctuate OR fluctuation OR stability OR instability OR reactivity OR IIV OR intrain idual). We complemented this primary search with citation searching of eligible articles. Assessments of study quality captured eight core elements, namely aims/hypotheses, s le size justification, s le representativeness, number of days sleep assessed, measures of sleep and its correlates, missing data, and inferences and conclusions. From a total of 1209 potentially relevant papers, we identified 16 studies as meeting our eligibility criteria. Concept definitions of variability were notably absent from this work and where available were vague. Quantitative deviations from one's typical level of target sleep metrics reflected the essence by which all but one of the research teams operationalized sleep variability. We assessed the overall quality of empirical work as moderate in nature. We propose a working definition of sleep variability that can inform knowledge generation on the temporal, day‐to‐day dynamics of sleep functioning that is required for personalized interventions for optimizing sleep health.
Understanding sport continuation: An integration of the theories of planned behaviour and basic psychological needs
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2013.11.011
Abstract: Fostering in iduals' long-term participation in activities that promote positive development such as organised sport is an important agenda for research and practice. We integrated the theories of planned behaviour (TPB) and basic psychological needs (BPN) to identify factors associated with young adults' continuation in organised sport over a 12-month period. Prospective study, including an online psycho-social assessment at Time 1 and an assessment of continuation in sport approximately 12 months later. Participants (N=292) aged between 17 and 21 years (M=18.03 SD=1.29) completed an online survey assessing the theories of planned behaviour and basic psychological needs constructs. Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM) was employed to test the hypothesised theoretical sequence, using informative priors for structural relations based on empirical and theoretical expectations. The analyses revealed support for the robustness of the hypothesised theoretical model in terms of the pattern of relations as well as the direction and strength of associations among the constructs derived from quantitative summaries of existing research and theoretical expectations. The satisfaction of basic psychological needs was associated with more positive attitudes, higher levels of perceived behavioural control, and more favourable subjective norms positive attitudes and perceived behavioural control were associated with higher behavioural intentions and both intentions and perceived behavioural control predicted sport continuation. This study demonstrated the utility of Bayesian structural equation modelling for testing the robustness of an integrated theoretical model, which is informed by empirical evidence from meta-analyses and theoretical expectations, for understanding sport continuation.
Personality traits and relationship perceptions in coach-athlete dyads: Do opposites really attract?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2011
Mental toughness profiles and their relations with achievement goals and sport motivation in adolescent Australian footballers
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2010
DOI: 10.1080/02640410903582792
Abstract: The aims of this study were to identify the mental toughness profiles of adolescent Australian footballers and to explore the relations between the mental toughness clusters and achievement goals and sport motivation. A total of 214 non-elite, male Australian footballers aged 16-18 years (mean = 16.8, s = 0.7) provided self-reports of mental toughness, achievement goals, and sport motivation. Cluster analysis supported the presence of two-groups in which players evidenced moderate and high levels of all four mental toughness subscales. Significant multivariate effects were observed for achievement goals and sport motivation with the high mental toughness group favouring both mastery- and performance-approach goals and self-determined as well as extrinsic motivational tendencies. The results suggest that adolescent Australian footballers' self-perceptions of mental toughness fall within two clusters involving high and moderate forms of all four components, and that these profiles show varying relations with achievement goals (particularly mastery-approach) and sport motivation.
