Benefits of Yoga practice on body posture and on psychological and cognitive functions in children aged 8-10 years

Background. Many authors have reported benefits related to yoga practice. In particular, the scientific literature showed the influences of yoga on physical performance and cognitive functions. However, only few researches have examined the role of this training practice in children. For this reason, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects on body posture and features as self-esteem and attention in children aged 8-10 years. Materials and method. Sixty-five subjects (male n=28, female n=37) aged 8-10 years and attending primary school were enrolled for the study and randomly assigned into an experimental group (EG) which included 28 participants and a control group (…

Protective and Educational Effects of Physical Activity Practice on Mental Health in Young Age during COVID-19 Lockdown

Background: The restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have modified the lifestyle of young people, worsening their mental health. Although some countries were allowed to practice outdoor physical activity (PA) in cases of lockdown, the PA level in the general population decreased. The current study aims to assess the differences in fear of COVID-19, anxiety, neuroticism, and general self-efficacy between university students who practiced PA during the second wave of lockdown and those who did not practice any PA. Methods: The sample consisted of 276 university students (176 females, 63.8%; mean age: 22.13, SD: ±3.94) who answered an online questionnaire detecting life habits …

Training KIT SAVE - Sport Against Violence and Exclusion

Il presente manuale è frutto di un’attenta analisi da parte di esperti del settore sportivo a livello internazionale (Austria, Bosnia ed Erzegovina, Croazia, Lituania, Serbia, Spagna). Esso rappresenta il punto di partenza per una riflessione profonda riguardo tematiche quali violenza ed esclusione sociale, in contesti sportivi e scolastici. Il suo intento è quello di essere una guida pratica per tecnici ed operatori che si trovano quotidianamente a formare ed educare i ragazzi sulla gestione delle relazioni all’interno del gruppo (sportivo e non), sulla presenza di fenomeni frequenti (ad es., il pregiudizio) e di eventuali conflitti. Inoltre, il manuale fornisce conoscenze aggiuntive per g…

The effect of resistance training programs on lean body mass in postmenopausal and elderly women: a meta-analysis of observational studies

AbstractAging and menopause are associated with morphological and functional changes which may lead to loss of muscle mass and therefore quality of life. Resistance training (RT) is an effective training mode to increase muscle mass. We reviewed the existing literature to identify studies implementing RT protocols and evaluating muscle hypertrophy exclusively in healthy, postmenopausal and elderly women. Participants’ age range was comprised between 50 and 80 years. The primary outcome observed was muscle hypertrophy. Fat mass was also evaluated, if available. PubMed and Web of Science were the screened database, and original articles written in English and published from 2000 up to 2020 we…

Relationship between socioeconomic factors and intelligence of preschoolers: A cohort study in the Serbian context

The aim of the current research is to analyse the relationship between the socioeconomic status (SES) of parents and intellectual abilities (IQ) of preschool children of Serbian territory, and in particular how SES factors relate to preschool children’s IQ measured with Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM), in the different age groups. The research included 430 parents and 430 preschool children. A confirmatory factor analysis of the SES questionnaire revealed five factors: educational and professional status of father and mother, residential and educational status of the family, sport status of parents and comfort of family housing. No gender differences in IQ levels were found in c…

Preventing Violence and Social Exclusion through Sport and Physical Activity: The SAVE Project

Sport Against Violence and Exclusion (SAVE), a project cofounded by the Erasmus + Program of the European Union, seeks to prevent violent and socially exclusive behaviors through physical activity. The current editorial shows a range of possible interpretations of these two phenomena from both a psychological and sociological point of view, offering helpful methods to coaches who train children (ages 6 to 12)in grass-root sport clubs. Following a thorough analysis, partners from seven EU countries (Lithuania, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Austria, and Spain) will be able to identify skills and techniques for coaches to ensure inclusive training methods as well as to provid…

