Low back pain is a common health problem. In this study, we investigated the effects of yoga, physical therapy (PT), and home exercise (HE) on pain perception, function, stress, and quality of life in chronic low back pain (cLBP). We randomly assigned 54 participants to three distinct treatment groups: (a) a physical therapy group (PT) who received spinal stabilization exercises (SSE) combined with local heat and transcutaneous electrical stimulation; (b) a home exercise group (HE) who received SSE as part of the home program; and (c) a yoga group who received yoga exercises. The primary outcome measures were a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for measuring pain, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) to measure function. Secondary outcome measures were the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale (TKS), Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), pain sensitivity (L3 and deltoid R/L PPTs), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), plasma cortisol and DHEA-S levels, Transversus Abdominis (TrA) muscle activation, and the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Assessments were conducted before and after a six-week intervention period. All three groups demonstrated improvements in pain on the VAS, function on the ODI, pain sensitivity on the L3 and deltoid R/L PPTs, CSI, anxiety on the STAI, TrA muscle activation, and quality of life on the NHP ( < .05). The PT group exhibited a more pronounced improvement on the ODI score ( < .05) than the other groups. Cortisol levels only decreased in the PT group ( < .05). The exercises did not impact DHEA-S and NHP-S parameters. Thus, all interventions resulted in decreased stress, pain intensity, pain sensitivity, central sensitization, and improved function and quality of life; there was no singularly superior approach between interventions. These findings will aid in tailoring treatment programs for managing cLBP according to individual needs.

Executive functions (EF) have been significantly correlated with many important participant characteristics, including education, behavior, and overall health. Assessing EF in children is particularly important, as doing so can help clinicians develop programs for EF remediation. However, there is a limited understanding of comprehensive performance-based EF assessment tools for children. Our goal in the present paper was to conduct a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the Yellow-Red test, a performance-based EF measure, in a Bosnian sample of early elementary school students. Specifically, our participants were 180 children aged 8-11 years ( age = 9.6 years, = 1), including 83 girls and 97 boys. The CFA showed that the data fit well with both a unidimensional model (global EF) and a two-dimensional EF model, comprised of (i) working memory and (ii) inhibition plus cognitive flexibility. A comparison of these two models showed that the two-factor model was a statistically better fit to this sample's performance than the unidimensional model. These results suggest that EF in this age group can be viewed as both a single construct and a multi-factor construct (with at least two-factors). The Yellow-Red Test, with its engaging and cross-cultural research base, is a useful instrument for detecting EF dysfunction, and it can provide valuable insights for informing tailored interventions.

In recent years, there has been growing scientific interest in the neuropsychophysiological aspects of soccer performance. The purpose of this study was to conduct a bibliometric analysis to identify and review key topics within the neuropsychophysiological dimensions of soccer performance and identify any research voids that warrant further attention. We retrieved 192 documents from the Scopus database and anayzed the extracted data using VOSviewer software to conduct a bibliometric analysis. We applied both performance analysis techniques (including the number of documents per year, top 20 authors by citations, and top 15 sources by documents) and science mapping analysis (co-authorship, bibliographic coupling, co-citation, and co-occurrence). The co-occurrence analysis identified three main clusters of research themes. The first cluster focused on the relationship between physical performance and cognitive factors, the second on technical-tactical performance, and the third on health and well-being. Our findings emphasize the significant role of neuropsychophysiological factors in all aspects of soccer performance. We highlight the importance of integrating cognitive and physical training to enhance player performance and underscore the need for further research to deepen our understanding of these relationships.

For judo athletes with visual impairments and their coaches, understanding possible muscle adaptations can be challenging. As it is commonplace for these adaptations to include interlimb asymmetry, we analyzed the magnitude and direction of interlimb asymmetry in judo athletes with visual impairments and verified the association of this asymmetry with their unilateral physical performances. Participants were 18 elite judo athletes (10 male, 8 female) with visual impairments. These athletes performed three physical tests: countermovement jump (CMJ), medicine ball throw (MBT), and handgrip strength (HGS), while we conducted unilateral right and left side assessments using the interlimb asymmetry equation for each physical test. Our main results showed that the CMJ and MBT tests presented asymmetry values above 10%; with CMJ significantly higher than HGS ( = 0.050), and with inconsistencies across the three tests in the direction of interlimb asymmetry (k = -0.22-0.26). Unilateral CMJ (left limb) was negatively correlated with asymmetry (r = -0.51; = 0.031), and unilateral MBT (right limb) was positively correlated with asymmetry (r = 0.52; = 0.024). Based on these results, coaches should prioritize regular assessments of interlimb asymmetry using these specific tests. This data can guide the construction of training programs aimed at minimizing asymmetry and enhancing overall physical performance. Continuous monitoring and adjustment of training strategies based on asymmetry findings are crucial for optimizing muscle balance in judo athletes with visual impairments.

