Search Results (70)

Background: Pre-season training is pivotal for optimizing athletic performance in collegiate basketball, yet the effectiveness of such programs in improving body composition (BC) under NCAA-mandated hourly restrictions remains underexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a four-week, NCAA Division II-compliant strength and conditioning (SC) program on BC in women’s basketball. Methods: Sixteen student athletes (20.6 ± 1.8 y; 173.9 ± 6.5 cm; 76.2 ± 20.2 kg) completed an eight-hour-per-week micro-cycle incorporating functional conditioning, Olympic-lift-centric resistance, and on-court skill development. Lean body mass (LBM) and body-fat percentage (BF%) were assessed using multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance on Day 1 and Day 28. Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the fixed effect of Time (Pre, Post), including random intercepts for each athlete and covariate adjustment for age and height (α = 0.05). Results The LBM significantly increased by 1.49 kg (β = +1.49 ± 0.23 kg, t = 6.52, p < 0.001; 95% CI [1.02, 1.96]; R² semi-partial = 0.55), while BF% decreased by 1.27 percentage points (β = −1.27 ± 0.58%, t = −2.20, p = 0.044; 95% CI [−2.45, −0.08]; R² = 0.24). Height positively predicted LBM (β = +1.02 kg/cm, p < 0.001), whereas age showed no association (p > 0.64). Conclusions: A time-constrained, NCAA-compliant SC program meaningfully enhances lean mass and moderately reduces adiposity in collegiate women’s basketball athletes. These findings advocate for structured, high-intensity, mixed-modality training to maximize physiological readiness within existing regulatory frameworks. Future research should validate these results in larger cohorts and integrate performance metrics to further elucidate functional outcomes. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of resistance training (RT) experience on bone mineral density (BMD) and stress fractures (SFs) in female collegiate athletes. Overall, 492 female athletes from 16 competitive sports were included. Sports were categorized into four groups based on exercise load. Data on sports participation, RT experience, and SF history were obtained using a questionnaire. Total body and lumbar spine BMD were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Athletes with RT experience in both senior high school (ages 15–18) and university (ages 18–22), as well as those with experience from junior high school (ages 12–15) through university, had significantly higher BMD than those with no RT experience or RT experience only in senior high school (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that athletes with RT experience had significantly lower odds ratios for SFs compared to those with no RT experience. In the adjusted model that included sport type and university year, athletes with RT experience in junior high school, senior high school, and university had a significantly lower OR for SFs compared with no RT experience (OR = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01–0.59, p = 0.016). No significant BMD differences were found between athletes with and without SFs (p > 0.05). The study findings suggest that initiating RT in junior high school may be associated with a reduced incidence of SFs during university. Full article

Background: Individuals with ADHD may perform poorly on tasks targeting executive functioning skills such as the ImPACT, which requires the test-taker to employ judgement in non-routine situations Objective: To determine whether ADHD serves as a mediating variable for increasing the likelihood of an invalid score. Materials and Methods: A total of 39,140 collegiate athletes and United States military cadets consented to the Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium study. Participants completed the CARE Baseline Packet which included various sections through which study participants provide self-report data, including demographic, personal, and family history sections. The personal history portion of the CARE Baseline Packet addressed the participant’s neurological history, including self-reported diagnosis of ADHD and history of traumatic brain injury. Variables utilized for the current study included age, gender, race, ethnicity, the participant’s primary college sport, use of mouthguards for athletes competing in sports requiring them, and the presence of an ADHD diagnosis. Participants responded to a question, inquiring if they had ever been diagnosed by a medical professional with ADHD, ultimately producing a dichotomous yes/no response. Results: We found that participants with ADHD were more likely to produce invalid baseline scores (ß = −0.884; p < 0.001). Similar results were found when controlling for sex, race, age, sport played, mouthguard use, and number of previous concussions (ß = −0.786; p < 0.001). Sex, race, sport played, and mouthguard use each played a significant role in determining profile validity, independent of ADHD diagnosis. With ADHD removed from the model, age negatively affected the likelihood of a valid score (ß = −0.052; p = 0.048). Conclusions: Our study suggests that the relationship between age and ImPACT validity is explained by the presence of ADHD. Results support adjusting ImPACT’s validity thresholds for individuals with ADHD. Full article

