Effect of Hit-Sport-Game Exercise Training on Self-Control and Regulation in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Objective. To determine the effect of a physical exercise training program, "HitSportGame" (HSG), on self-regulation of children with ADHD. Subjects and methods. The participants (N = 44) were children with ADHD aged 8 to 12 years (Mean 10.5 SD 1.4) without comorbidity with other neurodevelopmental disorders. Children were randomized to an experimental group and a wait-list control group. The experimental group participated in the Hit-Sport-Game (HSG) training program thrice a week for 12 weeks. The self-control skills of the participants in both groups were evaluated with the CACIA (Child and Adolescent Self-Control Questionnaire) 1 week before and 1 week after completing the entire intervention. Results. The results showed significant improvements with effect sizes from moderate to large in the scales of personal feedback (P = .003; η2 p = 0.183), criteria self-control (P = .029; η2 p = 0.112), and procedural self-control (P = .015; η2 p = 0.131) after the intervention in the experimental group compared to the control group, which showed no difference on any of these scales. The reward delay scale did not show significant changes associated with the intervention (P = .104; η2 p = 0.059). Conclusions. HitSportGame physical exercise training demonstrated favorable effects on some self-control skills such as personal feedback, criterial self-control and procedural self-control of children with ADHD. However, it did not show any effect on the ability to delay rewards in this population.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and bullying victimization from childhood to adolescence - A within-person cross-lagged approach.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and subclinical symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattentiveness coincide with an increased risk of peer victimization. What remains unclear are the developmental dynamics of these associations. In a sample drawn from two Norwegian birth cohorts (n = 872; 49.94 % girls), assessed biennially from age 6 to age 14, reciprocal relations between ADHD symptoms and victimization were examined while controlling for symptoms of anxiety and depression. ADHD symptoms were assessed through clinical interviews with parents, whereas victimization was reported by teachers using questionnaires. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel modeling revealed a consistent reciprocal within-person effect of increased ADHD symptoms on victimization, and vice versa. Analyses of subdimensions of ADHD projected a consistent cross-lagged bidirectional relationship between victimization and inattentiveness symptoms only, whereas no such reciprocity was found for hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms. Results did not differ by gender. Findings suggest that the social context may constitute a vulnerability factor in the etiology of the inattentive subtype of ADHD, and at the same time, that inattentiveness symptoms pose a risk for becoming victimized.

Profiles of self-regulation and their association with behavior problems among sexually abused children.

This study aimed to delineate profiles of self-regulation among sexually abused children and their association with behavior problems using a person-centered approach. A sample of 223 children aged six to 12, their parents, and teachers were recruited in specialized intervention centers. Latent profile analysis revealed four profiles: (1) Dysregulated, (2) Inhibited, (3) Flexibly Regulated, and (4) Parent Perceived Self-Regulation. Children from the Flexibly Regulated profile showed relatively low behavior problems, and those from the Dysregulated profile were characterized by high behavior problems. Children from the Parent Perceived Self-Regulation profile showed overall good adaptation, although teachers reported higher behavior problems than parents. Children from the Inhibited profile, characterized by the highest level of inhibition but low parent-rated emotion regulation competencies and executive functions, showed the highest level of internalizing behavior problems, indicating that high inhibition does not necessarily translate to better adaptation. Results also show a moderation effect of sex. Being assigned to the Inhibited profile was associated with decreased externalizing behaviors in boys and increased internalizing behaviors in girls. This study underscores the complexity of self-regulation in sexually abused children and supports the need to adopt a multi-method and multi-informant approach when assessing these children.

Self-regulatory flexibility.

Robust associations of self-control with successful goal pursuit have been amply demonstrated. Much less is known about the psychological processes that occur when people grapple with self-control conflicts and that may contribute to successful goal pursuit. Influenced by the neighboring fields of emotion regulation and coping, self-regulatory flexibility has been identified as one of such potential processes. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of selected models of regulatory flexibility, empirical evidence on associations with self-regulatory success, and to identify avenues for future research.

"Regulating my anxiety worsens the safety of my driving": The synergistic influence of spatial anxiety and Self-regulation on driving behavior.