Given the prevalence of plantar fasciitis (PF) among middle-aged women, we investigated the immediate impact of custom foot orthoses (CFO) on pain and static and dynamic postural balance, addressing a critical gap in understanding the potential benefits of CFO in managing PF-related pain and postural instability. Nine middle-aged women with PF and obesity were evaluated for pain levels and center of pressure (CoP) values in bipedal, unipedal with a non-affected foot, and unipedal with an affected foot on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, while they were barefoot, wearing standard insoles (SI), and wearing CFO. We found that CFO significantly and immediately reduced pain ( < .01) improved CoP values ( < .01) in the unipedal stance with the affected foot, and enhanced TUG test scores ( < .001). The results demonstrated a significant ( < .01) improvement in CoP values and TUG test scores with CFO, compared to SI. These findings underscore the immediate benefits of CFO in alleviating pain and improving postural balance in obese middle-aged women with PF, highlighting their potential as a valuable intervention.

Individuals who vary their preferred hand when performing different types of manual activities, so-called mixed handers (MH), have been frequently reported to outperform individuals with a consistent (right) hand preference (cRH) on tasks assessing declarative-memory functions. For example, in one influential study, this MH advantage extended to incidental learning from presumed "deep" semantic processing of verbal stimuli but not from "shallow" phonemic or structural processing. In the present study, we aimed to replicate this research finding in two separate participant samples. First, in a pre-registered and sample-size planned experiment we confronted 49 participants (23 MH; 26 cRH) with "phonemic" and "semantic" word evaluation tasks (using a within design), followed by a surprise delayed recognition test. In a second experiment, we repeated the same procedure with 65 other participants (31 MH, 34 cRH). A mixed-effect analyses of variance found a significant main effect of Encoding Condition (phonemic vs. semantic tasks) in both experiments (effect size: = .81 to .85), indicating the classical level-of processing effect with higher recognition hits and sensitivity () for words that followed semantic versus phonemic encoding. However, the predicted interaction effect of Encoding Condition with Handedness Group was not statistically significant for either sample (all < .03), nor was the main effect of Handedness Group. Thus, our findings conflicted with those of the original study in two independent samples. As we had sufficient statistical power to be confident in our failure to detect a genuine group difference, we cannot confirm the previously reported MH over cRH advantage in incidental learning of verbal material. We discuss possible reasons for these contradictory results and the theoretical implications of this discovery.

Recent case reports have emphasized the essential clinical contribution of telerehabilitation in the treatment of facial palsy. However, no randomized controlled trial has yet demonstrated the effects of telerehabilitation-based facial exercise therapy. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of video exercise-based telerehabilitation on motor and non-motor clinical outcomes in adults with facial palsy. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 40 peripheral facial palsy patients. Those in the experimental group (EG) received four weeks of telerehabilitation-based video exercises and routine care. Those in the control group (CG) received only routine care. All participants were evaluated with the Facial Disability Index (FDI), the Facial Clinimetric Evaluation Scale (FaCE), Short Form-12 (SF-12), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the House-Brackmann Scale (H-B) and the Telemedicine Satisfaction and Usefulness Questionnaire (TSUQ), both before and after the interventions. Both groups demonstrated a significant improvement in FDI, FaCE, and SF-12 PCS scores ( < .05). In addition, there was a significant improvement only in EG on the SF-12 MCS score ( < .05), and there was a significant gain only in CG on the HADS-Depression score ( < .05). While these results provide a further contribution to our understanding of telerehabilitation benefits in mental health variables related to quality of life for facial palsy patients, we found no EG and CG differences on the physical components of treatment.