Relationship commitment in athletic dyads: Actor and partner effects for Big Five self- and other-ratings
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2010
Implementing an Autonomy-Supportive Intervention to Develop Mental Toughness in Adolescent Rowers
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-10-2016
A strengths-based approach to coaching mental toughness
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-2011
Mental toughness in sport: Motivational antecedents and associations with performance and psychological health
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 06-2014
Abstract: We argue that basic psychological needs theory (BPNT) offers impetus to the value of mental toughness as a mechanism for optimizing human functioning. We hypothesized that psychological needs satisfaction (thwarting) would be associated with higher (lower) levels of mental toughness, positive affect, and performance and lower (higher) levels of negative affect. We also expected that mental toughness would be associated with higher levels of positive affect and performance and lower levels of negative affect. Further, we predicted that coaching environments would be related to mental toughness indirectly through psychological needs and that psychological needs would indirectly relate with performance and affect through mental toughness. Adolescent cross-country runners (136 male and 85 female, M age = 14.36) completed questionnaires pertaining to BPNT variables, mental toughness, and affect. Race times were also collected. Our findings supported our hypotheses. We concluded that BPNT is generative in understanding some of the antecedents and consequences of mental toughness and is a novel framework useful for understanding mental toughness.
Is sport an untapped resource for recovery from first episode psychosis? A narrative review and call to action
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-07-2019
DOI: 10.1111/EIP.12720
Abstract: The objective of this narrative review is to address the question: Should sport-based life skills interventions be developed for young people recovering from first episode psychosis? A prose was developed through a broad, critical narrative review of literatures on (1) first episode psychosis recovery (FEP) and (2) life skills and sport, highlighting the conceptual (and limited empirical) links between the two. This style of review allowed for a critical examination of evidence from seemingly distinct literatures to address a question yet to be explored empirically. The review process highlighted important overlaps between psychosis recovery and sport. A review of the FEP recovery literature reveals that important components of an in idual's recovery following a psychotic episode are: (1) physical activity, (2) opportunities to build life skills, and (3) social connectivity. A review of the sport and life skills literature suggests that sport can be a powerful platform from which to: (1) promote physical activity, (2) teach life skills, and (3) foster social connectivity within vulnerable populations. Despite the clear links between the two fields, mental health interventions that combine both life skills training components and physical activity in a context that promotes social connectivity are scarce to none. We suggest that sport-based interventions could be an opportunity to provide life skills training, social connectivity and physical activity opportunities in one intervention to in iduals recovering from their first psychotic episode. We call for their development, and provide empirically-based recommendations for intervention design.
The effectiveness of stress regulation interventions with athletes: A systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 28-09-2021
The motivational antecedents of the development of mental toughness: a self-determination theory perspective
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2014
Personality in sport and exercise psychology: Integrating a whole person perspective
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 17-03-2016
A meta-analytic test of trust formation and development in swift starting action teams.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000298
Biomechanically-Informed Training: The Four Pillars for Knee and ACL Injury Prevention Built Upon Behavior Change and Motivation Principles
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 28-06-2020
DOI: 10.3390/APP10134470
Abstract: Injury prevention frameworks are critical for preventing musculoskeletal injury and improving rehabilitation outcomes. However, their relative successes in translation arguably rely on two interlinked components: (1) the quality of the empirical evidence used to develop the intervention (content), and (2) the effective application of behavior change and motivation principles to optimise participant adherence and engagement (delivery). The purpose of this commentary is to develop an injury prevention and rehabilitation framework using the best available physics-based simulation, biomechanics, and behavior change research. The intervention as a whole is entitled biomechanically-informed training (BIT). While investigators have previously examined the relative merits of different training genres (e.g., plyometric, balance, resistance), what makes BIT novel is that it explicitly targets the biomechanical mechanisms that mitigate musculoskeletal injury risk (i.e., force) in ways that are underpinned by established behavior change principles. The four pillars of BIT refer to focused exercise use, irrespective of the training genre, to improve an in idual’s: (1) knee flexion dynamics, (2) dynamic trunk control, (3) gastrocnemius muscle strength, and (4) hip muscular strength. We also present experimental data from two independent training studies verifying the efficacy of BIT for the prevention of knee and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
Evaluation of a mental toughness training program for youth-aged Australian footballers: II. A qualitative analysis
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-08-2009
The development of a sport-based life skills program for young people with first episode psychosis: An intervention mapping approach
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
The role of the athletes’ entourage on attitudes to doping
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 31-07-2019
DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2019.1643648
Abstract: The present study investigated athletes' and coaches' beliefs about the role of athletes' entourage in deterring or promoting doping. Competitive athletes and coaches in Greece and Australia took part in semi-structured interviews. Our analysis of the interviews produced five main themes: coach influence, peer influence, doping stance, doping stigma, and entourage's culture. Overall, coaches and peers having a close and trusty relationship with the athletes were considered most influential with respect to doping-related decisions. The majority of the athletes held a strong anti-doping stance but could not articulate why they held this position. This inability could be ascribed to the stigmatization of doping which led to lack of knowledge and anti-doping education. Finally, an anti-doping culture in the athletes' environment was considered central to an anti-doping stance. The study findings provide valuable information towards a comprehensive understanding of the role athletes' entourage can play in shaping athletes' attitudes and decision for doping.