Moral Disengagement in Youth Athletes: A Narrative Review

The sports environment can be considered as a context characterized by interactions typical of social groups, where children have the chance to learn good values. Positive and negative behaviours in sports, also called prosocial and antisocial behaviours, have been studied according to a moral perspective, as has doping behaviour, taking into consideration the concept of moral disengagement. Moral disengagement in children has been associated with maladaptive behaviours later in life, even though it should disappear with growth. Concerning the sports environment, previous reviews on the topic have extensively illustrated the role of moral variables in sport and their relation to antisocial …

The evaluation of dual-task conditions on static postural control in the older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Abstract Background In postural stability evaluation, the dual-task concept is often adopted in order to create a more challenging situation. The dual-task consists of performing simultaneously two tasks, a primary static or dynamic motor task and an additional secondary cognitive task. Usually, a multitask condition leads to a reduction in the postural control performance, especially in older adults. Considering the wide spectrum of secondary task conditions existing in scientific literature, the present manuscript aims to write a peer-reviewed protocol that will be used in a systematic review and meta-analysis performed to identify the effects of different secondary tasks conditions in a …

The Switch to Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Interplay between Personality and Mental Health on University Students

The switching from traditional to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for students, determining an increase in physical and mental health problems. The current paper applied a two-step cluster analysis in a large sample of n = 1028 university students (Mage = 21.10 years, SD = 2.45 years; range: 18–30 years; 78.4% females). Participants responded to an online survey exploring neuroticism, trait/state anxiety, general self-efficacy, academic motivation, fear of COVID-19, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical and mental health, and the help requests. Results showed two significant clusters of students having a Maladaptive Academic Profile (n = 456; 44.4%) or…

The experience of distress during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-country examination on the fear of COVID-19 and the sense of loneliness

AbstractObjectivesTo examine gender, age and cross-country differences in fear of COVID-19 and sense of loneliness during the lockdown, by comparing people from countries with a high rate of infections and deaths (i.e. Spain and Italy) and from countries with a mild spread of infection (i.e. Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina).MethodsA total of 3876 participants (63% female) completed an online survey on “Everyday life practices in COVID-19 time” in April 2020, including measures of fear of COVID-19 and loneliness.ResultsMales and females of all age groups in countries suffering from a strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reported higher fear of COVID-19 and sense…

The Influence of an Enriched Sport Program on Children’s Sport Motivation in the School Context: The ESA PROGRAM

Purpose: Besides the evident positive effect on body development, physical activity has proven to boost executive functions, especially if the exercises are enriched with cognitive stimuli. Previous studies have shown that introducing challenging exercises in the physical activity routine can also enhance motivation. Therefore, enriching a physical education program with cognitively challenging exercises may also foster children’s motivation during physical education classes, where the motivation is high at the beginning of the school year and low at the end of it. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to test if a sport program enriched by cognitive stimuli may improve kids’ motivation o…

Social stigma and self-esteem as mediators of the relationship between Body Mass Index and Internet addiction disorder. An exploratory study

The present study aimed at investigating the mediational effects of social stigma and self-esteem on the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Internet addiction disorder. A total of 413 participants aged between 18 and 26 years old (M = 20.94 SD = 2.95) were assessed with self-report standardized questionnaires exploring self-esteem (i.e. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale - RSES), Internet addiction (i.e. Young Internet Addiction Test- YIAT), and social-stigma (i.e. Perception of Teasing Scale - POT), and with objective measures related to BMI. Results showed a partial direct association between BMI and Internet addiction. Specifically, our mediation model revealed a good fit to data sh…