Each year in the United States, many factors are considered in the National Football League's draft process, including scouting reports, interviews, medical tests, and measures of players' strength, speed, anthropometry, and personality. Recently, an increased emphasis has been placed on players' psychometrically measured cognitive abilities. Historically, offensive linemen have been excluded from NFL research, since they do not have individual performance statistics. In this study, we attempted to fill that research gap by investigating correlates of offensive linemen's measured vigilance/impulsivity. We obtained archival player data from 85 offensive linemen in the years from 2014-2021 prior to each of these players' NFL draft. We then used false start penalties per game (FSPG) as an index of their vigilance/impulsivity (and general success) on the field, and we related those values to Reaction Time tests through hierarchical multiple regression analyses. After controlling for draft placement, these players' higher accuracy on a Choice Reaction Time task accounted for a statistically significant percentage of the variance associated with their FSPG statistics. We discuss the practical utility for player development of these and other cognitive assessments now used in the NFL.

Perfectionism includes various dimensions focused on different planes of psychological functioning, with both positive and negative elements that influence adaptation to the pursuit of achievement and personal satisfaction with efforts and their attainment. We examined participants' levels of perfectionism and the relationship between perfectionism and anxiety in young athletes, and we described the mediating factor of self-confidence as a determinant of sport performance. We utilized a non-experimental, descriptive, and transversal research design. A total of 263 Spanish young athletes ( age = 15.79 years; = 1.07) who belonged to different sports clubs and engaged in different sports completed the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS) and the Competitive Anxiety Inventory (CSAI-2R). Our results confirmed our belief that self-confidence was a protective factor for diminishing the negative relationships between perfectionism, anxiety, and sport performance. Regarding the predictive power of these variables, the construction of exaggerated achievement expectations (or personal standards) by combining functional and dysfunctional resources was reflected in cognitive anxiety (dysfunctional) and was mediated by self-confidence (functional). Application of these elements into training via well planned communication may allow coaches to enhance young athletes' resources for mental and behavioral adjustment toward their sporting goal. In addition, this training approach may underscore athletes' self-perceived competence and enhance their self-confidence.

Automating a perceptual-motor task will not win you a perceptual-motor contest. Despite claims that mindless automaticity is the essence of expertise, the view espoused here is that automaticity is worthwhile only because it enables the expert to plan and strategize. Indeed, the purpose of learning to manually shift gears is to eventually ignore that function to focus instead on actual driving. To perform well, the expert must transition their attention from a task's low-level components to its high-level nuances. This is best understood in real-world scenarios (e.g. driving, in which performance is dynamic and sometimes competitive). This argument is based on a years-long, longitudinal case study of learning to play the puzzle game, Tetris. Tetris is intensively perceptual-motor with complicated manual routines needed to manage expert game speeds. For this case study, the player began as an advanced novice but successfully transitioned to championship level in the 2020 Classic Tetris World Championship. Initially, the challenge was gaining enough skill to make and execute perceptual-motor decisions in a fraction of a second. However, once that process became automatic, the player could spend those freed mental resources elsewhere. Performance was better for all games when the player was mentally engaged and used their focused attention to plan ahead rather than just automatically respond to the game pieces. We argue that the end goal for automating perceptual-motor skills in competitive, dynamic environments is to free cognitive space in the brain for the user to excel strategically.

High competence in fundamental motor skills (FMS) and adequate physical fitness (PF) levels are a solid foundation for acquiring an active and healthy lifestyle during childhood and adolescence. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to compare gender and age groups and identify correlations between FMS and PF in young elementary school students. We used a structured questionnaire to gather sociodemographic information from parents, and we characterized the children's economic profile with the Brazil Social Economic Status Criterion. We collected FMS data using the Furtado-Gallagher Children Observational Movement Pattern Assessment System (FG-COMPASS), and we used the Brazil Sports Project Battery Test to measure PF levels. Statistical analyses involved descriptive data and inferential tests to determine group differences in FMS and PF levels. Hierarchical regression helped identify the associations between FMS and PF, as controlled by sociodemographic factors. Participants were 720 students (and parents) of both genders (383 girls, 337 boys; age = 8.8, = 1.52 years) from grades 1 to 5 in an elementary school in a municipality in the western region of the Paraná state in Brazil. The results showed significant differences in children's motor skills and PF based on gender and age. The hierarchical regression model showed different combinations of flexibility, abdominal resistance, upper limb strength, agility, speed, and lower limb strength, which explained 33.7% of the variability in the global FMS index, 41% of the variability in manipulative skills, and 12.7% of the variability in locomotor skills. In addition, there was a positive association between FMS and PF related to neuromuscular development for both sexes, regardless of age.