Spatial Anxiety (SA) can be defined as the fear and apprehension experienced during tasks that require spatial thinking and may negatively impact the execution of daily actions. Although it has been explored in several research fields, limited research has explored the effects of SA on specific driving behaviours. In the current study, it was hypothesised that the severity of SA affects risky driving behaviours, and that this relationship is mediated by the driver's self-regulation abilities. Self-reported SA symptoms, driving self-regulation abilities, and risky driving behaviours (i.e., errors, violations, and lapses) were examined in 838 Italian drivers. Data were analysed through linear regressions and path analysis models, controlling for sociodemographic variables. The results showed the negative effects of SA on driving errors and lapses. As hypothesised, a driver's self-regulation abilities mediated the influence of SA on driving lapses, but not on errors nor violations. These findings suggest that the inclination to self-regulate the SA experienced while driving contribute to increase the occurrence of driving lapses. Showing specific pathways through which SA impacts risky driving, these results provide valuable insights for the development of 'driver-focused' road safety interventions.

Self-control and limited willpower: Current status of ego depletion theory and research.

Ego depletion theory proposes that self-regulation depends on a limited energy resource (willpower). The simple initial theory has been refined to emphasize conservation rather than resource exhaustion, extended to encompass decision making, planning, and initiative, and linked to physical bodily energy (glucose). Recent challenges offered alternative explanations (which have largely failed) and questioned replicability (which has now been well established). Methods have improved, particularly with emphasis on longer, stronger manipulations to ensure fatigue. New work extends ego depletion into workplace settings and sports. Interpersonal conflict may be both a major cause and consequence. New questions include the possibility of chronic ego depletion (e.g., in burnout), protective factors and coping strategies, individual differences, and recovery processes.

A latent profile analysis of relationship satisfaction and self-regulation among low-income participants who attended relationship education with a partner.

Relationship education has shown promising effects for low-income couples on outcomes such as promoting positive communication, improving global relationship satisfaction, parenting, and individual psychological distress. Studies also indicate that couples' baseline distress (e.g., relational and individual) moderates outcomes. Yet, few studies implemented a person-centered approach to analyzing data for those who participate in relationship education. In a sample of 488 low-income opposite-gendered couples, we identified latent profile groups for men and women based on self-reported relationship satisfaction and behavioral self-regulation scores, thus incorporating both relational and individual factors. Results yielded a three-class solution for men and a four-class solution for women. We then examined group profile differences in individual psychological distress and relationship satisfaction change scores after completing the relationship education intervention (12 h of PREP's Within Our Reach). Results indicated significant differences, suggesting that group membership can predict overall improvements in both psychological and relationship distress. Thus, RE programmers and policymakers may consider flexible delivery (e.g., more or less content; more or less intense coaching) that considers overall baseline relational and/or individual functioning as opposed to a one-size-fits-all method.

Effects of game-based learning on academic outcomes: A study of technology acceptance and self-regulation in college students.

Objective: This study investigates the interplay between the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), self-regulation strategies, and academic self-efficacy, and their collective impact on academic performance and perceived learning among college students engaged in remote education. Methods: A sample of 872 university students from Southern China participated in this study. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the theoretical relationships among the variables. The research focused on two primary areas: the connection between academic self-efficacy and gameful self-regulation strategies within the framework of TAM, and the influence of TAM's three dimensions on students' perceived learning and academic performance. Results: Findings highlight self-efficacy and gameful self-regulation strategies, in enhancing technology acceptance. Improved acceptance of technology is shown to positively affect academic performance and the perceived learning experience of students in classes using game-based online resources. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the significance of self-efficacy and gameful self-regulation strategies in shaping students' perceptions and attitudes towards technology. These factors are found to be key determinants of both perceived learning and academic achievement in the context of game-based online resource classes.

Hope for the best or prepare for the worst? Calm perseverance, not vigilant monitoring, contributes to adolescent life satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: Which kind of self-regulatory strategies contribute to life satisfaction in adolescence? MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present research, we tested two competing hypotheses arguing that either a strategy of vigilant monitoring of opportunities for working towards goal achievement or a calm perseverance strategy steadily working towards goals in a slower pace would promote life satisfaction in a large and diverse sample of adolescents. We also tested whether the employment of these strategies would hinge on perceptions of goal importance and goal attainability. RESULTS: Employing a longitudinal design, we found support that calm perseverance was the sole significant predictor of life satisfaction regardless of goal perceptions. Vigilant monitoring only contributed indirectly to life satisfaction through its positive effects on calm perseverance. Using a calm perseverance strategy was supported by perceiving one's goals as attainable. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These findings bear important implications for self-regulation theory that has highlighted goal progress as a prerequisite for well-being.

A qualitative investigation of demands, resources and self-regulation during Navy deployment.

Creating a sustainable workplace for Navy personnel is vital for their wellbeing and retention. This qualitative study explores the interplay between job and personal demands, resources, and stress self-regulation strategies affecting psychological strain among Navy personnel during deployment. We conducted semi-structured key informant interviews with 25 Navy personnel (68% male) to determine the demands and resources at sea that affect psychological strain. The findings identified that individual differences in coping strategies (e.g., recovery management), abilities (i.e. ability to make social connections), and their mind-set about deployment (e.g., sense of purpose) were perceived to play a role in the experience of strain. Additionally, the presence of supportive peers and leaders was identified as a key resource, whereas external stressors (e.g., family crisis) and social tension onboard, amplified by confined spaces, were commonly reported demands. Our findings also contribute to a growing body of research suggesting a nuanced interaction between individual coping strategies and job design. Formal organizational support was identified as enabling adaptive self-regulation strategies, while the capacity to form and maintain positive relationships helped foster a sense of belonging, countering isolation. Another key contribution was the individual differences in the appraisal of resources offered by the organization and the potential importance of resource appraisal in how effective resources were perceived to be for addressing shipboard demands. We provide recommendations relating to targets for personnel training, interventions, and leadership in terms of communication, supporting day-to-day and equal opportunity for recovery, resource access, maintaining morale, and shaping the evaluation of demands.

Trait self-control as a determinant of health behavior: Recent advances on mechanisms and future directions for research.

We summarize theory and research testing a mechanistic explanation for the trait self-control-health behavior relationship. Specifically, social cognition constructs summarizing individuals' utility, normative, risk, and capacity beliefs with respect to future health behavior performance are proposed to mediate the self-control-health behavior relationship. The effect represents the informational function of self-control in decision making. We also specify a mechanism wherein trait self-control moderates the intention-behavior relationship such that 'good' self-control affords effective intention-to-action translation. Both effects have pervasive support in the extent literature. We propose ongoing meta-analyses expected to provide further robust support for these mechanistic effects and the need for research employing designs enabling better directional and causal inferences in the effects, including experimental or types of cross-lagged panel design.

From willpower to strategies: Existing insights and outstanding issues in self-control strategy use in daily life.

This paper focuses on recent advances in research on strategies that support self-control in everyday life. No one strategy or set of strategies appears to be effective at all times and in all situations. To understand effective self-control, we must expand our understanding of how strategies fit the situation and the person. To this end, we propose researching unexplored aspects of situations, how self-control strategies develop in the first place, and the role of emotion regulation in self-control strategy effectiveness. We also highlight methodological blind spots and offer ways to correct them and introduce new methodological approaches to best capture self-control strategies in everyday life.

Relevance of the common-sense model for people living with a genetic predisposition for breast and ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVES: BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants have been associated with an increased risk for breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate cancer as well as melanoma. The present research uses the Leventhal's common-sense model of self-regulation (CSM), a theoretical framework highlighting the role of mental representations on responses to a health-threat. We aim at understanding the personal meaning and representation of living with an hereditary breast and ovarian cancer predisposition. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews of 15 BRCA carriers were analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Mental representations develops in childhood and are influenced by childhood emotional responses to the familial experience of the BRCA predisposition. Pre-existing beliefs about BRCA, even erroneous, are deeply anchored and not called into question by medical informations given during the genetic counselling. This is particularly true when medical information is perceived as too complex, inconsistent or in contradiction with familial experience. These beliefs about the consequences of being carriers of the BRCA gene influence emotional and behavioural experiences leading to experience fear, anxiety, lack of hope for future or self-identity change. For participants with a traumatic familial experience of cancer, the lack of treatment for this genetic disease generates a perpetual overestimation of cancers' risk and the feeling of an unending danger associated with early death despite breast and ovarian prophylactic surgery. When strong negative representations of the BRCA predisposition are experienced, dysfunctional health behaviours, such as drugs consumption or overuse of medical consultations, could appear consecutively to emotional disorders.

Metamotivation: The regulation of motivation in self-control.

Psychological research on self-control-the forgoing of immediate rewards in favor of global goals-focuses largely on how people monitor and control their thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Comparatively less work has examined the regulation of motivational states. This is surprising given the motivational roots of self-control dilemmas: people desire an immediate reward on the one hand, but also recognize that this reward precludes the ability to attain higher-priority concerns on the other. We describe an emerging perspective that highlights the monitoring and control of one's motivational states; i.e., metamotivation. We distinguish this approach from similar approaches (e.g., cognitive control, emotion regulation) and review initial supporting empirical results. Studying metamotivation is essential if we are to gain a comprehensive understanding into the questions of who, when, and why people succeed or fail at self-control.

Problematic internet use and shyness among Chinese adolescents: a moderated mediation model.

The potential adverse effects of problematic internet use (PIU) on individuals' offline personalities have been a significant concern in internet psychology. This study aimed to investigate the negative effects of PIU on shyness and the mediating role of self-regulation, as well as the moderating role of social comparison orientation. A total of 1,322 adolescents from China participated in the survey. The results indicated that: (1) PIU positively predicted shyness; (2) self-regulation partially mediated the relationship between PIU and shyness; (3) social comparison orientation moderated the mediation effect, specifically buffering the negative prediction of PIU on self-regulation, but exacerbating the negative predictive effect of self-regulation on shyness. The findings explored and verified the psychosocial effects of the internet, contributing to a deeper understanding of how PIU affects individual personality traits and offering insights into its role in broader social behavior patterns.

Development and validation of a Disorganised Thoughts Scale: a new measure to assess thinking difficulties in the general population.

BACKGROUND: Disordered thinking is a condition that can manifest in not only clinical cases (e.g., psychotic disorders), but also the wider general population. However, there is no current method to measure the specific cognitive processes experienced during such a condition. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a new self-report measure, the Disorganised Thoughts Scale (DTS), that can assess disorganised thinking in the general population. METHODS: To achieve this aim, a survey was developed and shared online with four independent samples, including a sample of Australians in the general population (N = 321) and three samples (N = 200 each) that were controlled for their substance use (i.e., frequent alcohol and cannabis use; non-frequent substance use). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and reliability analyses, were used to test the internal validity, whilst correlational analyses were implemented to examine the external validity. RESULTS: The exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure (10 items each) measuring Positive thought disorder (i.e., accelerated, uncontrollable, and incongruent thinking) and Negative thought disorder (i.e., inhibited, disjointed, and disorientated thinking). This internal structure was confirmed with subsequent confirmatory factor and reliability analyses (α = 0.90 to 0.97) in the three substance-controlled groups. Concurrent validity was also supported, as the DTS exhibited strong correlations with established measures of general cognitive difficulties, specific self-regulatory dysfunctions, and psychopathological symptomology. Finally, the measure was also shown to be significantly higher in cohorts who exhibited a higher degree of psychological distress and who frequently used substances (i.e., alcohol and cannabis). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study provided preliminary evidence to suggest that the DTS is a sound measure of disorganised thought that is linked to psychopathology and substance use in non-clinical populations. The measure could be used in future research which seeks to better understand how thinking effects, and is affected by, various psychological conditions.

Inequalities in research on food environment policies: An evidence map of global evidence from 2010-2020.

BACKGROUND: There has been increasing pressure to implement policies for promoting healthy food environments worldwide. OBJECTIVE: This evidence map critically explored the breadth and nature of primary research from 2010-2020 evaluating the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, development, and implementation of mandatory and voluntary food environment policies. METHODS: 'Real-world' evaluations of international, national and state level policies promoting healthy food environments, published between 2010 and 2020, were searched across 14 databases and two websites. We documented the policy and evaluation characteristics, including the International WCRF NOURISHING framework's policy categories and ten equity characteristics using the PROGRESS-Plus framework. Data were synthesised using descriptive statistics and visuals. RESULTS: We screened 27,958 records, of which 482 were included. Although these covered 70 countries, 81% of publications focused on only 12 countries (USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, France, Spain, Denmark, New Zealand and South Africa). Studies from these countries employed more robust quantitative methods and included most of the evaluations of policy development, implementation, and cost-effectiveness. Few publications reported on Africa (n=12), Central and South Asia (n=5), and the Middle East (n=6) regions. Few also assessed public-private partnerships (PPPs, n=31, 6%) compared to voluntary approaches by the private sector (n=96, 20%), the public sector (n=90, 19%), and mandatory approaches (n=288, 60%). Most evaluations of PPPs were about two partnerships. Only 50% of publications assessing policy effectiveness compared outcomes between population groups stratified by an equity characteristic, and this proportion has decreased over time. CONCLUSIONS: There are striking inequities in the origin, scope and design of these studies, suggesting that research capacity and funding lies in the hands of a few expert teams worldwide. The small number of studies on PPPs questions the evidence base underlying the international push for PPPs to promote health. Policy evaluations should consider impacts on equity more consistently. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42020170963.

