Peak Performance: Characteristics and Key Factors in the Development of the World Top-8 Swimmers Based on Longitudinal Data.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the peak performance characteristics of the world top-8 swimmers and the key factors involved in the journey toward achieving better peak performance. METHODS: The results of the world top-8 swimmers from 2001 to 2022 were collected from the World Aquatics performance database. Progression to peak performance was tracked with individual quadratic trajectories (1191 cases). Utilizing k-means clustering to group competitive feature variables, this study investigated key developmental factors through a binary logistic regression model, using the odds ratio (OR) to represent whether a factor was favorable (OR > 1) or unfavorable (OR < 1). RESULTS: Significant differences (P < .001) in the peak age between men (23.54/3.80) and women (22.31/4.60) were noticed, while no significant differences (P > .05) in the peak-performance window for both sexes appeared. Peak performance occurred at later ages for the sprint for both sexes, and women had a longer duration in peak-performance window for sprint (P < .05). Peak-performance occurred at later ages for the breaststroke and butterfly for both sexes (P < .05). Binary logistic regression revealed that high first-participation performance (OR = 1.502), high major-competition performance (OR = 4.165), early first-major-competition age (OR = 1.441), participation frequency above 4 times/year in both phase 2 (4.3-8.0 times/y, OR = 3.940; 8.1-20.0 times/y, OR = 5.122) and phase 3 (4.1-7.5 times/y: OR = 5.548; 7.7-15.0 times/y: OR = 7.526), and a career length of 10 years or more (10-15 y, OR = 2.102; 16-31 y, OR = 3.480) were favorable factors for achieving better peak performance. CONCLUSIONS: Peak performance characteristics varied across sex, swimming stroke, and race distance in the world top-8 swimmers. Meanwhile, the research indicated that certain specific developmental factors were key conditions for the world top-8 swimmers to achieve better peak performance in the future.

Promoting gender equity in very young adolescents: targeting a window of opportunity for social emotional learning and identity development.

BACKGROUND: The transition from childhood to adolescence is a uniquely sensitive period for social and emotional learning in the trajectory of human development. This transition is characterized by rapid physical growth, sexual maturation, cognitive and behavioral changes and dynamic changes in social relationships. This pivotal transition provides a window of opportunity for social emotional learning that can shape early adolescent identity formation and gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of a social emotional learning intervention for very young adolescents (VYAs) to improve social emotional mindsets and skills. METHODS: Discover Learning is a social emotional learning intervention designed for VYAs (10-11 years of age) to support development of social emotional mindsets and skills from four primary schools in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The intervention delivered three different packages of learning experiences to three arms of the study. 528 VYAs were randomized to each of the three study arms (A-Content learning, B-Content learning and reflection, and C-Content learning, reflection and experiential practice). A quantitative survey was administered to all participants before and after the intervention to capture changes in social emotional mindsets and skills. A discrete choice experiment measured changes in gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. RESULTS: 528 VYAs were included in the analysis. Participants in all three arms of the study demonstrated significant improvements in social emotional mindsets and skills outcomes (generosity, curiosity, growth mindset, persistence, purpose and teamwork). However, Group C (who received experiential social learning opportunities in small, mixed-gender groups and a parent and community learning components demonstrated larger treatment effects on key outcomes in comparison to Groups A and B. Results indicate Group C participants had greater change in gender equity outcomes (OR = 1.69, p = <0.001) compared to Group A (OR = 1.30, p = <0.001) and Group B (OR = 1.23, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: These findings provide evidence that social emotional learning interventions targeting VYAs can improve social emotional mindsets and skills and gender equity outcomes. The findings indicate the importance of experiential learning activities in mixed-gender groups during the unique developmental window of early adolescence. The study also provides support for the inclusion of parental/caregiver and community engagement in programs designed for VYAs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered on July 7th, 2020. NCT0445807.

Study Protocol of a Distance Learning Intervention to Support Social Emotional Learning and Identity Development for Adolescents Using Interactive Mobile Technology.