While trunk control is essential for daily activities and motor function, there is currently sparse information regarding the psychometric properties of the outcome measures used for assessing trunk control in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), characterized by proximal muscle weakness. The Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS) was developed to assess trunk control in children with cerebral palsy. We aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the TCMS for children with DMD. We determined the functional level of 52 children with DMD (median age: 8.83 years) with the Vignos Scale, and we further evaluated them with the Motor Function Measure (MFM), a gold standard for determining the validity of the TCMS. Internal consistency of the Turkish TCMS was excellent with a Cronbach's alpha of .95. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values for intra-rater reliability were between 0.90-0.96 and for inter-rater reliability were between 0.91-0.95. We reported positive moderate to strong correlations between the TCMS and trunk flexors strength ( < .001, r = 0.77), back extensors strength ( < .001, r = 0.68) and MFM ( < .001, r = 0.85). Thus, we found the Turkish version of TCMS to be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing trunk control of children with DMD in clinical and research settings.

We investigated sensorimotor synchronization abilities across swimmers of different artistic expertise levels. Elite, novice, and non-artistic female swimmer participants completed finger and foot tapping tasks involving single and polyrhythmic patterns that were intended to simulate the rhythmic coordination required in artistic swimming. Although no significant group differences were found in basic sensorimotor synchronization skills, elite athletes exhibited superior performance on polyrhythmic tasks. This observed superior performance could be partly attributable to a pre-existing predisposition for such motor skills and/or the effects of rigorous training. These findings highlight the critical impact of sport-specific demands on temporal control skills and suggest important implications for training methodologies in artistic swimmers.

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and various associated symptoms. Non-pharmacological interventions have gained attention for managing FMS and improving patient outcomes. We reviewed past research to investigate the effects of traditional Chinese martial arts (TCMA) and stretching training (ST) on symptoms of patients with FMS. We searched Web of Science, Medline via PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE from their inceptions to June 1, 2023. Across selected studies, we evaluated TCMA and ST using Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) scores, pain symptoms, fatigue levels, and sleep quality as outcome measures. Compared with control groups, participants receiving TCMA and ST interventions showed significantly lower FIQ scores (Standard Mean Difference (SMD) = -3.01, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [-4.83,-1.19]), improved pain symptoms (SMD = -0.77, 95% CI [-1.07,-0.47]), less fatigue (SMD = 1.31, 95% CI [0.50,2.11]), and enhanced sleep quality (SMD = -0.55, 95% CI [-0.97,-0.12]). Subgroup analyses revealed that, irrespective of intervention duration, both TCMA and ST interventions were effective in relieving pain symptoms in these patients. ST interventions showed significant improvement in fatigue symptoms, while TCMA interventions positively influenced sleep quality. These findings highlight potential non-pharmalogical benefits of TCMA and ST interventions in managing FMS. However, future research should explore the optimal duration, frequency, intensity, and types of interventions for TCMA and ST and design targeted exercise intervention programs to study the effects of these interventions on different characteristics of FMS patients. Attention should be given to the effects of short-term interventions on improving fatigue symptoms, sleep quality, and pain relief, to provide more personalized and effective FMS treatment plans.

Science knowledge refers to the depth and breadth of facts acquired within the life, social, and earth sciences, and it has implications for both public and personal health. Drawing from cognitive aging theory, we examine whether levels of science knowledge are associated with age, neuropsychological functioning, and personal health literacy. Fifty-two younger and fifty older healthy adults completed our telephone-based study that included a commonly used test of science knowledge, as well as measures of neuropsychological functioning, health literacy, and relevant descriptives (e.g., mood). Adjusting for other demographics and neuropsychological functioning, older adults had significantly lower science knowledge test scores than younger adults. In the full sample, lower science knowledge showed medium-to-large associations with episodic memory, executive functions, and health literacy, independent of years of education. These results suggest that older adults' science knowledge falls slightly below that of their younger counterparts and is independently associated with higher order neuropsychological functions and aspects of personal health, which may have implications for accessing, understanding, and using relevant public health information across the lifespan.