The affective gradient hypothesis: an affect-centered account of motivated behavior.

Everyone agrees that feelings and actions are intertwined, but cannot agree how. According to dominant models, actions are directed by estimates of value and these values shape or are shaped by affect. I propose instead that affect is the only form of value that drives actions. Our mind constantly represents potential future states and how they would make us feel. These states collectively form a gradient reflecting feelings we could experience depending on actions we take. Motivated behavior reflects the process of traversing this affective gradient, towards desirable states and away from undesirable ones. This affective gradient hypothesis solves the puzzle of where values and goals come from, and offers a parsimonious account of apparent conflicts between emotion and cognition.

Social-emotional competence, social adequacy, and self-regulation among Iranian female high school students.

The research aimed to investigate the association between social-emotional competence and social adequacy with the self-regulation of female high school students in Tehran. The sample of the current study consisted of 250 female participants from the student community in different educational areas of Tehran, who were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. The measurement tools were: The social-emotional competence scale, the social adequacy scale and the self-regulation questionnaire. The findings revealed a positive association between social-emotional competence, social adequacy, and self-regulation among Iranian female students. Resulted of regression analysis showed that self-regulation was positively predicted by social-emotional competence and social adequacy. Enhancing social competence, particularly in emotional and psychological aspects, can improve students' adaptation and well-being. This can help prevent issues such as social rejection, substance abuse, and depression in both their school environment and future personal and professional lives. Additionally, it is important to implement various intervention programs targeting parents and teachers to raise awareness about social-emotional competence and social adequacy in adolescent girls, as well as strategies for fostering these skills. This will improve their mental health and help prevent the development of various addictive behaviors.

Differences in brain connectivity between older adults practicing Tai Chi and Water Aerobics: a case-control study.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the neural mechanisms that differentiate mind-body practices from aerobic physical activities and elucidate their effects on cognition and healthy aging. We examined functional brain connectivity in older adults (age > 60) without pre-existing uncontrolled chronic diseases, comparing Tai Chi with Water Aerobics practitioners. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, case-control fMRI study involving two strictly matched groups (n = 32) based on gender, age, education, and years of practice. Seed-to-voxel analysis was performed using the Salience, and Frontoparietal Networks as seed regions in Stroop Word-Color and N-Back tasks and Resting State. Results: During Resting State condition and using Salience network as a seed, Tai Chi group exhibited a stronger correlation between Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Insular Cortex areas (regions related to interoceptive awareness, cognitive control and motor organization of subjective aspects of experience). In N-Back task and using Salience network as seed, Tai Chi group showed increased correlation between Left Supramarginal Gyrus and various cerebellar regions (related to memory, attention, cognitive processing, sensorimotor control and cognitive flexibility). In Stroop task, using Salience network as seed, Tai Chi group showed enhanced correlation between Left Rostral Prefrontal Cortex and Right Occipital Pole, and Right Lateral Occipital Cortex (areas associated with sustained attention, prospective memory, mediate attention between external stimuli and internal intention). Additionally, in Stroop task, using Frontoparietal network as seed, Water Aerobics group exhibited a stronger correlation between Left Posterior Parietal Lobe (specialized in word meaning, representing motor actions, motor planning directed to objects, and general perception) and different cerebellar regions (linked to object mirroring). Conclusion: Our study provides evidence of differences in functional connectivity between older adults who have received training in a mind-body practice (Tai Chi) or in an aerobic physical activity (Water Aerobics) when performing attentional and working memory tasks, as well as during resting state.