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BackgroundInternet interventions may provide opportunities for low threshold counseling using feedback to guide and support health behavior, including increased physical activity. Research shows that overweight and obese adolescents are less physically active than their peers of normal weight. There are good reasons to believe that Internet-based interventions may be particularly suitable for motivating adolescents to increase physical activity, but we need to gain further knowledge of what features are effective and how to design such interventions. ObjectiveTo describe the process of development and evaluation of usability of a Web-based program for increasing physical activity in overweight adolescents. MethodsInformed by the self-determination theory, motivational interviewing, and perspectives on self-regulation, this intervention was developed in a stepwise process by an interdisciplinary team of researchers, designers, developers, and representatives from the target group. An iterative qualitative usability testing approach (observation, survey, and interview) was applied in 2 sequences, first in the lab and second in the field, to assess how adolescents (aged 12-16 years) used and experienced the program and to make adjustments to the program based on evaluation of their response. ResultsThe following components were included in the program: self-monitoring through planning and registration of physical activity and graphical response on progress, autonomy supportive individual Web-based counseling, forum for social support, and relevant age-adjusted information about physical activity. The first usability test resulted in adjustments related mainly to making the content and aim of the different features more visible and explicit. The second test evaluated the program with adjustments from the first test, revealing that the program was well accepted by the participants and only small aesthetic adjustments had to be made to complete the final version of the Internet program, Young & Active. ConclusionsThorough preparation, with clear theory foundation and close monitoring in the developmental phase, as well as contribution and iterative evaluation from the target group, is essential to create a user-friendly and engaging program. The efficacy of the program will be evaluated in a controlled trial.

In order to develop effective public health initiatives aimed at promoting healthy weight development, identifying the interventions/combination of interventions with the highest beneficial effect on body weight is vital. The study aimed to estimate the mean BMI at age 13 under hypothetical interventions targeting dietary behavior, physical activity and screen time at age 11. We used data from a school-based cohort study of 530 participants followed between the ages of 11 and 13. We used g-computation, a causal modeling method, to estimate the impact of single and combined hypothetical behavioral interventions at age 11 on BMI at age 13. Of the hypothetical interventions, the one with the largest population mean difference in BMI was the one combining all interventions (dietary behavior, physical activity and screen time interventions) and assuming 100% intervention adherence, with a population mean differences of - 0.28 (95% CI - 0.59, 0.07). Isolated behavioral interventions had a limited impact on BMI. This study demonstrated that a combination of healthy dietary behavior and physical activity promotion, as well as screen time reduction interventions at age 11 could have the highest beneficial effect on the reduction of BMI at age 13, although the change in BMI was small. The findings highlight the importance of a systems approach to obesity prevention focusing on multicomponent interventions.

This study aimed to translate the modified Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) and the Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire (YSEQ) into Norwegian, examine the factor structure and reliability of the scales through independent clusters model confirmatory factor analysis (ICM-CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), and examine differential item functioning (DIF) as a function of sex. Three-hundred-and-thirty-three athletes (M(SD)[subscript age] = 18.7(2.60) years; 33% females) completed the GEQ. Three-hundred-and-three athletes (M(SD)[subscript age] = 15.0(1.48) years; 26% females) completed the YSEQ. Results indicated acceptable fit indices for a four-factor, a second-order two-factor (task and social), and a second order one-factor ESEM model for the GEQ. Cross-loadings and high latent factor correlations are issues in need of attention. The study supported the structural validity and reliability of the Norwegian YSEQ, with no major differences between the ICM-CFA and ESEM. No evidence of DIF as a function of sex was identified in either of the scales.

Identifying the mechanisms behind socioeconomic inequalities in adiposity among youth is vital for efforts aimed at combating these inequalities. The study explored whether a broad range of behavioral and familial factors mediated the associations between parental education and indicators of adiposity among adolescents. Baseline data from a school-based intervention study conducted in 2007 among 11-year-old adolescents were used. Anthropometric outcomes, physical activity and sedentary time among adolescents were objectively measured. Other behavioral variables and parental waist circumference were self-reported. Mediation analyses were conducted. Among boys, maternal waist circumference (WC), paternal WC and TV viewing mediated 16%, 11.5% and 13% of the association between parental education and adolescent WC. The respective proportions when body fat percentage was used as the outcome variable were 22.5%, 16% and 21%. Among girls, maternal and paternal WC mediated 20% and 14% of the association between parental education and WC. The respective proportions when body fat percentage was used as the outcome variable were 14% and 10%. Other included variables did not play any mediating role. Parental WC was found to be a mediator of socioeconomic differences in adiposity in both genders; underlying mechanisms were however not investigated. Among boys, reducing TV time could contribute to the reduction of social inequalities in adiposity.