We investigated the psychometric properties of a Turkish version of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM-T). Our participants were 367 children (212 children with disabilities and 155 children without disabilities; = 40.76 months, = 20.33; range 0-71 months) and their parents, who were selected by a convenience sampling method. We translated and cross-culturally adapted the original YC-PEM from English to Turkish (YC-PEM-T). We found the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the YC-PEM-T to be good with a Croanbach's alpha ranging from .68 to .94, and intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from .69 to .89 after the YC-PEM-T was administered twice to 100 parents within a three week period. In a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) we compared YC-PEM-T scores between children with and without the presence of a disability and found significant differences ( < .05). While we found significant differences between three different age groups, they did not follow consistently. To evaluate discriminant validity, we followed up these ANOVAs with post-hoc analyses when results were statistically significant. Regarding concurrent validity, there were strong to very strong relationships between scores on the participation part of the YC-PEM-T and both the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI; .701 < r < .854, < .001), and the European Child Environment Questionnaire (ECEQ; - .632 < r < - .690, < .001). We concluded that the YC-PEM-T is a valid, reliable, and culturally adapted tool for evaluating daily life participation and adaptation to environmental factors in young Turkish children. We can recommend the YC-PEM-T for use in clinical settings and for epidemiological research to assess young children's participation in activities in the home, preschool and community. We also recommend that future investigators examine other psychometric properties of this scale, including its interpretation and capacity to differentiate varied diagnostic and disability groups.

The perception of verticality is formed through the integration of multisensory gravitational information, including somatosensory, visual, and vestibular inputs. Older adults exhibit visual dependency (VD) as they rely more on visual information to compensate for reduced somatosensory and vertical perception. Increased VD is associated with falls, and the dynamic subjective visual vertical (SVV) is used to assess VD. However, the measurement reliability of dynamic SVV and VD using virtual reality (VR), which has garnered considerable attention in recent years, remains unclear. Therefore, our purpose in this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of dynamic SVVs and VDs using a VR method. We evaluated static and dynamic SVV of 40 older adults using a smartphone-based VR system (SVR-SVV). Dynamic SVV consisted of numerous spheres on the background rotating clockwise (CW-SVV) or counterclockwise (CCW-SVV). Each SVV measurement consisted of one set of 10 trials. VD was calculated as the mean value of dynamic SVV minus the mean values of static SVV. A re-test was conducted after one week. Reliability was analyzed using Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 2, k) for each SVV measure. We observed no systematic bias in any of the SVV values, which were 0.1° ( = 2.8°), 13.3° ( = 8.3°), -12.8° ( = 6.9°), and 15.7° ( = 8.1°) for static SVV, CW-SVV, CCW-SVV, and VD, respectively. Test-retest reliability was good for static SVV (ICC = .817, < .001), CW-SVV (ICC = .896, < .001) and excellent for CCW-SVV (ICC = .914, < .001), VD (ICC = .937, < .001). The dynamic SVV and VD measurements using SVR-SVV demonstrated good test-retest reliability. Moreover, the SVR-SVV is more portable than conventional methods, making it highly useful in clinical practice.

There is substantial research supporting the role of workplace atmospheres in English-as-a Foreign-Language (EFL) teachers' emotions and classroom practices. However, the degree to which (if any) classroom climate may affect teachers' specific emotional exhaustion and/or job attrition has not been addressed. To fill this gap, in this qualitative study, we used a semi-structured interview with 39 Chinese EFL teachers of various backgrounds to better understand the role of classroom climate in its relationship to teachers' emotional exhaustion and attrition, including teachers' perceptions of causative factors in these relationships. Thematic analysis revealed teachers' claims that both emotional exhaustion and attrition were prevented by a positive classroom climate. However, in the context of negative classroom climates, the participants believed that both variables might be worsened. Furthermore, EFL teachers' reported that their emotional exhaustion and job attrition were caused by a wide range of specific teacher-related, work-related, and workplace-related (contextual) factors. We discuss these findings and their implications for EFL practitioners and policy-makers, and we recommend measures to deal with teachers' emotional exhaustion and attrition in the EFL context.

Active movement extent discrimination assessment (AMEDA) is a psychophysical task that evaluates proprioception and tactile acuity of the lower limbs, and it is a method of determining sensorimotor ability. Sensorimotor ability is the ability to judge small differences in movement tasks through the process of receiving sensory messages (sensory input) and producing a response (motor output). Participant attention lapses in prior psychophysical studies have been implicated as a cause for increased measurement variance thresholds in these types of assessments. Since minimizing the time needed for the AMEDA may help to reduce attention lapses, we compared the reliability of the 50-repetition AMEDA protocol (Group 1) with that of a 25-repetition protocol (Group 2). We assessed the split half reliability of these two approaches, using the Spearman-Brown Adjusted Pearson correlation (r). For each method, we calculated Bland-Altman Plots and Intra Class Correlation Coefficients to compare the reliability of the two data sets and determine the 95% confidence intervals. Split-half test re-test Spearman-Brown Adjusted Pearson r (r) was Group 1 = 0.83 and Group 2 = 0.85. The Bland-Altman Plots indicated only a small degree of bias from the zero-difference line, with 95% of the difference points lying within the limits of agreement. For Group 1, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) two-way, agreement was 0.83 (95% CI 0.54-0.93) and for Group 2, the ICC, two-way, agreement, was 0.85 (95% CI 0.66-0.93). The MDC90 for Group 1 was 0.082 AUC units and for Group 2, it was 0.086 AUC units. The combined data for Group 1 plus Group 2 Bland-Altman Plot indicated only a small degree of bias from the zero-difference line, with 95% of the difference points lying within the limits of agreement. The MDC90 for the combined groups was 0.08 AUC units. The multiple methods from previous research assessing test re-test reliability that we applied to our two data sets indicate that the 25-response AMEDA was a reliable system for evaluating sensorimotor function in the lower limbs and may be an alternative for the more traditional 50-response protocol in which lapses in participant attention from fatigue or other biases may be a concern. There are also practical advantages in time restricted athletic screenings to a shorter administration of this assessment.

While many studies have identified multiple benefits and affordances in using virtual reality (VR) technology in language learning, most have been qualitative, with few providing evidence of factors that may impact VR effectiveness for language learning or of the role of learners' unique psychological, environmental, and emotional experiences in language learning. Against this backdrop, we framed this study within social cognitive theory and surveyed 368 Chinese university students of English who were participating in VR-assisted language instruction to explore whether learners' foreign language learning enjoyment and boredom related to their learning engagement; we also investigated the mediating role of learning self-efficacy in these relationships. Our results suggested that (a) students learning English through VR-assisted instruction experienced a relatively high level of enjoyment but moderate level boredom; (b) foreign language learning enjoyment significantly (positively) predicted foreign language learning self-efficacy and engagement; and (c) foreign language learning boredom significantly (negatively) predicted foreign language learning self-efficacy, but not engagement; and foreign language learning self-efficacy fully mediated the relationship between foreign language learning boredom and engagement, and partially mediated the significant relationship between foreign language learning enjoyment and engagement. Based on these findings, we suggest ways to improve VR-assisted language teaching and learning.

Symptoms of "the yips" manifest in various sports and often cause athletes to retire prematurely from competition. While there have been case studies on yips-affected baseballers (YBBs), there has been no comprehensive demographic profile of YBBs, and contributing factors are only partially understood. We aimed to describe youth YBBs' demographic characteristics and explore contributing factors to yips symptoms. We analyzed a self-report questionnaire administered to 285 youth baseballers to investigate yips symptoms and identify both players' psychological characteristics and trigger factors for yips. We defined YBBs as players who exhibited symptoms of involuntary muscle contractions, characterized by jerks, tremors, or freezing during planned movements that resulted in unpredictability when throwing a baseball. Individuals without these symptoms were categorized as non-yips-affected baseballers (NBBs). In our total sample, there was a YBB prevalence of 10.2% with a significantly higher occurrence among pitchers than among players in other positions ( < .05). Additionally, YBBs showed a significantly higher incidence of self-reported anxiety during throwing compared to NBBs ( < .001), and a significantly greater proportion of YBBs than NBBs struggled particularly with gentle or light motion throws ( < .001), especially at short distances (75.0% of the YBBs). Furthermore, 62.1% of YBBs faced difficulties in appropriately releasing the ball. Thus, we found approximately one in 10 youth baseballers experienced yips symptoms that were influenced by throwing distance and high-pressure situations. Our descriptive study advances an understanding of yips-related performance problems in youth baseballers.

The way a map scale is represented plays a key role in comprehending it. In this research, we examined the relationships between the form of representation of the map's scale (numerical scale, linear graphic scale and circular graphic scale), the user's gender, and the distance between two map objects on user of the distance between two objects on the map (i.e., a 5, 10, 15 and 20-min walk). We gave 183 college students 84 maps of three types: 28 numerical scale, 28 linear graphic scale, and 28 circular graphic scale. Each map presented varied distances to be estimated. We assessed the participants' accurate hits, errors, and their hits minus errors in these distance estimations. Participants had both more hits and more errors on circular scale maps than on linear or numerical scale maps, and the distances between objects and gender also significantly related to the estimated e distance. Both the type of scale and the distance between objects influenced the number of hits minus the number of errors.

The L Test has been developed to assess balance and gait disorders. Our aim in this study was to estimate the test-retest reliability and validity of the L Test when used with 82 persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). For these participants, we examined the degree of agreement between the results of a first and second administration of the L Test (separated by one day), using Bland-Altman analysis and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). We computed minimal detectable change (MDC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) values for the L Test and evaluated concurrent validity by correlating L Test results with the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and the 10-minute Walk Test (10MWT). Prior to administering these measurements, we randomized the sequence of the test administrations to our participants. The Bland-Altman analysis showed that L Test was reproducible, with upper and lower limits of agreement of 0.99 and -1.45 seconds, respectively. The L Test demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability, with an ICC value of 0.996 (95% CI: 0.994-0.998). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.996. The performance of the L Test is measured by seconds required to complete the task, and we found the L Test SEM value to be 0.35 seconds, and its MDC value to be 0.97 seconds. The L Test showed a strong correlation with both the TUG test (rho = 0.936; < .001) and the 10MWT (rho = 0.925; < .001). We concluded that the L Test is a reliable and valid \ tool for assessing functional mobility and balance in PwMS.

In this study, we expanded on previous research by employing a Multiple Indicators, Multiple Independent Causes (MIMIC) model to investigate how gender, age, body mass index (BMI), and perceived stress may have collectively influenced social physique anxiety (SPA) among 593 college kinesiology students. Our MIMIC model revealed that perceived stress, gender, and BMI were significantly related to SPA scores, with perceived stress being the strongest factor. Moreover, the relationship between gender and kinesiology students' SPA scores was consistent across different ages. These findings broaden the spectrum of the current nomological network regarding predictors of SPA. Based on these findings, future researchers should extend the current MIMIC model by including more predictor variables (e.g., depression, mood, & mental toughness) to gain additional and perhaps deeper insights. Additionally, we advocate for the adoption of the MIMIC model of statistical analysis in future SPA research.

The 8-item Passion Scale (PS-8) is a unidimensional instrument used in dual versus single passion research. The PS-8 was validated in Icelandic, Persian, and Turkish student samples. In this study, we translated the PS-8 and validated it with physically active and inactive adults from Hungary. We also evaluated measurement invariance (across gender, physical activity, exercise frequency, and age groups) of the Hungarian version of the Passion scale (PS-8-HU). Data were collected online between fall 2023 and winter 2024, including a test and retest phase. The sample comprised 729 Hungarian physically active and inactive adults (68% females, 32% males; ages 18-78 years), of whom 196 participated in the retest. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), item analysis, correlations, -test and ANOVA in checking the scale's validity and reliability, and we used a multigroup CFA to test the measurement invariance. The results supperted a univariate structure of the PS-8-HU. The instrument was invariant for gender (at the strict level), exercise frequency (metric), physical activity (metric), and age (scalar). The internal reliability of the PS-8-HU was .93 and test-retest reliability was .77. The PS-8-HU also exhibited good concurrent and construct validities, high homogeneity, and adequate discriminant validity.

We aimed to investigate how a ball regulation change, implemented in U15 girls' handball games, now affects game performance and shooting plays. Over 14 matches (28 observations), we included all the attacks ( = 813) and shooting plays ( = 589) with the conventional ball and all the attacks ( = 821) and shooting plays ( = 618) with the new ball performed by both teams. We used notational analysis to compare the game performance and shooting plays in these two conditions. Our main results were as follows: (i) the attack efficacy was higher with the new ball (41.9%) than with the conventional ball (36.1%); and (ii) the prevalence of the three-line defensive system was higher with the new ball (10.5%) than with the conventional ball (2.7%). It can be inferred that the new ball enabled backcourt players to execute more powerful middle- and long-range shots, leading to their adoption of deeper defensive tactics that were effective in halting advancing backcourt players. Moreover, implementing new ball regulations resulted in a significantly higher frequency of shots targeted at the upper third of the goal frame (44.4%) compared to those observed with the conventional ball (35.8%). This implies that the introduction of the new ball enhanced precision control over shot placements, resulting in an increased player preference for targeting the upper course. Lastly, goalkeepers' saving rates decreased under the new ball, highlighting the need for technical and tactical coaching, tailored to goalkeepers. In summary, implementing the new ball regulations had a positive impact on Japanese U15 girls' handball performance.

The complex relationships between emotions experienced by learners and learners' personality traits, such as grit, that influence students' willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC) have come under increasing attention. To date, investigators have focused primarily on WTC and the role of emotions in traditional face-to-face settings rather than in blended learning environments. To expand this research, we examined whether grit, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and foreign language boredom (FLB) among university-level EFL students would be predictive of L2 WTC in a hybrid online and face-to-face learning setting. We studied 345 participants (252 females and 93 males) enrolled in English courses in a blended learning environment from three public universities in Saudi Arabia. We utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to test a model that combined grit with two emotions (enjoyment and boredom) and L2 WTC. Our results revealed that FLB had the largest relationship to students' L2 WTC followed by FLE and grit, respectively. In this paper, we discuss these results and present some pedagogical implications of these data for teachers and learners of English as a foreign language (EFL).

Recent investigators have illuminated the crucial role of positive psychology in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). However, little is known about academic buoyancy as a potential mediator in the relationship between foreign language anxiety and learners' academic engagement in English learning. To address this gap, we adopted a quantitative approach to explore these links. We surveyed 970 Chinese high school EFL students to measure their English learning anxiety, academic buoyancy, and learning engagement. Of the four dimensions of engagement - behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement - we discarded the emotional and cognitive dimensions of academic engagement in factor analyses. Structural equation modelling indicated that English learning anxiety directly predicted behavioral but not agentic engagement, and academic buoyancy partially mediated between English learning anxiety and behavioral engagement and completely mediated between English learning anxiety and agentic engagement. These results provide insights for EFL teachers seeking to enhance students' language learning experiences.

In this study, we explored (i) the relationship between time perception and primary school students' academic performance and (ii) the mediating effect of their academic procrastination. We measured time perception in 321 students in primary grades 2, 4, and 6 in Shenyang, China. Students also completed the General Procrastination Acale, and we obtained measures of their academic performance during the semester from their teacher. Results indicated that time perception was significantly and positively correlated with academic performance ( = 0.16, = 3.18, < .001), and time perception and academic procrastination were significantly negatively correlated ( = -0.16, = -2.92, < .01); academic procrastination and academic performance were also significantly negatively correlated ( = -0.27, = -5.38, < .001). Academic procrastination played a mediating role in the relationship between time perception and academic performance, with an indirect effect of 0.04 that accounted for 25.96% of the total academic performance effect. The bootstrap 95% CI was 0.01-0.08. These results may help teachers improve primary school students' academic performance and inspire parents and schools to cultivate students' accurate time perception and prevent academic procrastination in young learners.

The importance of individual differences, personality traits, and psycho-affective factors in second language (L2) learning has been increasingly substantiated by recent research. However, the relationship between students' mindsets and positive emotions has received insufficient attention in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. To fill this research gap, we drew on "broaden-and-build" and "control value" (CVT) theories to examine associations among L2 students' growth mindset, grit, and foreign language enjoyment (FLE). A sample of 750 Chinese students completed three formerly validated scales on each of these constructs. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and correlation analysis illustrated significant, strong, positive correlations among English as a foreign language (EFL) students' growth mindset, L2 grit, and FLE. We found that 56% of changes in Chinese students' FLE could be predicted by changes in their growth mindset and grit. We discuss the obtained results, their implications, and future research directions to highlight the contagious nature of positive emotions in L2 education.