Drawing upon the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this study examines the association between different school types and teacher work engagement as well as emotional exhaustion, in addition to the moderating roles of job (collegial and school management support) and individual (resilience) resources. We utilized multivariate regression models with interaction terms, applied to data from the GEW-Frühjahrsreport 2025—a cross-sectional quantitative survey assessing teacher well-being (TWB) among a representative sample of 5859 teachers in North Rhine-Westphalia. The findings reveal that vocational and special needs schools are associated with significantly higher work engagement and lower emotional exhaustion compared to other school types. Resilience emerged as the strongest predictor across both outcomes, followed by school management support. Moderation analyses indicate predominantly boosting effects, meaning that job resources exert greater positive influence in already-favorable school contexts. These results challenge the assumption that job resources primarily serve as buffers in high-demand settings. Instead, the study highlights the importance of systemic conditions and leadership quality in enabling the effective utilization of resources. Implications are discussed with regard to professional development, structural school reform, and the integration of well-being into educational policy. Full article

This study interrogates whether mental toughness (MT) and self-compassion (SC)—historically framed as oppositional constructs—can coexist synergistically among NCAA Division II, III, and NAIA collegiate athletes, with mindfulness as a hypothesized mediator. A cross-sectional survey of 396 participants (mean age: 19.8 yrs ± 1.9 SD; females: 51%), revealed a robust MT–SC correlation (r = 0.46), which attenuated to 0.31 when mindfulness was modeled, signaling its role as a partial mediator. Hierarchical regression controlling for sex showed that MT and sex together explained 22% of the SC variance (ΔR² = 0.22, p < 0.001). Adding mindfulness increased the total explained variance to 39% (ΔR² = 0.17, p < 0.001). Females scored slightly lower on SC (β = –0.14, SE = 0.05, p = 0.008). Sobel testing confirmed significant partial mediation (Z = 7.22, p < 0.001), with mindfulness explaining 33% of MT’s total effect on SC. Mindfulness-based interventions that exploit athletes’ intrinsic attentional resources can simultaneously enhance mental toughness and self-compassion. By reconciling performance-oriented rigor with resilient self-regard, such strategies hold promise for athletes operating at diverse competitive levels. Full article

Collegiate sports serve as a powerful platform for advancing youth development and social engagement, contributing not only to athletic growth but also to personal development, teamwork, and social justice among student-athletes. This study explores the relationships among procedural justice, coach trust, perceived organizational support (POS), and team commitment in collegiate athletes. A self-reported questionnaire administered to college athletes collected 285 usable responses. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings reveal that higher perceptions of procedural justice are significantly associated with greater team commitment, increased coach trust, and higher POS. Additionally, coach trust positively influences both team commitment and POS. However, no significant relationship was found between POS and team commitment, indicating that POS alone may not be a direct predictor of athlete commitment without the presence of mediating factors. These findings highlight the pivotal role of procedural justice, coach trust, and POS in shaping team commitment among collegiate athletes, underscoring the importance of fair decision-making and relational trust in fostering youth development and reflecting the broader influence of behavioral and social dynamics in collegiate sport settings. Full article

Non-contact injuries are common in collegiate throwing athletes. Identifying musculoskeletal issues that predispose athletes to injuries would be valuable for reducing the associated risk. The purpose of this pilot study was to use binomial logistic regression to identify injury-prone athletes with multiple pre-season functional measures and demographic information. Eighteen Division II baseball and softball athletes underwent pre-season functional testing including measures of manual muscle testing of the dominant shoulder muscles (MMT), the functional movement screen (FMS), and closed kinetic chain upper extremity stability (CKCUES). A certified athletic trainer at the university diagnosed and documented the injuries that these athletes sustained over the course of the season. Binomial logistic regression models were used to assess the effects of FMS composite score, CKCUES normative score, MMT scores, and demographic information on the likelihood that participants would sustain (a) any type of injury and (b) a shoulder injury during the competitive season. The model for injury was not significant (p = 0.822), correctly classifying 72.2% of cases. The model for shoulder injury was significant (p = 0.039) and correctly classified 100% of cases. These results suggest that shoulder injury incidence may potentially be predicted using sport-specific movement tests in baseball and softball athletes. A larger sample size is needed to verify these results in the future. Full article