Studies taking a person-centred statistical approach when examining young peoples' psychological experiences in sport is scarce. The main aim of the present study was to examine the relationships between young football players' psychological health resources and the psychological quality of their football-specific experiences. Data for this cross-sectional study was collected as part of the [BLINDED] arm of the larger Promoting Adolescence Physical Activity (PAPA) multi-centre project [1]. The sample consisted of young [BLINDED] male (n = 814), female (n = 576), grassroots football players between the ages of 10 and 15 years (M = 12.5 years, SD = 1.1 years). We performed a latent profile analysis using Mplus 8.4 using a robust maximum likelihood estimator (MLR). Players with the most resourceful psychological health profile experienced more coach social support (mean = 4.38) than did those with a less well-off resourceful profile (mean = 3.79) and those with the least well-off profile (mean = 3.28). Players with the most resourceful profile also felt a stronger sense of unity among their teammates and they enjoyed football more than those least well off (mean = 4.43 vrs. mean = 3.12 and mean = 4.74 vrs 3.50. respectively). Parallel between-profile differences were also found for the players' general health resources including perceived life satisfaction, general health and family affluence as covariates. Findings suggest that variations in young players' psychological health profiles and their general health resources play a role in the quality of their football-specific psychological experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a seven-month curriculum prescribed physical activity (PA) intervention (the Active Smarter Kids [ASK] intervention) on executive functions in 10-year-old Norwegian children. A linear mixed model was used to analyze data from 971-1,123 fifth grade children at 28 intervention schools and 29 control schools. The intervention constituted three PA elements: PA educational lessons, PA breaks, and PA homework, adding 165 minutes of PA to the mandatory 135 minutes of PA and physical education. There was no effect of the intervention on executive functions in the intention-to-treat analyses. Per protocol analyses (n = 776-850) revealed small effects of the intervention on the composite score of executive functions, cognitive flexibility, and motor skills. Cognitively engaging and coordinative demanding activities/games seem viable options to increase executive functions and possibly improve academic performance in children.

We prospectively examined the role of physical activity involvement, weight status, and motor functioning capability in 1st grade for social status among other pupils in class in the 4th grade. Our sample included 80 Norwegian 1st grade pupils (Girls N = 44; Boys N = 36). 1st grade motor proficiency and objectively measured physical activity, but not weight status was predictive of 4th grade social standing among pupils in class as measured by socio-metric status. Interaction findings also revealed that 1st grade healthy weight children being proficient in the motor domain benefit more in terms of their social standing among peers in 4th grade than do 1st grade overweight but equally motor proficient children. Being physically active in the 1st grade seems more important for social standing among peers in 4th grade for 1st grade girls than for boys. Results may inform early intervention efforts in school to enhance pupils' psychosocial development. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between motivational climate, perceived competence, self-determined motivation towards physical education (PE) and the fundamental movement skills of Finnish secondary school students. A sample of 370 seventh-grade PE students (girls n = 189; boys n = 181; mean age = 13.08; SD = 0.25) completed measures pertaining to motivational climates, perceived competence, regulation of motivation, and fundamental movement skills. Path analysis revealed results generally consistent with the theoretical tenets of the self-determination and the achievement goal theories by demonstrating that a task-involving motivational climate influenced perceived competence, which in turn affected more self-determined motivation towards PE. Furthermore, results revealed that this motivational sequence was associated with increased balance skill. A sequence consisting of task-involving climate, intrinsically regulated motivation, and balance skills was also observed. Additionally, the results indicated that task-involving motivational climate influenced perceived competence, in turn influencing manipulative and locomotor skills. Finally, an ego-involving climate was found to be a marginally positive predictor of manipulative skills. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