Challenges in maintaining medicine quality while aiming for universal health coverage: a qualitative analysis from Indonesia
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 05-2021
DOI: 10.1136/BMJGH-2020-003663
Abstract: Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation, is close to achieving universal health coverage (UHC). A widely-publicised falsified vaccine case in 2016, coupled with a significant financial deficit in the national insurance system, has contributed to concern that the rapid scale-up of UHC might undermine medicine quality. We investigated the political and economic factors that drive production and trade of poor-quality medicines in Indonesia. We reviewed academic publications, government regulations, technical agency documents and news reports to develop a semi-structured questionnaire. We interviewed healthcare providers, policy-makers, medicine regulators, pharmaceutical manufacturers, patients and academics (n=31). We included those with in-depth knowledge about the falsified vaccine case or the pharmaceutical business, medicine regulation, prescribing practice and the implementation of UHC. We coded data using NVivo software and analysed by constant comparative method. The scale-up of UHC has cut revenues for physicians and pharmaceutical manufacturers. In the vaccine case, free, quality-assured vaccines were available but some physicians, seeking extra revenue, promoted expensive alternatives. Taking advantage of poor governance in private hospitals, they purchased cut-price ‘vaccines’ from freelance salespeople. A single-winner public procurement system which does not explicitly consider quality has slashed the price paid for covered medicines. Trade, industrial and religious policies simultaneously increased production costs, pressuring profit margins for manufacturers and distributors. They reacted by cutting costs (potentially threatening quality) or by market withdrawal (leading to shortages which provide a market for falsifiers). Shortages and physician-promoted irrational demand push patients to buy medicines in unregulated channels, increasing exposure to falsified medicines. Market factors, including political pressure to reduce medicine prices and healthcare provider incentives, can drive markets for substandard and falsified medicines. To protect progress towards UHC, policy-makers must consider the potential impact on medicine quality when formulating rules governing health financing, procurement, taxation and industry.
Motivational correlates of mentally tough behaviours in tennis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2013.11.009
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine motivational correlates of mentally tough behaviours among adolescent tennis players. Two-phase study, involving the development of an informant-rated measure of mentally tough behaviours, followed by a cross-sectional survey including athlete and parent assessments of study variables. In Phase One, 17 adult, high-performance tennis coaches and 20 athletes participated in focus group interviews. Four scholars with expertise in performance psychology also completed a short, online survey. In Phase Two, a total of 347 adolescent tennis players (nmales=184 nfemales=163) aged 12-18 years (M=13.93, SD=1.47) and one respective parent took part in this study. An online multisection survey containing dimensions of passion, inspiration, fear of failure, and mentally tough behaviours was completed. Athletes self-reported all motivational variables, whereas parents rated their child solely on mentally tough behaviours. Structural equation modelling revealed that harmonious passion (β=.26, p<.01) and frequency of inspiration (β=.32, p<.001) were associated with significantly higher levels of mentally tough behaviours. In contrast, fear of failure (β=-.32, p<.001) and obsessive passion (β=-.15, p<.01) were inversely related to mentally tough behaviours. Inspiration intensity was not significantly associated with mentally tough behaviour (β=.13, p=.21). Motivational variables that are dispositional in nature, contextualised and contingent upon features of the environment, and concern one's identity are important considerations for understanding mentally tough behaviours.