Over the past four decades, cheerleading evolved from a sideline activity at major sporting events into a professional, competitive sport with growing global popularity. Evaluating tumbling elements in cheerleading relies on both objective measures and subjective judgments, such as difficulty and execution quality. However, the complexity of tumbling—encompassing team synchronicity, ground interactions, choreography, and artistic expression—makes objective assessment challenging. Artificial intelligence (AI) revolutionised various scientific fields and industries through precise data-driven analyses, yet their application in acrobatic sports remains limited despite significant potential for enhancing performance evaluation and coaching. This study investigates the feasibility of using an AI-based approach with data from a single inertial measurement unit to accurately identify and objectively assess tumbling elements in standard cheerleading routines. A sample of 16 participants (13 females, 3 males) from a Division I collegiate cheerleading team wore a single inertial measurement unit at the dorsal pelvis. Over a 4-week seasonal preparation period, 1102 tumbling elements were recorded during regular practice sessions. Using triaxial accelerations and rotational speeds, various ML algorithms were employed to classify and evaluate the execution of tumbling manoeuvres. Our results indicate that certain machine learning models can effectively identify different tumbling elements with high accuracy despite inter-individual variability and data noise. These findings demonstrate the significant potential for integrating AI-driven assessments into cheerleading and other acrobatic sports in order to provide objective metrics that complement traditional judging methods. Full article

To address the challenges of dynamic adversarial scenario modeling distortion, insufficient cross-institutional data privacy protection, and simplistic evaluation systems in collegiate basketball tactical education, this study proposes and validates an immersive instructional system integrating digital twin and federated learning technologies. The four-tier architecture (sensing layer, digital twin layer, federated layer, and interaction layer) synthesizes multimodal data (motion trajectories and physiological signals) with Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) to enable virtual–physical integrated tactical simulation and real-time error correction. Experimental results demonstrate that the experimental group achieved 35.2% higher tactical execution accuracy (TEA) (p < 0.01), 1.8 s faster decision making (p < 0.05), and 47% improved team coordination efficiency compared to the controls. The hierarchical federated learning framework (trajectory ε = 0.8; physiology ε = 0.3) maintained model precision loss at 2.4% while optimizing communication efficiency by 23%, ensuring privacy preservation. A novel three-dimensional “Skill–Creativity–Load” evaluation system revealed a 22% increase in unconventional tactical applications (p = 0.013) through the Tactical Creativity Index (TCI). By implementing lightweight federated architecture with dynamic cognitive offloading mechanisms, the system enables resource-constrained institutions to achieve 87% of the pedagogical effectiveness observed in elite programs, offering an innovative solution to reconcile educational equity with technological ethics. Future research should focus on long-term skill transfer, multimodal adaptive learning, and ethical framework development to advance intelligent sports education from efficiency-oriented paradigms to competency-based transformation. Full article

