School-based physical activity in relation to active travel - a cluster randomized controlled trial among adolescents enrolled in the school in motion study in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Active travel and school settings are considered ideal for promoting physical activity. However, previous research suggests limited effect of school-based interventions on overall physical activity levels among adolescents. The relationship between physical activity in different domains remains inconclusive. In this study, we examined the effects of adding two weekly hours of school-based physical activity on active travel rates. METHOD: We analyzed data from 1370 pupils in the 9th-grade participating in the cluster RCT; the School In Motion (ScIM) project. Intervention schools (n = 19) implemented 120 min of class-scheduled physical activity and physical education, in addition to the normal 2 hours of weekly physical education in the control schools (n = 9), for 9 months. Active travel was defined as pupils who reported walking or cycling to school, while motorized travel was defined as pupils who commuted by bus or car, during the spring/summer half of the year (April-September), or autumn/winter (October-February). The participants were categorized based on their travel mode from pretest to posttest as; maintained active or motorized travel ("No change"), changing to active travel (motorized-active), or changing to motorized travel (active-motorized). Multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze the intervention effect on travel mode. RESULTS: During the intervention period, most participants maintained their travel habits. In total, 91% of pupils maintained their travel mode to school. Only 6% of pupils switched to motorized travel and 3% switched to active travel, with small variations according to season and trip direction. The intervention did not seem to influence the likelihood of changing travel mode. The odds ratios for changing travel habits in spring/summer season were from active to motorized travel 1.19 [95%CI: 0.53-2.15] and changing from motorized to active travel 1.18 [0.30-2.62], compared to the "No change" group. These findings were consistent to and from school, and for the autumn/winter season. CONCLUSION: The extra school-based physical activity does not seem to affect rates of active travel among adolescents in the ScIM project. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov ID nr: NCT03817047. Registered 01/25/2019' retrospectively registered'.

Perceived social pressure and intention to play through injuries in junior ice hockey: The sporting environment matters.

Playing when injured is a risky yet common business among ice hockey players. Conceptualized within the framework of the theory of planned behaviour, the current cross-sectional study aimed to test a multiple-mediator model linking players' perceived social pressure to their intention to play when injured. We tested whether social pressure is directly and indirectly (via attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control avoidance, and situational temptation) related to intention to play when injured. We recruited 186 junior players aged 16-20 years (mean age = 17.85; standard deviation = 1.35) from two Norwegian ice hockey leagues (under 18 and under 20 years of age). The data were analysed using a linear regression procedure and a bias-corrected bootstrapping technique to measure indirect effects. The results revealed a positive direct and indirect (via attitudes, subjective norms, and situational temptation) relationship between players' perceived social pressure and their intention to play when injured. In conclusion, players that perceived pressure to play despite being injured, who perceived positive consequences of doing so, who believed that people close or important to them approved of them doing so, and who perceived game-specific temptations, were more likely to report a stronger intent to play the game when injured.

Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial - the School in Motion study.

BACKGROUND: School-based physical activity interventions evaluating the effect on academic performance usually includes children. We aimed to investigate the effect of a nine-month, school-based physical activity intervention titled School in Motion (ScIM) on academic performance in adolescents. METHODS: Thirty secondary schools in Norway were cluster-randomized into three groups: the Physically active learning (PAL) group (n = 10), the Don't worry - Be Happy (DWBH) group (n = 10) or control (n = 10). Target dose in both intervention groups was 120 min/week of additional PA during school hours. Parental consent was obtained from 2084 adolescent students (76%). Standardized national tests in reading and numeracy was conducted at baseline and at the end of the intervention. We used linear mixed model to test intervention effects. We found significant intervention effects in numeracy and reading among students in both interventions when compared with controls. RESULTS: The mean difference in change in numeracy was 1.7 (95% CI: 0.9 to 2.5; Cohen's d = 0.12) and 2.0 (95% CI: 1.4 to 2.7; Cohen's d = 0.23) points in favour of students in the PAL and DWBH intervention, respectively. Similar results were found for reading, where the mean difference in change was 0.9 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.6; Cohen's d = 0.06) and 1.1 (95% CI 0.3 to 1.9; Cohen's d = 0.18) points in favour of students in the PAL and DWBH intervention, respectively. When conducting intention to treat analysis with imputed data the estimates were attenuated and some no longer significant. CONCLUSION: The ScIM study demonstrates that two different school-based PA interventions providing approximately 120 min of additional PA weekly over nine months, significantly improved numeracy and reading performance in 14-year old students compared with controls. However, the results should be interpreted with caution as the effect sizes reported were very small or small and the estimates were attenuated when conducting intention to treat analysis. Despite this, our results are still positive and suggest that PA interventions are viable models to increase academic performance among adolescents. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered (25/01/2019): NCT03817047 .