Quantifying the Effect of Monitor Wear Time and Monitor Type on the Estimate of Sedentary Time in People with COPD: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 04-2022
DOI: 10.3390/JCM11071980
Abstract: In studies that have reported device-based measures of sedentary time (ST) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we explored if the monitor type and monitor wear time moderated the estimate of this measure. Five electronic databases were searched in January 2021. Studies were included if % of participants had stable COPD, and measures of ST (min/day) were collected using wearable technology. Meta-regression was used to examine the influence of moderators on ST, monitor type, and wear time. The studies identified were a total of 1153, and 36 had usable data for meta-analyses. The overall pooled estimate of ST (mean [95% CI]) was 524 min/day [482 to 566] with moderate heterogeneity among effect sizes (I2 = 42%). Monitor wear time, as well as the interaction of monitor wear time and monitor type, were moderators of ST (p 0.001). The largest difference (−318 min 95% CI [−212 to −424]) was seen between studies where participants wore a device without a thigh inclinometer for 24 h (and removed sleep during analysis) (675 min, 95% CI [589 to 752]) and studies where participants wore a device with a thigh inclinometer for 12 h only (356 min 95% CI [284 to 430]). In people with COPD, the monitor wear time and the interaction of the monitor wear time and the monitor type moderated the estimate of ST.
High-Intensity Interval Training Is Effective at Increasing Exercise Endurance Capacity and Is Well Tolerated by Adults with Cystic Fibrosis
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 25-09-2020
DOI: 10.3390/JCM9103098
Abstract: Background: To optimize outcomes in people with cystic fibrosis (CF), guidelines recommend 30 to 60 min of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on most days. Accumulating this volume of exercise contributes importantly to the substantial treatment burden associated with CF. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of low-volume high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on exercise capacity in people with CF. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included people with CF aged ≥15 years, who were allocated to either eight weeks of thrice-weekly 10-min sessions of HIIT (experimental group) or eight weeks of weekly contact (control group). Before and after the intervention period, participants completed measurements of time to symptom limitation (Tlim) during a constant work rate cycle ergometry test (primary outcome), and maximal work rate (Wmax) during a r -based cycle ergometry test and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Results: Fourteen participants (median (IQR) age 31 (28, 35) years, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) 61 (45, 80) % predicted) were included (seven in each group). Compared to the control group, participants in the experimental group demonstrated a greater magnitude of change in Tlim, Wmax (p = 0.017 for both) and in the physical function domain of HRQoL (p = 0.03). No other between-group differences were demonstrated. Mild post-exercise muscle soreness was reported on a single occasion by four participants. Overall, participants attended 93% of all HIIT sessions. Discussion: Eight weeks of low-volume (i.e., 30-min/week) HIIT produced gains in exercise capacity and self-reported physical function and was well tolerated by people with CF.
On nomological validity and auxiliary assumptions: The importance of simultaneously testing effects in social cognitive theories applied to health behavior and some guidelines
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 03-11-2017
Cross-cultural invariance of the mental toughness inventory among Australian, Chinese, and Malaysian athletes: A Bayesian estimation approach
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 04-2016
Abstract: The aims of this study were to assess the cross-cultural invariance of athletes’ self-reports of mental toughness and to introduce and illustrate the application of approximate measurement invariance using Bayesian estimation for sport and exercise psychology scholars. Athletes from Australia ( n = 353, M age = 19.13, SD = 3.27, men = 161), China ( n = 254, M age = 17.82, SD = 2.28, men = 138), and Malaysia ( n = 341, M age = 19.13, SD = 3.27, men = 200) provided a cross-sectional snapshot of their mental toughness. The cross-cultural invariance of the mental toughness inventory in terms of (a) the factor structure (configural invariance), (b) factor loadings (metric invariance), and (c) item intercepts (scalar invariance) was tested using an approximate measurement framework with Bayesian estimation. Results indicated that approximate metric and scalar invariance was established. From a methodological standpoint, this study demonstrated the usefulness and flexibility of Bayesian estimation for single-s le and multigroup analyses of measurement instruments. Substantively, the current findings suggest that the measurement of mental toughness requires cultural adjustments to better capture the contextually salient (emic) aspects of this concept.
