Search

Paralympic School Day is designed to increase student understanding of Paralympic sport and the experiences of individuals with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine elementary school students' Paralympic School Day experiences. This study utilized a qualitative descriptive approach. Participants included 76 third through fifth graders who completed reflective writing prompts after Paralympic School Day. A thematic analysis revealed three themes: (1) understanding the necessary skill development for the Parasports, (2) navigating their negative thoughts associated with seeing individuals with disabilities, and (3) changing their perspective through the Paralympic School Day experience. The findings of this study revealed that Paralympic School Day positively influenced student perceptions about Paralympic sport and increased knowledge and understanding related to individuals with disabilities. Keywords: Disability, awareness, Paralympics, Paralympic School Day, When examining the impact of integrating students with disabilities into general physical education, research has identified both positive (Butler & Hodge, 2004; Li et al., 2021; Slininger et al., 2000), [...]

Smartphones have many characteristics that make them attractive to adolescents. Recent work, however, has established a link between smartphone-related problems and self-esteem (self-worth) and social anxiety (fear of social relations). To date, little is known about the characteristics underpinning these relationships in combination. Driven by theory, the present study examined the association between self-esteem, social anxiety, and nomophobia (fear of being without access to a smartphone) and problem smartphone use (PSU) in a sample of early adolescents (N = 254). Self-esteem (Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale), social anxiety (Social Avoidance and Distress Scale) and their combined contribution (self-esteem x social anxiety) served as predictor variables of nomophobia (Nomophobia Questionnaire) and PSU (Mobile Phone Problem Usage Scale -- Adolescent version) in separate moderated regression analyses. We found that lower self-esteem was associated with higher nomophobia and PSU, and that higher self-esteem may be a protective factor in those lower in social anxiety, such that they are not prone to excessive smartphone use. Our findings offer preliminary markers for psychologists addressing the challenges related to excessive smartphone use in this age group.

In comparison to children, adolescents achieve significantly less physical activity (PA). Additionally, activity differences exist among genders and race/ethnicities. One means of influencing the PA habits of adolescents is high school physical education. Although PE class reaches students of all ages, genders, and races, motivation and experiences across these groups appear to differ. The purpose of this study was to determine if PE descriptors, motivators, and experiences in ninth- and 10th-grade students differed across gender, race/ethnicity, and grade. Ninth- and 10th-grade students (n = 698) completed a questionnaire about the factors that influence their motivation and experiences in PE class. Responses were compared across gender, race/ethnicity, and grade. Primary findings show that males and freshmen had more positive experiences in PE class than females and sophomores, respectively. Additionally, Caucasian students had more negative experiences in PE class in comparison to students of any other race/ethnicity. These findings illustrate the necessity for PE teacher sensitivity when they teach students of different genders, grades, and ethnic backgrounds. Special attention should be given to the social aspect of PE classes among females, student transition from middle school to high school, and the varying experiences in PE of students of different races/ethnicities. The results demonstrate the need for future research in this area.