The association between physical fitness and mental health in Norwegian adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Studies indicate that health-related components of physical fitness are associated with mental health outcomes. However, research is scarce concerning this relationship in young adolescents in general and non-existent in Norwegian populations specifically. The aim of the study was to examine whether body composition, muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with self-reported mental health in Norwegian adolescents. METHODS: Adolescents from four regions of Norway (n = 1486; mean age = 13.9; girls = 50.6%) participated. Self-reported mental health (psychological difficulties) was measured by completing the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed with an intermittent running test; muscular strength was assessed by measuring handgrip strength, standing broad jump and sit-ups; and body composition was assessed by calculating body mass index from weight and height. Linear mixed effects models were conducted to assess the associations between the health-related components of physical fitness and psychological difficulties. School clusters were included as random effects and all models were controlled for sex, socioeconomic status and birthplace (domestic or foreign). RESULTS: Body composition was not associated with psychological difficulties. Muscular strength was independently associated with psychological difficulties, but when all independent variables were entered in the fully adjusted model, only cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with psychological difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: There was a small but significant inverse association between cardiorespiratory fitness and levels of psychological difficulties in Norwegian adolescents. The results suggest that muscular strength is not associated with psychological difficulties in adolescents, when controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness. Future research should focus on the prospective association between physical fitness components and mental health outcomes in adolescents. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov ID nr: NCT03817047. Retrospectively registered January 25, 2019.

The Temporal Relations of Adolescents' Basic Need Satisfaction in Physical Education and Global Self-Worth.

This study investigated the temporal relations of adolescents' basic need satisfaction in physical education (PE) and global self-worth in a sample of 3,398 lower and upper secondary school students (49% boys, 51% girls, average age T1 = 15.00, SD = 1.79). Four models and competing hypotheses were tested, and the model with bidirectional paths specified showed the best fit to the data. The bidirectional effect estimates suggest not only that basic need satisfaction in PE predicts global self-worth development but also that adolescents' perceptions of global self-worth predict the degree to which they experience basic need satisfaction in PE. Findings could suggest that students with low global self-worth are less sensitive to basic need support in PE. These students may need personally tailored need-supportive initiatives in order to develop basic need satisfaction in PE and, thus, global self-worth through PE.

Childhood football play and practice in relation to self-regulation and national team selection; a study of Norwegian elite youth players.

Childhood sport participation is argued to be important to understand differences in self-regulation and performance level in adolescence. This study sought to investigate if football-specific activities in childhood (6-12 years of age) is related to self-regulatory skills and national under 14- and 15-team selection in Norwegian elite youth football. Data of practice histories and self-regulatory skills of 515 youth football players selected at Norwegian regional level were collected and further analysed using multilevel analyses. The results revealed that high self-regulated players were more likely to be selected for national initiatives, and increased their involvement in peer-led football practice and adult-led football practice during childhood, compared to players with lower levels of self-regulation. While national level players reported higher levels of peer-led football play in childhood, the interaction effect suggest that the regional level players increased their involvement in peer-led play during childhood compared to national level players. In conclusion, the findings indicate that childhood sport participation may contribute to later differences in self-regulation, and highlights the importance of childhood engagement in football-specific play and practice in the development of Norwegian youth football players.