Stress, Depressive Symptoms, and Maternal Self-Efficacy in First-Time Mothers: Modelling and Predicting Change across the First Six Months of Motherhood
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-10-2018
DOI: 10.1111/APHW.12147
Abstract: First-time mothers commonly experience stress and depressive symptoms in the postpartum period. Maternal self-efficacy has been shown to be an important protective factor against these experiences however, research on the dynamic nature of stress, depressive symptoms, and maternal self-efficacy is limited. The aim of this study was to document changes in these psychological factors among first-time mothers, and determine how early maternal self-efficacy perceptions may predict change in stress and depressive symptoms over the first 6 months postpartum. Sixty first-time Australian mothers were recruited during their third trimester of pregnancy. Participants completed a baseline survey during the third trimester of pregnancy (M = 32.87 weeks, SD = 2.62 weeks), and subsequently reported stress, depressive symptoms, and maternal self-efficacy every 3 weeks postpartum for 6 months. Latent growth curve modelling was used to estimate participants' change over time for stress and depressive symptoms. First-time mothers' stress and depressive symptoms peaked, and maternal self-efficacy was weakest, at 3 weeks postpartum. Maternal self-efficacy at 3 weeks postpartum was a significant (negative) predictor of 3-week levels of, and also (positively) predicted later reductions in, stress. Future interventions aimed at bolstering early maternal self-efficacy may protect against postpartum stress for first-time mothers.
Do factors related to participation in physical activity change following restrictive bariatric surgery? A qualitative study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.ORCP.2017.11.001
Abstract: To explore participants' ability to participate in physical activity (PA), and barriers and facilitators to PA, at 12 months following restrictive bariatric surgery, and how these differed from participants' pre-surgery perceptions. Motivators for PA post-surgery were also explored. Qualitative one-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted pre- and 12 months post-surgery. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Fourteen adults (12 females), with a mean (range) age of 41.4 years (25.0-56.0), body mass index (BMI) of 31.7kg/m At 12 months following surgery, many participants reported residual obesity and non-obesity related barriers to PA. These barriers may explain the small, if any, pre- to post-surgery change in PA levels reported by earlier research. Facilitators to PA did not change and post-surgery motivators for PA were mostly esteem-related. These data are relevant to shape interventions aimed at optimising PA in this population.
General Self-Efficacy and Psychological Resilience Promote Skill Acquisition Rate Under Psychological Pressure
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1017/ORP.2017.3
Abstract: This study extends the limited body of research exploring the association between psychological resources and performance under pressure. It was anticipated that participants’ general self-efficacy and resilience would positively influence skill acquisition rate more under high pressure, than low pressure. Eighty-one undergraduate students ( M age = 22.93 SD = 7.53 50.6% female) participated in a learning task: to fly a flight simulator. The within-subjects variable was the participant's ability to steadily control the aircraft roll across six trials. Psychological pressure was manipulated between-subjects and general self-efficacy and resilience were measured moderator variables. Findings indicated that under high pressure, higher levels of general self-efficacy and perceived resilience predicted faster initial skill acquisition compared to those with lower levels of these resources. In contrast, in the low-pressure condition, the skill acquisition rate was the same irrespective of psychological resources. This research highlights the importance of psychological resources in pressured training contexts.