This study examines whether a community-based physical activity intervention influenced movement in stages of change in physical activity in an adult population, whether any such effect was mediated by psychosocial influences, and whether any such mediations were moderated by sociodemographic or anthropometric factors. The 3-year-long pseudoexperimental intervention included physical activity, communication, environmental, and participatory components. Questionnaires assessed stages of change in physical activity and potential psychosocial mediators. Regression analyses revealed a significant favorable intervention effect on stages of change, partially mediated by enhanced support from family, perceived control, and physical activity identity. No moderation effects by gender, age, ethnicity, education, or body mass index were observed. Support from family, perceived control, and identity might be important intervention target points for inducing forward movement in the stages of change in physical activity, regardless of sociodemographic and anthropometric background factors. (Contains 4 tables.)

The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between attribution and selected personality dispositions, as well as self-serving attribution. Four hypotheses were formulated: (1) Attributions for positive events correlate differently with the five personality dispositions than attributions for negative events, (2) factor analysis and cluster analysis of attributions for positive and negative events and the five personality dispositions will generate a general bipolar expectancy factor, (3) self-serving attributions will dominate irrespective of subcultural context, and (4) the dominance of self-serving attributions will be stronger in an individualistic-oriented context than in a collectivistic-oriented context. One-hundred-and-fifty students, selected from two educational contexts (one individualistic-oriented and one collectivistic-oriented), were scored on attributions for positive and negative events as well as on the five personality dispositions on the basis of an inventory. All four hypotheses were supported. Educational implications are discussed. (Contains 5 tables.)

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between situational and contextual self-determined motivation and physical activity intensity as measured by heart rates during a ninth-grade students' physical education (PE) class. The participants of the study were 139 Finnish ninth-grade students (15-year-olds). The data were collected during one 60-minute PE class held by the class PE teacher. Results revealed that more self-determined situational motivation negatively predicted the lowest heart rate category (less than 120 beats/min.) as well as the next lowest heart rate category (120-40 beats/min.). Neither variation in type of situational or contextual motivations explained heart rates in the next highest category (140-60 beats/min.), whereas the highest heart rate category (greater than 160 beats/min.) was positively predicted by situational motivation. Lastly, highly self-determined situational motivation accounted for a significant amount of variance in mean heart rate value. Taken together, results revealed that situational motivation associated more strongly with physical activity intensity as measured by heart rate than did contextual motivation. (Contains 4 tables.)

We investigated the role of motivational climates, teacher autonomy support, perceived competence and autonomy on pupils' self-regulated motivation in physical education (PE) classes of Norwegian 10th-graders. Path analyses revealed that a mastery climate and teacher autonomy support both (a) positively influenced intrinsically regulated motivation as measured by the relative autonomy index (RAI) and by the intrinsic motivation subdimension, and (b) negatively influenced amotivation. Perceived competence, but not perceived autonomy, significantly and partially mediated these relationships. Unmediated by perceived competence, a performance climate was found to facilitate amotivation. A mastery climate, autonomy support, perceived competence and intrinsically regulated motivation predicted enhanced levels of interest/enjoyment in PE. Intrinsically regulated motivation and perceived competence predicted after-school physical activity. Findings suggest that blending achievement goal theory and self-determination theory add to our understanding of motivational, affective and behavioural outcomes in school physical education. (Contains 2 tables and 4 figures.)

This study examined the relationship of motivational climate and differential achievement goals to meta-cognitive self-regulation, regulation of effort, help-seeking and self-handicapping in physical education (PE). The sample consisted of 273 pupils (boys n = 125; girls n = 148) attending 10th grade PE classes in Norway. Both motivational climates and achievement goals revealed expected patterns of relations to self-regulation indices. Direct climate influences as well as goal mediated influences were observed as illustrated by a direct positive influence of a mastery climate on meta-cognitive strategy use and effort regulation and by a positive performance climate effect on self-handicapping, mediated by a performance-avoid goal. A performance-avoid goal also moderated the influence of a mastery climate on effort regulation. Results lend support to the trichotomous achievement goal perspective by showing a) differential self-regulation influences of performance-approach and performance-avoid goals and b) proximal goal influences to be mediators in relations between distal climate influences and pupils' self-regulation. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