Using the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop a family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children: study protocol for a quasi-experimental trial.

BACKGROUND: In light of the high prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, there is a need of developing effective prevention programs to address the rising prevalence and the concomitant health consequences. The main aim of the present study is to systematically develop and implement a tailored family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children, aged 6-10 years old, enhancing parental self-efficacy, family engagement and parent-child interaction. A subsidiary aim of the intervention study is to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity among those participating in the intervention study. METHODS/DESIGN: The Intervention Mapping protocol was used to develop a tailored family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children. In order to gather information on local opportunities and barriers, interviews with key stakeholders and a 1-year pilot study was conducted. The main study has used a quasi-experimental controlled design. Locally based Healthy Life Centers and Public Health Clinics are responsible for recruiting families and conducting the intervention. The effect of the study will be measured both at completion of the 6 months intervention study and 6 and 18 months after the intervention period. An ecological approach was used as a basis for developing the intervention. The behavioral models and educational strategies include individual family counselling meetings, workshops focusing on regulation of family life, nutrition courses, and physical activity groups providing tailored information and practical learning sessions. Parents will be educated on how to use these strategies at home, to further support their children in improving their behaviors. DISCUSSION: A systematic and evidence-based approach was used for development of this family-based intervention study targeting overweight and obese children, 6-10 years old. This program, if feasible and effective, may be adjusted to local contexts and implemented in all municipal health care institutions in Norway. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02247219 . Prospectively registered on October 26, 2014.

Normative data of BMI and physical fitness in a Norwegian sample of early adolescents.

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to 1) provide normative data quantifying the physical fitness level and body mass index of 13-15-year-old Norwegian adolescents using a multi-component fitness assessment, and 2) compare the physical fitness of Norwegian teenagers with available European and International fitness data. METHODS: 1059 adolescents (529 males, 530 females) from 12 public schools in Kristians and were invited to testing at age 13, 14, and 15 years (Grades 8-10). Test participation was 75%-80%. The participants performed objectively anthropometrical measures (height and weight) and six field-based physical fitness tests. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: As expected, sex differences in physical fitness expanded from age 13 to 15. Strength and power increased more in males than females. Aerobic capacity increased slightly in males while remaining stable or tending to decline in females. Balance and gross motor coordination improved identically in males and females from age 13 to 15. Compared to European and International reference data, the sample performed superior in endurance and balance, slightly above median in lower-body strength, but inferior in flexibility.

The role of gender in the relationship between physical activity, appearance evaluation and psychological distress.

BACKGROUND: Based on previous research, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the indirect effect of physical activity on psychological distress through appearance evaluation. The indirect effect was hypothesized to be conditional on gender, with the effect being more profound among females than among males. METHOD: A total of 2055 adolescents (Mage  = 15.3) completed a self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: Physical activity was indirectly related to psychological distress through appearance evaluation in both males and females, but the indirect effect was stronger for females than for males. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity may prevent distress through enhanced appearance evaluation.

Supplement usage and doping attitudes in elite youth sports: The mediating role of dietary supplement acceptance.

This study investigated whether dietary supplement acceptance mediated the relationship between supplement use and doping attitudes in youth sports. To this end, we employed a two-wave half-longitudinal design during a sports season (time point one [T1] to time point two [T2]). The sample consisted of 217 elite youth athletes (47% male; mean age = 16.98 years, standard deviation = 0.88) who competed in team sports (43%; N = 93; basketball, floorball, handball, and ice hockey) and individual sports (57%; N = 124; alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, swimming, and tennis). The participants were recruited from eight Norwegian sports academy high schools that provide extracurricular, higher-level training and specialization for youth athletes. Results from structural equation modeling analysis indicated that dietary supplement acceptance (T2) mediated the positive relationship between supplement use (T1) and doping attitudes (T2) when accounting for prior levels of the mediator and the outcome variable. These findings suggest that when young athletes used dietary supplements at the start of the season to improve their performance, they were more likely to view the use of supplements as acceptable and to report more favorable attitudes toward doping at the end of the season six months later. For those seeking to prevent doping in youth sports, targeting athletes' views on the acceptable use of dietary supplements may be important.