Postnatal Exercise Partners Study (PEEPS): a pilot randomized trial of a dyadic physical activity intervention for postpartum mothers and a significant other
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2021
Does social desirability influence the relationship between doping attitudes and doping susceptibility in athletes?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2010
Methods Used to Evaluate the Immediate Effects of Airway Clearance Techniques in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-11-2021
DOI: 10.3390/JCM10225280
Abstract: This review reports on methods used to evaluate airway clearance techniques (ACT) in adults with CF and examined data for evidence of any effect. Sixty-eight studies described ACT in adequate detail and were included in this review. Frequently reported outcomes were sputum expectoration (72%) and spirometric lung function (60%). Compared with cough alone, following any ACT, there was a trend for greater sputum wet weight, however FEV1 was not different. The mean (95% CI) within-group effect for sputum wet weight following any ACT was 12.43 g (9.28 to 15.58) (n = 30 studies) and for FEV1 was 0.03 L (−0.17 to 0.24) (n = 14 studies). Meta-regression demonstrated that, when compared with cough alone, greater sputum wet weight was reported in groups that received additional ACT by between 2.45 and 3.94 g (F3,66 = 2.97, p = 0.04). These data suggest the addition of ACT to cough alone may optimise sputum clearance however, FEV1 lacked sensitivity to detect this change. Importantly, this review highlights the lack of appropriate measures to assess ACT efficacy.
Stressor reflections, sleep, and psychological well‐being: A pre‐registered experimental test of self‐distanced versus self‐immersed reflections
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-09-2022
DOI: 10.1002/SMI.3201
Abstract: Evidence supports the effectiveness of cuing people to analyse negative autobiographical experiences from self‐distanced rather than self‐immersed perspectives. However, the evidence on which this expectation resides is limited largely to static snapshots of mean levels of cognitive and emotional factors. Via a pre‐registered, randomised controlled trial ( N = 257), we examined the differential effectiveness of self‐distanced relative to self‐immersed reflections on mean levels and within‐person variability of sleep duration and quality as well as psychological well‐being over a 5‐day working week. Except for sleep quality, we found that reflecting from a psychologically distanced perspective, overall, was no more effective for mean levels and within‐person variability of sleep duration, well‐being, and stress‐related factors than when the current self is fully immersed in the experiential reality of the event. We consider several substantive and methodological considerations (e.g., dosage, salience of stressor event) that require interrogation in future research via experimental and longitudinal observational methods.
Comitment in sport and exercise: Implications for individual, group, and organizational functioning
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 14-10-2016
Beliefs, Barriers and Facilitators to Physical Activity in Bariatric Surgery Candidates
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1007/S11695-015-1867-4
Abstract: Bariatric surgery candidates engage in less physical activity (PA) and spend longer periods in sedentary behaviour (SB) when compared to the general adult population. The aim of this study was to explore the beliefs about PA and perceived barriers and facilitators to PA in obese adults scheduled for bariatric surgery. Nineteen obese adults (15 females), with a mean (SD) age of 41.6 (12.1) years, weight of 119.2 (20.5) kg and body mass index of 41.6 (6.7) kg/m(2) participated in a one-on-one in-depth qualitative interview before undergoing bariatric surgery. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Most participants believed that engaging in regular PA confers important health benefits, however reported insufficient PA levels to obtain those benefits. The perceived barriers to PA reported by participants were both obesity related (e.g. bodily pain, physical limitation and self-presentational concerns) and non-obesity related (e.g. lack of motivation, environment and restricted resources). All participants stated weight loss to be the main perceived facilitator to PA, together with social factors, better time management and access to financial resources. In bariatric surgery candidates, many of the perceived barriers and facilitators to PA are not obesity related and are therefore unlikely to change as a result of bariatric surgery. This may explain why earlier research shows little change in PA or SB following surgery. It is likely that an approach that aims to address the barriers and facilitators identified in this study is needed to change the inactive lifestyle adopted in this population.