The purpose of this study was to validate the Performance Perfectionism Scale for Sport (PPS-S) for use in South Korean student-athletes, addressing the critical need for a culturally appropriate measure of perfectionism in sport. The PPS-S was translated following established cross-cultural research protocols, including forward-backward translation and cognitive interviews. Participants were 332 collegiate athletes (79.5% male, 20.5% female; proportionate to the national collegiate athletic population distribution) registered with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee. Confirmatory factor analysis using robust maximum likelihood estimation confirmed the three-factor structure (self-oriented, socially prescribed, and other-oriented perfectionism) with acceptable model fit indices (χ²[49] = 163.54, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.906; RMSEA = 0.084, 90% CI [0.071, 0.097]; SRMR = 0.077). This validation represents a significant advancement in South Korean sport psychology, providing practitioners and researchers with the first psychometrically sound instrument for assessing perfectionism in sport and informing culturally tailored interventions. It addresses the limitations of previous research that relied on general perfectionism measures, which compromised domain and cultural validity by potentially misrepresenting athletes’ perfectionistic tendencies. Future research is needed to examine how this PPS-S performs distinctively compared to traditional general perfectionism measures and investigate its associations with various psychological outcomes. Full article

While teachers’ professional learning communities (PLCs) have been extensively studied, discipline-specific PLCs (DPLCs) have received less attention, particularly regarding the subject matter’s role and its connection to other community dimensions. To explore this, we conducted two independent studies on DPLCs. Study 1 examined physics teacher DPLCs, using participant observations and literature-based analysis. Study 2 investigated science and technology teacher DPLCs through interviews and passive observation, which was analyzed through content analysis. Both studies yielded remarkably similar findings, leading to a synthesized model encompassing five dimensions: the structural dimension, reflecting the community’s tangible and logical organization; the content dimension, emphasizing the discipline-specific focus of the DPLC; the common production dimension, showcasing joint enterprise activities and products of the DPLC; the social-affective dimension, addressing social, emotional, and value-based aspects that establish a sense of community; and the meta-community dimension, exploring the DPLC’s relationships with its broader environment. These dimensions operate bidirectionally: inward—the effect of the community on the individual, and outward—the effect of the individual teacher on the community. We discuss how interactions between these dimensions shape DPLCs and influence teacher development. Additionally, we highlight the significance of this unified model for DPLC leaders, researchers, and policymakers in teacher development. Full article

This paper is the first to offer a digital-twin of the Energy Rebound Testing Device, which is specified by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for the sport of basketball. This digital-twin replicates the physical ERTD, which was previously studied empirically. This paper merges the original finite element analysis of a basketball rim and backboard with the finite element analysis of the Energy Rebound Testing Device, using the ANSYS Workbench 2024R2, student edition. The first modal model was of the ERTD in isolation in the Workbench Modal Analysis system, and the natural frequency modeled via finite element analysis, 12.776 Hz, compared favorably with the empirical modal analysis value of 12.72 Hz. The second modal model, also in the Workbench Modal Analysis system, was of the ERTD rotatably attached to a basketball rim and backboard. This second model was then imported into the Transient Structural Analysis system and first used to confirm the hypothesis that the ERTD did indeed transfer kinetic energy from its drop-mass to the basketball rim and backboard. Then, an energy transfer surface was used to confirm the hypothesis that this kinetic energy transfer was responsive to changes in rim and backboard stiffness via changes in the respective Young’s moduli. Finally, a second-generation ERTD was proposed, where the control box transmits its energy readings to “the cloud” via the WiFi capabilities of the Arduino UNO R4 WiFi. Full article

Background: Student-athletes and competitive dancers experience significant physical, psychological, and emotional stress, often coupled with academic and social pressures. These stressors may lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, negatively impacting mental health, quality of life, and athletic performance. While assessing mental illness is important, measuring positive mental health (PMH) can offer valuable insights into overall well-being and resilience. The positive mental health Instrument (PMHI) was developed to assess PMH, but its psychometric properties in student-athletes and competitive athletes have not been explored. Methods: Collegiate student-athletes and competitive dancers completed a survey, including the PMHI-19 and a demographic questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the factor structure of the PMHI-19. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was then conducted to identify a more parsimonious structure. Results: The CFA of the PMHI-19 did not meet recommended model fit indices. EFA resulted in two different parsimonious models: a 4-factor, 11-item model (PMHI-11) and a 3-factor, 9-item model (PMHI-9), both meeting recommended fit indices. Conclusions: The condensed PMHI-11 and PMHI-9 models may be more suitable for use in collegiate athletic populations. Further research is needed to refine these instruments and explore their applicability across diverse athletic groups. Full article