Is Left-Handedness Associated With Greater Success From the 7-Meter Line? An Analysis of 7-Meter Records Across Various Handball Competitions.

While left-handers have been overrepresented among 7-meter shooters in handball, previous investigators have not found success from the 7-meter line to be related to handedness. Drawing on previous handedness research in sport, we performed two studies to examine possible negative frequency-dependent advantages to left-handedness during 7-meter throws among elite players. In Study I, we analyzed the records of 974 7-meter shooters from Danish and Norwegian elite divisions (485 males and 489 females) and found that left-handed males were overrepresented compared to the prevalence of left-handers in these two leagues, but left-handed females were not. An analysis of covariance showed no statistically significant associations between throwing arm or sex, and success from the 7-meter line. In Study II, we analyzed the records of 899 7-meter shooters at 41 major championships for both males and females between 2007-2023 (442 males and 457 females). We again found left-handed males to be overrepresented compared to their prevalence at the championships, but left-handed females were not. Also, in alignment with Study I, an analysis of covariance found no associations between throwing arm or sex, and success from 7-meter throws. These findings further underline the complexities associated with lateral biases in sports, where there appear to be benefits for left-handed males in the selection process that are not evident during performance execution.

The relationship between physical activity and physical self-esteem in adolescents: the role of physical fitness indices.

The aim of this study was to investigate if physical fitness (strength/power, endurance, flexibility and coordination) mediates the cross-sectional relationship between physical activity and physical self-perception (athletic competence and physical appearance) in a sample of 15-year old adolescents. We wanted to investigate the relative strength of each indirect effect. The present data are taken from two waves of a larger data collection for the project "Youth in Balance", and was collected in the autumn of 2005 (N = 1207) and 2008 (N = 632). A total of 1839 students (889 girls and 950 boys) from 12 schools in Kristiansand took part. A bias-corrected bootstrapping technique was used to examine indirect effects. Results revealed that cardiovascular endurance, lower-body strength/power, and upper-body strength stood out as unique mediators in the relationship between physical activity and athletic competence in both genders. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of physical activity on physical appearance through physical strength/power and flexibility in males. No indirect effects of physical activity on physical appearance through actual physical fitness indices were detected in females.

Identity leadership and cohesion in elite sport: The mediating role of intra-team communication.

One perspective on leadership that has recently gained increased attention in sport is identity leadership; however, research on elite sport teams is still in its infancy. Thus, the main purpose of this research is to investigate identity leadership in elite team sports in relation to task cohesion, and subsequently to explore the mediating role of the intra-team communication dimensions of acceptance and distinctiveness. A cross-sectional design was employed and 441 elite athletes from division 1 and division 2 in handball and ice hockey participated in the present study. Structural equation modeling was used to assess relationships between identity leadership and task cohesion, and the mediating role of acceptance and distinctiveness. Results revealed that identity leadership positively predicted task cohesion, and that this relationship was mediated by intra-team communication acceptance. In conclusion, findings in the present study expand our understanding of performance-related benefits of identity leadership in elite sport.

Establishing the Convergent Validity of the Travel Habit Questions in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Questionnaire by Quantifying Active Travel in Norwegian Adolescents.

Background: Active travel (cycling or walking to school) can be a substantial part of adolescents' daily physical activity. Research on transport activities primarily relies on self-reported indices of travel mode and travel time. However, many researchers do not report the psychometric properties of their instruments. The Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) questionnaire is a commonly used instrument, but the items in this questionnaire on travel habits have not yet been validated. The present study was conducted to investigate the convergent validity and agreement between the HBSC items and a travel diary on (1) transport mode to and from school and (2) travel time to school. Methods: The study sample consisted of 50 participants in the 9th grade (15 ± 0.3 years, 62% girls) from seven Norwegian schools. Outcome variables included transport mode and travel time derived from the HBSC items and a five-day travel diary. Convergent validity was assessed by evaluating Cohen's kappa for travel mode and the correlation coefficient (Spearman Rho) for travel time. Simple agreement calculations between the two measurement methods were also conducted. Results: The association between the HBSC questionnaire and the diary for travel mode to and from school was κ = 0.63 (P < 0.001) and κ = 0.77 (P < 0.001), respectively. The total agreement between the HBSC questionnaire and the diary for was 78%. However, the agreement was higher for walking (88%) and cycling (91%) than for motorized transport (67%). For travel time, the Spearman correlation coefficient was ρ = 0.60 (P < 0.001) between the HBSC questionnaire and the diary. The total agreement on travel time was 67%; however, active commuters (86%) seemed to more accurately estimated travel time than motorized commuters (55%). Conclusion: Although the overall agreement between the HBSC questionnaire and the diary for mode of transport was 78%, the HBSC questionnaire may underestimate the prevalence of motorized transport compared to walking and cycling. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03817047.

An Examination of the Relationship Between Coaches' Transformational Leadership and Athletes' Personal and Group Characteristics in Elite Youth Soccer.

There is a growing body of the literature highlighting the positive impact of transformational leadership behaviours across contexts, including sport. However, there is a lack of knowledge of this relationship within elite sport settings. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between elite youth athletes' perceptions of coaches' transformational coaching-behaviours and variables that have been linked to transformational leadership in other settings (i.e., group cohesion, motivational climate, self-regulation of learning and athlete satisfaction). Norwegian elite youth soccer players (n = 753) selected into the national talent development program completed questionnaires to measure the variables of interest. Using structural equation modelling, results revealed a positive path from transformational leadership to both task and social cohesion, task-oriented motivational climates, self-regulation of learning and athlete satisfaction. Finally, a negative path from transformational leadership to ego-oriented climates was identified. The findings are in line with previous research in associating transformational leadership behaviours with adaptive outcomes, and further indicating that such relationships may also be valid in elite sport contexts.

Development and Initial Validation of the Humor Climate in Sport Scale.

In sport teams, humor is an essential element that influences communication processes, and plays an important role in group dynamics. Despite this, no current instrument is presented in the literature to measure humor climate in sport teams. Therefore, the current study presents the development and initial validation of the Humor Climate in Sport Scale (HCSS). The aim was to assess content, structural and concurrent validity of the developed instrument, and to examine differential item functioning (DIF) as a function of sex. Three different phases were completed in this study. The first phase involved focus groups (n = 5) that explored humor as communication in a team sport context. In phase 2, information from the focus groups was used to create a pool of potential items for the questionnaire. Two discussion groups with sport science students contributed to the development of 80 potential items, that two different expert groups then assessed for item quality. The final version of the instrument after this phase contained 14 items, representing three different humor dimensions. In phase 3, two independent samples with a total number of 776 participants were recruited for the psychometric evaluation of the instrument. EFA, ICM-CFA, and ESEM analysis were performed, supporting a three-factor structure with positive humor, negative humor in-group, and negative humor out-group. In addition, partial DIF as a function of sex on the negative humor dimensions was found, indicating differences in how male and female interpret the negative humor items. The findings in the current study expand our understanding of humor in sport teams and may be a starting point for further research on humor climate in sport teams and its role in group function.

A Qualitative Exploration of Collective Collapse in a Norwegian Qualifying Premier League Soccer Match-The Successful Team's Perspective.

The current case study focused on a crucial match in the qualification for the Norwegian Premier League (Eliteserien). In the match, the participants of the study experienced a radical change in performance toward the end of the second half, from being behind by several goals to scoring 3 goals in 6 min and winning the qualifying game. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the perceptions and reflections of players and coaches (sporting director) on what occurred within their own team and within the opposing team. The momentum shift in the opposition team can be described as a collective collapse. In the study, the theoretical collective collapse process model was used as a guide for the design of the interview questions where five semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants involved in the match (players, coach, and sporting director). The participants watched excerpt clips from the match to recall the main events, which they subsequently reflected on. The results highlighted the importance of the "before-game" aspects (i.e., pressure, first game result), the "during-the-game" behavior (i.e., goals scored, playing with a low degree of risk) and the cognitive (i.e., feelings of pressure, despair) and emotional reactions (i.e., frustration, joy) to the match unfolding. In addition, social contagion processes were evident in both teams relating to emotion and behavior. Overall, the data from this study investigated the general structure of the process model of collective sport team collapse and found support for the notion of a temporal cascade of causes for a team collapse. Future research is encouraged to examine this model, to provide guidance to teams, coaches, and sport psychologists in order to make recommendations for dealing with collective collapse in sport teams.

The Relationship between Motivational Climate and Personal Treatment Satisfaction among Young Soccer Players in Norway: The Moderating Role of Supportive Coach-Behaviour.

Motivational climate and coach-behaviour seem important to understand sport involvement and participation. However, less is known about the potential interaction between these facets, and how it relates to athlete satisfaction. This study's purpose is to examine the relationship between the perceived motivational climate, supportive coach-behaviour, and athletes' personal treatment satisfaction among young soccer players. More specifically, we investigated the moderating effect of supportive coach-behaviour on the relationship between motivational climate and personal treatment satisfaction. Five hundred and thirty-two players (Mean age = 15.4 years, SD = 1.2) attending a Norwegian national soccer tournament participated in the study. Self-completion questionnaires were used to attain data. A linear regression analysis revealed that mastery of climate and supportive coach-behaviour were positively associated with personal treatment satisfaction. A negative association was found between performance climate and personal treatment satisfaction. Further, moderation analyses revealed that supportive coach-behaviour moderated the relationship between performance climate and personal treatment satisfaction. The findings indicate that a performance climate may not be as maladaptive when coaches provide supportive behaviour. The findings highlight the value of a further examination of the interaction between motivational climate and coaching behaviours, and its potential relations to young athlete's sport experience.

Difference in physical fitness in children with initially high and low gross motor competence: A ten-year follow-up study.

The aim of the study was to investigate the difference in relative physical fitness between children with initially high and low gross motor competence in a ten-year prospective study. A sample of 49 children from a local primary school was tested on gross motor competence and physical fitness in 1st grade (5/6 years old). The children were tested again in 2nd (motor competence only), 7th, and 10th grade (15/16 years old). The sample was divided into two groups; initially high and low gross motor competence, according to score (median-split) on the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder-test battery in 1st grade. Results suggested that the initially high gross motor competence-group performed significantly better on a multidimensional physical fitness test, compared to the initially low gross motor competence-group at all time-points. There were also statistically significant differences between the groups in gross motor competence in 7th and 10th grade, with the initially high gross motor competence-group scoring most favorable. The findings from the present study highlight the importance of identifying and supporting young individuals with low gross motor competence, to prevent low levels of physical fitness in the future.

Mental Toughness Moderates Social Loafing in Cycle Time-Trial Performance.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine if mental toughness moderated the occurrence of social loafing in cycle time-trial performance. METHOD: Twenty-seven men (Mage = 17.7 years, SD = 0.6) completed the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire prior to completing a 1-min cycling trial under 2 conditions: once with individual performance identified, and once in a group with individual performance not identified. Using a median split of the mental toughness index, participants were divided into high and low mental toughness groups. Cycling distance was compared using a 2 (trial) × 2 (high-low mental toughness) analysis of variance. We hypothesized that mentally tough participants would perform equally well under both conditions (i.e., no indication of social loafing) compared with low mentally tough participants, who would perform less well when their individual performance was not identifiable (i.e., demonstrating the anticipated social loafing effect). RESULTS: The high mental toughness group demonstrated consistent performance across both conditions, while the low mental toughness group reduced their effort in the non-individually identifiable team condition. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm that (a) clearly identifying individual effort/performance is an important situational variable that may impact team performance and (b) higher perceived mental toughness has the ability to negate the tendency to loaf.