A qualitative exploration of mentally tough behaviour in Australian football
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 29-11-2020
DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2019.1698002
Abstract: The primary aim of this research was to generate insight into observable mentally tough behaviours, or MTb, across different contexts (e.g., training and competition) in an Australian football (AF) environment. A second aim of this research was to explore the utility of MTb as a distinct concept, and identify common behavioural qualities associated with MTb that separate it from other similar constructs. In total, 10 experienced full-time football operations staff were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide, with inductive thematic analysis employed to analyse the data. Five main themes relating to MTb were identified: adaptive development, consistent training conduct, composed performance actions, responsible and accountable, and team supportive. Overall, the findings of the research provided preliminary support for the proposition that there exists a collection of MTb that are displayed more frequently by athletes considered to possess high levels of mental toughness compared to athletes who are perceived to have low levels of this psychological capacity. We propose a collection of necessary and sufficient behavioural qualities and a working definition of MTb to further our understanding of potential strategies to develop MT.
Autonomous motivation promotes goal attainment through the conscious investment of effort, but mental contrasting with implementation intentions makes goal striving easier
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2023
Identification of factors influencing patient satisfaction with orthopaedic outpatient clinic consultation: A qualitative study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.MATH.2016.05.334
Abstract: In recent years, new models of health service delivery in orthopaedic outpatient clinics, including physiotherapists working in orthopaedic triage roles, have become increasingly common. Evaluation of patient satisfaction with orthopaedic clinic services is dependent on an understanding of factors influencing patient satisfaction in this clinical context. The objective of this study was to identify the factors influencing patient satisfaction with orthopaedic outpatient clinic services. A cross-sectional, qualitative design including focus groups and interviews. Interviews and focus group sessions were undertaken with 36 participants representing patients, health professionals and clinical support staff in an orthopaedic outpatient clinic. Interviews and focus groups provided a rich narrative which was subjected to a process of thematic analysis. The analysis identified seven themes influencing patient satisfaction with orthopaedic clinic assessment. These themes were clinic waiting time, clinical contact time, trust, empathy, communication, expectation and relatedness. Understanding factors influencing patient satisfaction is important to inform organisational and clinical processes that aim to foster high levels of patient satisfaction. Clinician awareness of the interpersonal issues which dominate stakeholders' perspectives of patient satisfaction may improve the patient experience and potentially foster patient behaviours toward a therapeutic advantage. An understanding of these factors in the context of orthopaedic clinics is also important in the development of questionnaires designed to evaluate patient satisfaction with health service delivery.
Understanding mental toughness in Australian soccer: Perceptions of players, parents, and coaches
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 05-2010
DOI: 10.1080/02640411003734085
Abstract: We explored mental toughness in soccer using a triangulation of data capture involving players (n = 6), coaches (n = 4), and parents (n = 5). Semi-structured interviews, based on a personal construct psychology (Kelly, 1955/1991) framework, were conducted to elicit participants' perspectives on the key characteristics and their contrasts, situations demanding mental toughness, and the behaviours displayed and cognitions employed by mentally tough soccer players. The results from the research provided further evidence that mental toughness is conceptually distinct from other psychological constructs such as hardiness. The findings also supported Gucciardi, Gordon, and Dimmock's (2009) process model of mental toughness. A winning mentality and desire was identified as a key attribute of mentally tough soccer players in addition to other previously reported qualities such as self-belief, physical toughness, work ethic/motivation, and resilience. Key cognitions reported by mentally tough soccer players enabled them to remain focused and competitive during training and matches and highlighted the adoption of several forms of self-talk in dealing with challenging situations. Minor revisions to Gucciardi and colleagues' definition of mental toughness are proposed.