Sport Against Violence and Exclusion

Il presente manuale è frutto di un’attenta analisi da parte di esperti del settore sportivo a livello internazionale (Austria, Bosnia ed Erzegovina, Croazia, Lituania, Serbia, Spagna). Esso rappresenta il punto di partenza per una riflessione profonda riguardo tematiche quali violenza ed esclusione sociale, in contesti sportivi e scolastici. Il suo intento è quello di essere una guida pratica per tecnici ed operatori che si trovano quotidianamente a formare ed educare i ragazzi sulla gestione delle relazioni all’interno del gruppo (sportivo e non), sulla presenza di fenomeni frequenti (ad es., il pregiudizio) e di eventuali conflitti. Inoltre, il manuale fornisce conoscenze aggiuntive per g…

A Cross-Country Examination on the Fear of COVID-19 and the Sense of Loneliness during the First Wave of COVID-19 Outbreak

The aim of the current study is to examine gender, age. and cross-country differences in fear of COVID-19 and sense of loneliness during the lockdown, by comparing people from those countries with a high rate of infections and deaths (e.g., Spain and Italy) and from countries with a mild spread of infection (e.g., Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina). A total of 3876 participants (63% female) completed an online survey on “Everyday life practices in COVID-19 time” in April 2020, including measures of fear of COVID-19 and loneliness. Males and females of all age groups in countries suffering from the powerful impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reported greater fear o…

Impact of exercise interventions on physical fitness in breast cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review

Abstract Background This systematic review aims to identify the effects of exercise interventions in patients with breast cancer (BCP) and survivors (BCS) on selected variables of physical fitness. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Medline and Scopus. Randomized controlled trials with isolated exercise interventions in BCP and BCS women (< 5 years from therapy completion) were included. The risk of bias (RoB) assessment was conducted using the Cochrane RoB-2-tool. Variables regarding cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), strength (ST), fatigue (F) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were discussed. Results Of the 336 studies initially identified, 22 met all …

Use of alcohol, drugs, inhalants, and smoking tobacco and the long-term risk of depression in men: A nationwide Swedish cohort study from 1969–2017

Background: The use of alcohol, drugs, inhalants, and smoking tobacco may lead to mood disorders such as depression. However, knowledge on the independent contributions of the use of these substances to the risk of depression is lacking. Methods: The study cohort consisted of 24,564 men included in the Swedish national military conscription register who were conscripted in 1969–1970 and followed until 2017. Cox proportional hazard ratios were used to estimate the risk of depression according to alcohol, drug, inhalant, and cigarette consumption, and adjusted for body mass index, verbal comprehension test scores, handgrip strength, and the other main exposures investigated. Results: During a…

Motor Coordination and Global Development in Subjects with Down Syndrome: The Influence of Physical Activity

Background: Many research studies have investigated motor impairments and delayed development in children with Down Syndrome (DS). However, very few studies detected these features in adults with DS. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between motor coordination and global development in subjects with DS, including adults. Furthermore, the second aim was to detect any differences in motor coordination and global development as a function of the practice of physical activity (PA) in this population. Methods: Twenty-five participants with DS (10 f, 15 m), with a chronological mean age of 27.24 years and development mean age of cognitive area of 4.93 years, were enrolled an…

Dual-task conditions on static postural control in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Dual-task (DT) consists of the performance of two tasks simultaneously. An index of DT difficulty has been linked to decreased postural control. Because a wide range of DT is employed, this study aimed to evaluate its effects in static balance in older adults. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were screened, and the secondary tasks were grouped as manual, reaction time, discrimination and decision making, mental tracking, verbal fluency, working memory, or “other” tasks. A total of 66 studies have been included. The meta-analysis was conducted on 28 effects and showed a significant mean effect size of d = 0.24 (p = .02, SE = 0.10; confidence interval [0.04, 0.44]), indicating a worsening i…

Make Fitness Fun: Could Novelty Be the Key Determinant for Physical Activity Adherence?

The benefits of physical activity (PA) are well known and are extensively delineated in the scientific literature. Regular participation in PA, or exercise as its subset (structured, preplanned form of PA), is positively associated with numerous physical and psychological health benefits across all population subgroups (i.e., different age groups, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status) (Paterson and Warburton, 2010; Warburton and Bredin, 2017). The current PA guidelines for adults, proposed by the American College for Sports Medicine and American Heart Association (ACSM/AHA), recommend the accumulation of at least 150 min of moderate intensity aerobic PA per week (Nelson et al., 2007)…

Youth Athletes' Perception of Existence and Prevalence of Aggression and Interpersonal Violence and Their Forms in Serbia.

Aggression and interpersonal violence (IV) against children and youth are issues in contemporary society. The current study reports on the youth athletes’ perception of the aggression and IV prevalence and its manifestation forms in a Serbian context. The sample included athletes (N = 2091) between the age of 11 and 18 years. Data were collected through an ad-hoc questionnaire created by the authors. Respondents’ answers to introductory questions about the frequency of IV indicated its absence (78.1%). However, the answers to the questions about specific forms of violent peer behavior indicated forms as well as the time and place where IV most often occurs. They underlined that …

The Effect of an enriched sport program on children's executive functions: the ESA program

Purpose: The effects of physical exercise on executive functions (EFs) are well documented. EFs are involved in daily activities, and their development determines the quality of people’s future life, both in terms of mental health and quality of life. The purpose of the current paper is to evaluate the effects of a physical education program, elaborated within the Enriched Sports Activity Program (ESA Program), an Erasmus + Project, on EFs, namely, visuospatial working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and task switching. Method: Data were collected on November 2017 (t1) and May 2018 (t2). At t1, a sample of 357 children from four European countries (Italy, Germany, Lithuan…

‘You play like a Woman!’ Effects of gender stereotype threat on Women's performance in physical and sport activities: A meta-analysis

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this quantitative review was to provide an estimation of the effect of stereotype threat on women's performance in sport. Design This review employed a meta-analytic technique. Method a meta-analysis with random effects model was performed on 24 effects. Publication bias was tested through funnel plots and Egger's regression test. Results Findings show a symmetric distribution of effects, making it possible to conclude that no file-drawer problem affected the collected sample of effects. Aggregating the results of the reviewed studies, a medium effect of stereotype threat manipulation on women's sport performances emerged (d = 0.33). Collected studies were…

The differences of Slovenian and Italian daily practices experienced in the first wave of covid-19 pandemic

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic situation with the lockdown of public life caused serious changes in people's everyday practices. The study evaluates the differences between Slovenia and Italy in health-related everyday practices induced by the restrictive measures during first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The cross-sectional cohort study examined changes through an online survey conducted in nine European countries from April 15–28, 2020. The survey included questions from a simple activity inventory questionnaire (SIMPAQ), the European Health Interview Survey, and some other questions. To compare difference in changes between European countries we examined Italy with s…

The Mediational Role of Coping Strategies in the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Risk of Internet Addiction

The aim of the present study is to explore, through a mediation model, the relationship among self-esteem, coping strategies, and the risk of Internet addiction in a sample of 300 Italian university students. We submitted the data to a descriptive, mediational comparison between variables (t-test), and correlational statistical analyses. The results confirmed the effect of self-esteem on the risk of Internet addiction. However, we found that the introduction of coping strategies as a mediator gives rise to partial mediation. A low level of self-esteem is a predictor of avoidance-oriented coping that, in turn, affects the risk of Internet addiction.

Prosocial and Aggressive Behavior Occurrence in Young Athletes: Field Research Results in Six European Countries

Aggression and violence among youth are researched as social phenomena in sport. This paper was designed to determine the occurrence of these behaviors as well as prosocial behaviors among young athletes. The current paper is a research report aiming to detect the frequency of aggressive behavior, social exclusion, prosocial behavior and cohesion in the youth environment, the frequency of personal experience of peer violence or social exclusion, and to evaluate cross-national differences in terms of occurrence of these phenomena.The field research was conducted in six European countries (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Lithuania, and Serbia) on a sample of 482 children aged…

A single bout of physical exercise does not affect young adults’ executive functions

Summary Study aim. The purpose of the current study is to determine the impact of single bouts of physical exercise of different duration and intensity on young adults’ executive functions. Material and methods. The study employed 81 participants (37 females, 44 males) ranging between 19 and 39 years (mean age: 24.6 ± 4.08 years; mean height: 168 ± 9.67 cm; mean weight: 67.2 ± 13.0 kg). The executive functions were assessed through the Stroop task, the Tower of London test, and the Corsi block test. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions (30-second Wingate test condition, an incremental intensity exercise test, and a submaximal constant-intensity tes…

Competition, Gender Equality, and Doping in Sports in the Red Queen Effect Perspective

The nature of sports is characterized by a strong competitive component that generates inequalities among athletes at different levels, specifically in relation to gender, technology, and doping. These inequalities can be represented according to the Red Queen effect perspective, which has been previously hypothesized in other competitive environments (evolutionary biology and economics, for instance). The Red Queen effect considers each competitive environment to require a constant effort to maintain a position of competitive advantage in order reach the best result possible. Therefore, the aim of the current paper is to provide an innovative perspective for the understanding of competitio…

An Exploratory Analysis of Factors Associated with Health-Related Physical Fitness in Adolescents. The ASSO Project

Monitoring physical fitness (fitness) and identifying, since the beginning, possible determinants in youth could be useful to preserve health and avoid morbidities in adulthood. The main objective of this study is to provide details on the fitness levels of a sample of adolescents living in the Southern area of Italy and describe its associations with biological/genetic, socio-cultural/environmental, and lifestyle (physical activity/sedentariness, alcohol/smoking, meal patterns/habits) factors. The study was conducted within the Adolescence Surveillance System for Obesity Prevention (ASSO) project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Health and examining adolescents&rsquo

The “Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology” Journal Club Series: Highlights on Recent Papers in Overtraining and Exercise Addiction

We are glad to introduce the seventeenth Journal Club. This edition is focused on several relevant studies published in the last years in the field of Overtraining and Exercise Addiction, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for the sport seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.

Self-esteem, quality of life, and physical activity in women with diagnosed endometriosis: a pilot study in an Italian sample

Purpose. Endometriosis is a painful pathology impairing women's daily life. Several studies have shown that patients report low mental and physical quality of life, but no general evaluation of their self-esteem has been found. Studies concerning physical activity frequency present inconsistent results. Therefore, the current paper aims to compare life quality and selfesteem in women with endometriosis with the Italian normative data of the measures used. Methods. Overall, 36 women with diagnosed endometriosis treated in hospital completed a questionnaire detecting physical activity frequency, self-esteem, quality of life, and socioeconomic information. One sample t-test served to compare t…

Cardiovascular Responses to Muscle Stretching: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

AbstractThe aim of this study will be to review the current body of literature to understand the effects of stretching on the responses of the cardiovascular system. A literature search was performed using the following databases: Scopus, NLM Pubmed and ScienceDirect. Studies regarding the effects of stretching on responses of the cardiovascular system were investigated. Outcomes regarded heart rate(HR), blood pressure, pulse wave velocity (PWV of which baPWV for brachial-ankle and cfPWV for carotid-femoral waveforms), heart rate variability and endothelial vascular function. Subsequently, the effects of each outcome were quantitatively synthetized using meta-analytic synthesis with random-…

Living in the “Bubble”: Athletes' Psychological Profile During the Sambo World Championship

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we conduct daily life, as well as sports training and sports competitions. Given the stress produced by COVID-19, and the “bubble” safety measures for the World Sambo Championship, held in Novi Sad, from the 6th to the 8th of November, 2020, athletes might have experienced more stress than athletes normally would in non-pandemic conditions. Therefore, the current study aimed to create a psychological profile of sambo athletes participating in the Sambo World Championship and living in this condition.Methods: One-hundred-fifteen participants took part in the study, completing the Profile of Mood Scale (POMS), the Pittsburg Sleep Quality I…

The Role of Psychological Factors in Judo: A Systematic Review.

(1) Background: Psychological parameters are relevant in the practice of judo. Previous studies have shown that parameters such as anxiety or motivation can have a negative or positive impact on the athlete’s performance and general well-being, depending on the athlete’s perception. This systematic review aimed to summarize the studies examining the influence of various psychological parameters on well-being and performance in judo athletes; (2) Methods: We followed preferred reporting elements for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We searched the Web of Science database for studies that explained the role of these parameters in elite athletes. Of the 286 articles initially identified, …

COGNITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ACROSS AGES

Parental Resources in Parents of Children with Special Needs (SNs) at the Time of COVID-19

Background. The limitations imposed by governments for containing the spread of COVID-19 have affected familial relationships, especially those of families dealing with children with special needs or chronic illness conditions. The current study aims to better understand what pathological/disability condition has impacted parental resources, sense of competence, and perception of children’s executive functioning the most. Methods. A sample of 648 parents was asked to answer a survey assessing children’s condition (typical development, specific learning disorder, autism spectrum syndrome, chronic illness), parental resources, parenting sense of competence (distinguished into pare…

Inclusive physical activity games at school: The role of teachers’ attitude toward inclusion

IntroductionInclusive physical activity games at school can be useful for teachers dealing with students with disabilities. The use of inclusive strategies and games can be directly linked to teachers’ self-efficacy and familiarity with the inclusive strategies, while it could be indirectly influenced by their attitude toward inclusion and, in a smaller part, by social desirability in their response. Moreover, teachers’ responses could be different among the different school grades. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to investigate the role of attitude toward inclusion, social desirability, self-efficacy, and familiarity in the use of physical activity games at school in teachers fr…

Patterns of rapid weight loss in elite sambo athletes

Abstract Background Rapid weight loss (RWL) is commonly practiced in combat sports. Both magnitude and methods used to induce RWL are largely similar among combat sports, but currently, there is no data on RWL methodology used by sambo athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine RWL procedures sambo athletes apply to lose weight rapidly. Methods The sample consisted of 199 participants, of which 132 males and 67 females who participated in the World Sambo Championship 2020 held in Novi Sad, Serbia. Each participant received RWL questionnaire that was available in multiple languages, and every participant was instructed how to fill it out. Results Almost 87% of sambo particip…

PREJUDICE AND PROBLEM SOLVING IN VIOLENCE AND EXCLUSION

Il presente manuale è frutto di un’attenta analisi da parte di esperti del settore sportivo a livello internazionale (Austria, Bosnia ed Erzegovina, Croazia, Lituania, Serbia, Spagna). Esso rappresenta il punto di partenza per una riflessione profonda riguardo tematiche quali violenza ed esclusione sociale, in contesti sportivi e scolastici. Il suo intento è quello di essere una guida pratica per tecnici ed operatori che si trovano quotidianamente a formare ed educare i ragazzi sulla gestione delle relazioni all’interno del gruppo (sportivo e non), sulla presenza di fenomeni frequenti (ad es., il pregiudizio) e di eventuali conflitti. Inoltre, il manuale fornisce conoscenze aggiuntive per g…

Maintaining everyday life praxis in the time of COVID-19 pandemic measures (ELP-COVID-19 survey)

Abstract Background The extreme social circumstances caused by declared COVID-19 pandemic deeply intervene people’s everyday life and should not be neglected but seen through the view of social reality pinpointing the ‘ordinary’ people. In this article, authors explored basic segments of everyday and their subjective perception to what extent sleeping habits, physical inactivity, physical activity, nutritional habits and smoking have changed. Methods The online survey was conducted in nine European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo*, Italy, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain) in 4108 participants, aged 15–82 years. The survey took place 30–40 days after World Heal…