Background: Hereditary hemoglobin disorders are the most common globally distributed monogenic red cell diseases. The rights of women with thalassemia or sickle cell disease (SCD) to motherhood need to be protected by creating a roadmap to guide her, and her family network, along all the phases of the event. In fact, pregnancy in these vulnerable patients requires special attention and guidelines from the counseling stage (giving information about the special requirement and risks posed by their pregnancy with respect to the general population) the pre-conception stage, the early and mid-late pregnancy stage, to labor and lactation. The biocomplexity of these diseases requires a multidisciplinary team synergizing with gynecologists and obstetricians. In addition, the presence of a multicultural scenario requires healthcare workers to overcome stereotypes and adopt appropriate anthropological tools that might help them integrate the different cultural models of disease and motherhood. Methods: The Management Committee of the Society for Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies (SITE) selected and brought together a multidisciplinary and multiprofessional group made up of experts in hemoglobinopathies and experts in anthropology, flanked along with by experts with methodological and organizational expertise in order to create recommendations based on the integration of available scientific evidence together with expert opinion. Results: The panelists critically analyzed the literature, combining in a single document practices developed over several years of managing young women with hemoglobinopathies in a sensitive phase of their lives. Conclusions: This good practice document is the result of a collegial effort by Italian experts on hemoglobinopathies who are members of SITE. (SITE). Full article

Understanding the factors that influence teacher well-being is crucial as it significantly affects students, teachers, schools, and the sustainability of the education system, especially during prolonged emergencies. This study contributes to the field by empirically testing a conceptual model of teacher well-being in emergency contexts, specifically addressing the COVID-19 school closures with a sample of over 19,600 teachers from Kazakhstan through an online survey design. Utilising a multidimensional socio-ecological framework that considers individual, school and home, community, and national factors, this study identifies key predictors of teacher self-reported well-being. Individual-level predictors explained 9.3% of the variation in physical well-being (F = 118, p < 0.001, R² = 0.093) and 4.5% in psychological well-being (F = 72.2, p < 0.001, R² = 0.045). In contrast, school- and home-level predictors demonstrated significantly greater explanatory power, accounting for 21.9% (F = 128, p < 0.001, R² = 0.219) and 15.5% (F = 89.5, p < 0.001, R² = 0.155) of the variation in physical and psychological well-being, respectively. Community-level predictors explained 12.8% of the variation in physical well-being (F = 191, p < 0.001, R² = 0.128) and 10.2% in psychological well-being (F = 324, p < 0.001, R² = 0.102), while national-level predictors accounted for much smaller proportions: 0.67% for physical well-being (F = 21.8, p < 0.001, R² = 0.0067) and 1.4% for psychological well-being (F = 83.589, p < 0.001, R² = 0.014). These findings highlight the significant influence of home and school, as well as community-level predictors, on teacher well-being during emergency contexts, suggesting that interventions targeting these areas may be particularly effective in supporting teacher well-being. The findings reveal that while Kazakhstani teachers reported poor physical well-being, they generally had a more positive assessment of their psychological well-being. Vulnerable groups included women, older teachers, non-Kazakh teachers, and those with higher education levels, as well as teachers in Russian medium and mixed-medium schools, all of whom reported lower physical and psychological well-being. Additional risk factors identified were a lack of student engagement, difficult relationships with parents, a directive leadership style, family conflicts, and inadequate resources at home and school. Conversely, protective factors such as teacher autonomy, collegiality, networking opportunities, and self-efficacy emerged as significant contributors to well-being. These findings reveal a complex interplay between cultural factors and subjective perceptions of well-being. This study emphasises the critical role of these predictors in both emergency and non-emergency contexts, underscoring the urgent need for targeted policies and programmes that sustainably support and enhance teacher well-being holistically. This approach will promote Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 (well-being) and ensure access to equitable quality education (SDG 4) for all learners, ultimately contributing to the overall resilience of educational systems. Full article