Examining the roles of experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion on the effects from mindfulness to athlete burnout: A longitudinal study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2023
Substandard and Falsified Medicines: Proposed Methods for Case Finding and Sentinel Surveillance (Preprint)
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 04-2021
Abstract: he World Health Organization and others warn that substandard and falsified medicines harm health and waste money, especially in low- and middle-income countries. However, no country has measured the market-wide extent of the problem, and no standardized methods exist to estimate the prevalence of either substandard or falsified medicines. This is, in part, because the task seems overwhelming medicine markets are huge and erse, and testing medicines is expensive. Many countries do operate some form of postmarket surveillance of medicine, but their methods and goals differ. There is currently no clear guidance on which surveillance method is most appropriate to meet specific public health goals. In this viewpoint, we aimed to discuss the utility of both case finding and risk-based sentinel surveillance for substandard and falsified medicines, linking each to specific public health goals. We posit that choosing the system most appropriate to the goal, as well as implementing it with a clear understanding of the factors driving the production and sale of substandard and falsified medicines, will allow for surveillance resources to be concentrated most efficiently. We adapted principles used for disease outbreak responses to suggest a case-finding system that uses secondary data to flag poor-quality medicines, proposing risk-based indicators that differ for substandard and falsified medicines. This system potentially offers a cost-effective way of identifying “cases” for market withdrawal, enhanced oversight, or another immediate response. We further proposed a risk-based sentinel surveillance system that concentrates resources on measuring the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines in the risk clusters where they are most likely to be found. The sentinel surveillance system provides base data for a transparent, spreadsheet-based model for estimating the national prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines. The methods we proposed are based on ongoing work in Indonesia, a large and erse middle-income country currently aiming to achieve universal health coverage. Both the case finding and the sentinel surveillance system are designed to be adaptable to other resource-constrained settings.
Do developmental differences in mental toughness exist between specialized and invested Australian footballers?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2009
Mental toughness and behavioural perseverance: A conceptual replication and extension
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2017.10.036
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to conduct a conceptual replication of the proposition that mental toughness is associated positively with behavioural perseverance. Repeated-measures design. In total, 38 male Australian rules footballers took part in this study (age, 21±3 y mass, 82.7±11.0kg height, 1.84±.07m football experience, 13±4 y). Participants self-reported mental toughness approximately one week prior to their first testing session where we assessed their aerobic capacity via the measurement of peak oxygen consumption (V˙O Mental toughness was a salient determinant of the variation in behavioural perseverance under typical circumstances, when prior knowledge from past research was incorporated directly into the estimation process. However, the positive association between mental toughness and behavioural perseverance did not generalise to a performance context in which participants were fatigued. The results of the current study suggest that mental toughness represents a salient psychological correlate of behavioural perseverance in a discrete physical task that taxes the aerobic energy system in some but not all situations. When fatigued, the effect of mental toughness is outweighed by greater underlying fitness.
Linking coach interpersonal style with Athlete doping intentions and doping use: A prospective study
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 06-2017
Abstract: We brought together various lines of work on motivation, morality, and doping by testing a theory-based model prospectively linking contextual and personal motivational variables, moral attitudes, moral disengagement in doping, doping intentions, and doping use. Participants were 257 Greek athletes who completed a questionnaire pack at the beginning of a sport season. In the case of doping use, we also obtained data close to the end of the same season. The model showed that perceptions of controlling coach behaviors predicted athlete need frustration, which in turn predicted low moral functioning and doping intentions/doping use. The findings highlight pathways (direct and indirect) by which the social environment may impact on athletes' intentions and decisions to engage in doping and could pave the way for future antidoping interventions aimed at improving coaching interpersonal style.
A review of some emergent quantitative analyses in sport and exercise psychology
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-05-2018
Psychosocial outcomes of sport participation for middle-aged and older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 27-11-2021
Related Organisations
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam Instituut Beleid En Management Gezondheidszorg
Location: Netherlands
Related Funding Activities
Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP200101555
Start Date: 05-2020
End Date: 12-2023
Amount: $365,068.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Projects - Grant ID: DP150101198
Start Date: 06-2015
End Date: 12-2018
Amount: $247,985.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity