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In this pilot study, we assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of an educational program designed to prevent alcohol-related behaviors among high school students. The program was rooted in the Theory of Planned Behavior principles (TPB) and supplemented with life-skills teaching. A total of 352 participants were involved, representing 10 secondary schools in central Greece. Among these, 257 students (Mage: 14.51 ± 1.34 years) constituted the experimental group, while 95 were assigned to the control group. The experimental group received a 10-session program, one per week. The results revealed that the experimental group had a significant improvement on knowledge about alcohol, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and alcohol-related behavior between pre- and post-intervention measurements. Additionally, students expressed high levels of satisfaction with the program. These findings offer substantial evidence for the practicality and effectiveness of an alcohol prevention initiative that is rooted in theory and supported by life-skills education when implemented within a school environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of exercise programs during substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is considered particularly supportive in fostering positive psychological and behavioral changes. The treatment of SUD is a challenging and demanding process. Therefore, it is crucial to discover innovative methods to enhance and facilitate it. Integrating exercise into a virtual environment is an innovative approach for drug rehabilitation, offering multiple benefits to individuals undergoing treatment. The aim of this feasibility study was to explore the acute effects of cycling exercise in an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment on attentional control and self-efficacy expectations of individuals undergoing SUD treatment. Methods: A total of 20 individuals (mean age of 37.75 years) enrolled in a SUD treatment program participated in the study. They were instructed to complete a single session of cycling with a self-selected duration within the VR system. Results: Following the cycling session, pre-post measures indicated a statistically significant improvement in self-efficacy expectations and attentional control measured with the Stroop test. The results revealed that participants expressed high levels of intention for future use, interest/enjoyment, and positive attitudes toward the VR exercise system. Qualitative data indicated that participants found the VR exercise system enjoyable, expressed a strong intention to use it, and did not encounter technical difficulties or negative emotions. Conclusions: In conclusion, it seems that engaging in a brief period of self-selected exercise within a virtual environment can result in temporary activation of cognitive changes, heightened self-efficacy expectations, and a motivating approach to increasing physical activity participation among individuals with SUD, thus suggesting the feasibility of this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the diverse impact of the Olympic Movement on society, emphasizing core values like 'excellence', 'friendship', and 'respect'. Traditionally, the Olympic Movement actively promotes global sport through initiatives such as Olympic education programs, instilling moral dimensions, cultural values, and essential life skills. Recent Olympic Games are scrutinized for their organizers' focus on safety, pandemic management, environmental sustainability, and gender equality. This paper addresses crucial policy options, spanning human rights, social inclusion through sport, and the pervasive issue of inactivity affecting public health. Noteworthy successes in leveraging sports for refugees and combating substance use disorders are discussed, alongside joint efforts by the World Health Organization and the International Olympic Committee, to combat inactivity and promote health through sports. Exploration of gender equality in the Olympic Movement recognizes challenges and suggests actions, including increasing female participation and addressing sexual harassment. The intersection of sports, climate change, and environmental responsibility is examined, with a focus on the ambitious 'climate-positive' goals of the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, since most of the IOC actions are rather symbolic and not substantial, many organizations are called upon to take active initiatives. Actionable recommendations urge countries to prioritize physical activity policies, organize exercise programs, and collaborate across sectors for health and environmental sustainability. The Olympic Games should focus on promoting mass sports participation, fostering positive attitudes, enhancing public health through sports, education, peace, and societal values, advocating for a holistic approach that champions ethical values, and promoting Olympic education to build a better world through sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low levels of physical activity are associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, yet sedentary lifestyles are common among both children and adults. Physical activity levels tend to decline steeply among children aged between 8 and 12 years, even though children's behavioral patterns are largely governed by familial structures. Similarly, parents' activity levels have been generally reported as lower than those of nonparents of comparable age. For this reason, family-based physical activity promotion interventions are a potentially valuable and relatively underresearched method for mitigating physical activity declines as children develop into adolescents and for increasing physical activity in parents., Objective: This study aims to assess the efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of a novel theory-based web-based physical activity promotion intervention among parent-child dyads in Finland who do not meet physical activity recommendations at baseline., Methods: Participants (target N=254) will be recruited from the general population using a panel company and advertisements on social media and randomly assigned to either an immediate intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention consists of 4 web-based group workshops over the course of 10 weeks, web-based tasks and resources, and a social support chat group. Data on physical activity behavior and constructs from the integrated behavior change model will be collected through self-report surveys assessing physical activity, autonomy support, autonomous motivation, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention, self-monitoring, habit, and accelerometer measurements at baseline, post intervention, and 3 months post intervention. Exit interviews with participants will assess the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention procedures., Results: This study will reveal whether the intervention changes leisure-time physical activity among intervention participants relative to the control group and will examine the intervention's effects on important theoretical predictors of physical activity. It will also yield data that can be used to refine intervention materials and inform further implementation. Trial recruitment commenced in September 2023, and data collection should be completed by December 2024., Conclusions: The planned intervention has potential implications for both theory and practice. Practically, the use of an entirely web-based intervention may have scalable future uses for improving physical activity in 2 key populations, while also potentially informing on the value of dyadic, family-based strategies for encouraging an active lifestyle as an alternative to strategies that target either parents or children independently. Further, by assessing change in psychological constructs alongside potential change in behavior, the intervention also allows for important tests of theory regarding which constructs are most linked to favorable behavior change outcomes., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06070038; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06070038., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/55960., (©Daniel Phipps, Weldon Thomas Green, Reetta Aho, Eeva Kettunen, Stuart Biddle, Kyra Hamilton, Arto Laukkanen, Kaisa Aunola, Derwin King Chan, Nelli Hankonen, Mary Hassandra, Tommi Kärkkäinen, Virpi-Liisa Kykyri, Juho Polet, Ryan Rhodes, Montse C Ruiz, Arja Sääkslahti, Jekaterina Schneider, Hanna-Mari Toivonen, Taru Lintunen, Martin Hagger, Keegan Knittle. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 21.03.2024.)