Background: The maturational period from age 10 to 14-often referred to as very young adolescents (VYAs)-represents a dynamic period of learning and neurobehavioral development as individuals transition from childhood to adolescence. This developmental period presents a window of opportunity for strategic investment to improve trajectories of health, education and well-being among young people. More specifically, neurodevelopmental changes during pubertal maturation influence neural circuitry involved in processing emotions, risks, rewards and social relationships. Technology can be leveraged to create social emotional learning experiences for VYAs and provide opportunities for flexible, distance learning in low-income countries. The aim of this study protocol is to detail how insights from developmental science can be used to inform the intervention design, implementation and evaluation of a distance learning, social emotional learning intervention for VYAs. Methods: This study will be delivered to 500 VYAs in Temeke District, Dar es salaam. Study participants will watch culturally-relevant, animated videos on social emotional mindsets and skills and content will be paired with experiential learning activities over a period of 10 weeks. A nested smart-phone based study will practice learning social emotional skills and mindsets through engagement with multi-media material via the WhatsApp messenger application. Surveys and in-depth interviews will be administered to adolescents, their parents/caregivers and teachers before and after the intervention to evaluate the effect of the intervention on study outcomes. Discussion: This study is among the first to provide results on how to effectively design a distance-learning intervention to promote social emotional learning and identity development within a low-resource context. The findings will provide substantial evidence to inform new intervention approaches that are effective in low-resource contexts and strategies to reach scale among similar programs invested in leveraging technology to support adolescent health and development. Clinical Trial registration: Study registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier number NCT0445807.

Adolescent, caregiver and community experiences with a gender transformative, social emotional learning intervention.

BACKGROUND: Inequitable gender norms, beliefs and behaviors, are shaped by learning experiences during key developmental stages in an individual's life course, and can have negative impacts on health and well-being outcomes. Very early adolescence represents one stage when formative learning experiences about gender inequity can have the potential to support or hinder more equitable gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. The aim of this qualitative study was to evaluate the effect of a gender transformative, social emotional learning intervention for very young adolescents (VYAs) that included experiential learning with peers, parents/caregivers and community members. METHODS: This study examined the effects of an intervention designed to provide social emotional learning opportunities for adolescents ages 10-11 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The qualitative sample included 279 participants. Qualitative methods included 102 in-depth interviews with VYAs, 22 focus groups with 117 VYAs, 60 in-depth interviews with parents/caregivers and 54 participant observations. A grounded theory approach was used to identify emergent themes. RESULTS: Participants reported growth in targeted areas of social emotional mindsets and skills, including a shift in gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. VYAs reported that experiential learning in mixed gender teams provided opportunities to actively practice and reflect on gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. VYAs also reported active practice of social emotional mindsets and skills with peers, parents/caregivers and the community. Parents/caregivers reported changes in VYAs' social emotional mindsets and skills within the home, with the community and with siblings and peers. Both adolescents and parent/caregivers reported positive change towards more equitable gender norms, beliefs and behaviors through participation in experiential learning activities and reflective discussions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that an intervention providing social and emotional experiential learning opportunities during the developmental window of very young adolescence can be effective in transforming gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. Involvement of peers, parents/caregivers and community members was effective at supporting learning social emotional mindsets and skills in VYAs. Findings encourage local and global adolescent programming to include gender transformative content paired with social emotional experiential learning with peers, family and the community and can stimulate positive change in gender norms, beliefs and behaviors to promote gender equity.

An Intervention to Enhance Social, Emotional, and Identity Learning for Very Young Adolescents and Support Gender Equity: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The onset of puberty is a pivotal period of human development that is associated with significant changes in cognitive, social, emotional, psychological, and behavioral processes that shape identity formation. Very early adolescence provides a critical opportunity to shape identity formation around gender norms, attitudes, and beliefs before inequitable gender norms are amplified during and after puberty. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the Discover Learning Project is to integrate strategic insights from developmental science to promote positive transformation in social, emotional, and gender identity learning among 10- to 11-year-olds in Tanzania. Through a pragmatic randomized controlled trial, the intervention scaffolds the development of critical social and emotional mindsets and skills (curiosity, generosity, persistence, purpose, growth mindset, and teamwork) delivered by conducting 18 after-school, technology-driven, experiential learning sessions in small, mixed-gender groups. METHODS: The Discover Learning Intervention is a 3-arm randomized controlled trial that will be delivered to 579 participants selected from four public primary schools in Temeke District, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Randomization will be done at the individual level into 3 treatment groups receiving incremental intervention components. The treatment components include Discover Learning content curated into child-friendly videos, facilitated discussions, and a parent-child workbook, to be implemented over two phases, each 6 weeks long. A baseline survey will be administered to participants and their parents prior to the intervention. The process will be observed systematically, and data will be collected using surveys, in-depth interviews, observations, and focus group discussions with adolescents, parents, teachers, and facilitators conducted prior, during, and after each implementation phase. RESULTS: This study builds on formative and pilot studies conducted with the target population to inform the design of the intervention. The results will generate new evidence that will inform strategies for achieving scale in Tanzania and provide insights for replication of similar programs that are invested in gender-transformative interventions in peri-urban, low-resource settings. CONCLUSIONS: The Discover Learning Intervention makes an important contribution to the field of adolescent developmental science as an intervention designed for very young adolescents in a low-resource setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04458077; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04458077. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/23071.

Knowledge and reported use of antibiotics amongst school-teachers in New Zealand / Conocimiento y uso comunicado de antibióticos entre profesores de escuela en Nueva Zelanda

Gaps in public knowledge about antibiotics have led to calls for public education campaigns about antibiotics, including education of school children. Objective: This study investigates New Zealand primary school teachers' current level of knowledge about antibiotics, to assess whether this is adequate for providing accurate education for children. Methods: Two hundred and sixty-six primary school teachers from 39 schools in four cities were interviewed about their knowledge and understandings of antibiotics, using a questionnaire. Results: Teachers reported having little current involvement with antibiotics. There were gaps in the understanding of antibiotics amongst many of the teachers. Only about 60% knew that antibiotics were useful only in bacterial infections, many believed antibiotics were useful for colds and flu, and many did not know about antibiotic resistance. On the other hand, teachers largely reported appropriate patterns of antibiotic use. Conclusion: If teachers are to educate children about antibiotics, basic education about antibiotics and resistance will be required for school teachers (AU)

Las lagunas en el conocimiento del público sobre antibióticos han llevado a llamadas de atención para realizar campañas sobre antibióticos, incluyendo la educación de niños en escuela. Objetivo: Este estudio investiga el nivel actual de conocimiento sobre antibióticos de los profesores de escuelas primarias en Nueva Zelanda, para evaluar si son adecuados para proporcionar educación adecuada a los niños. Métodos: Se entrevistó, utilizando un cuestionario, a 266 profesores de escuelas primarias en 39 escuelas de 4 ciudades sobre sus conocimientos e ideas de antibióticos. Resultados: Los profesores informaron tener poco conocimiento de antibióticos. Había lagunas en su comprensión de los antibióticos entre muchos profesores. Sólo el 60% sabía que los antibióticos eran útiles solo en infecciones bacterianas, muchos creían que los antibióticos eran útiles en gripe y resfriado, y muchos no sabían nada sobre resistencias a antibióticos. Por el contrario, los profesores informaron sobre patrones de uso de antibióticos adecuados. Conclusión: Si se pretende que los profesores eduquen a los niños sobre antibióticos, se requerirá una formación básica sobre antibióticos y resistencias para los profesores de escuela (AU)

Knowledge and reported use of antibiotics amongst school-teachers in New Zealand.

UNLABELLED: Gaps in public knowledge about antibiotics have led to calls for public education campaigns about antibiotics, including education of school children. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates New Zealand primary school teachers' current level of knowledge about antibiotics, to assess whether this is adequate for providing accurate education for children. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-six primary school teachers from 39 schools in four cities were interviewed about their knowledge and understandings of antibiotics, using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Teachers reported having little current involvement with antibiotics. There were gaps in the understanding of antibiotics amongst many of the teachers. Only about 60% knew that antibiotics were useful only in bacterial infections, many believed antibiotics were useful for colds and flu, and many did not know about antibiotic resistance. On the other hand, teachers largely reported appropriate patterns of antibiotic use. CONCLUSION: If teachers are to educate children about antibiotics, basic education about antibiotics and resistance will be required for school teachers.