The purpose of the present study is to explore how academic self-concept and implicit theories of ability are related to four self-regulation strategies--motivation/diligence, concentration, information processing, and self-handicapping. The hypothesis is that academic self-concept and an incremental theory of ability are (1) positively related to motivation/diligence, concentration, and information processing strategies, and (2) negatively related to self-handicapping strategies. On the basis of inventories 168 teacher students and 60 sport students (a total of 178 females and 50 males) were scored on academic self-concept, incremental and fixed theories of ability and the four self-regulation strategies. Multiple regression analysis was used for each self-regulation strategy as dependent variable, and with academic self-concept and the ability theories as independent variables. Results revealed that an incremental theory had, as predicted, a positive relation with motivation/diligence and concentration, but had only trivial relations with information processing and self-handicapping, whereas a fixed theory had only the predicted relation with self-handicapping. As hypothesised, a high academic self-concept was positively related to motivation/diligence, conception, and information processing and negatively to self-handicapping. The findings may indicate that, in order to promote meta-theoretical processing and prevent student from self-handicapping, it is important to strengthen academic self-concept, and to foster an incremental conception of ability among students. (Contains 2 tables.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between achievement goals, perceptions of motivational climate and sportspersonship in a sample of young male Norwegian handball players. A cross-sectional study of 440 male handball players aged from 14 to 16 was conducted, in which the players responded to a questionnaire measuring different dimensions of sportspersonship, achievement goals and the motivational climate. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that players who were task-oriented and those that perceived the motivational climate as predominantly mastery-oriented, reported higher levels of sportspersonship. In contrast, ego-oriented players and players perceiving the motivational climate as predominantly performance-oriented were more apt to report unsporting behaviour and less respect for social conventions, opponents, rules and officials. Moreover, interaction effects revealed that strongly ego-oriented players showed significantly less respect for their opponents when operating in a weak rather than a strong mastery climate.

The hypothesis that the concept of expectancy is a central common core of various personality dispositions was investigated among 228 students of general education and physical education. The participants were scored on the following personality dispositions: global and academic self-concept, optimistic-pessimistic attributional style, motive to seek success, motive to avoid failure, cognitive anxiety, and self-handicapping tendencies. Marital status and geographical location/area of study of respondents were chosen as discriminative variables. The hypothesis was supported in that factor analysis gave a general bipolar expectancy factor, and cluster analysis resulted in two clusters, one corresponding to a positive expectancy and the other to a negative expectancy.

Reports the results of multivariate analyses of the relationships among thirteen to fourteen-year-old secondary school pupil's (n=343) theories of ability and their self-regulated learning in physical education. Reveals consistent relationships between motivational beliefs and pupils' use of self-regulation strategies. Includes references. (CMK)

Young people perceive loneliness as a distressing emotional experience associated with sadness and boredom. Also, feelings of loneliness may be associated with psychosocial and emotional problems during adolescence. The aim of this study was to investigate whether perceived social competence mediated the cross-sectional relationship between sport participation and loneliness in young people when controlling for age, sex, shyness, and non-organized physical activity. This cross-sectional study consisted of 2,055 pupils (995 boys and 1,060 girls) from 38 schools in Norway, with a mean age of 15.3 years. In addition to normal theory regression procedures, bootstrapping techniques were used to test the hypothesized indirect effect. Findings revealed that sport participation was inversely associated with loneliness mediated by perceived social competence. This indirect effect was evident when controlling for age, sex, non-organized physical activity and shyness. Findings suggest that sport participation during adolescence is indirectly associated with lower level of loneliness through higher level of perceived social competence. One may argue that sport participation during adolescence can contain important social components that help meet young peoples' social needs and expectations, which in turn may prevent feelings of loneliness. Keywords Sport participation * Loneliness * Perceived social competence * Non-organized physical activity * Shyness, Introduction Loneliness is thought to be a common experience, especially during adolescence (Heinrich and Gullone 2006; Perlman and Landolt 1999). Loneliness may be defined as a negative emotional response to [...]

This study investigated the relationship between motivational climates, personal achievement goals, and three different aspects of social loafing in football (soccer). 170 male competitive football players completed questionnaires assessing perceived motivational climate, achievement goal, and measures of perceived social loafing (anticipation of lower effort amongst their teammates and themselves). The results indicated a marginal but significant positive relationship between an ego-oriented achievement goal and perceived social loafing. In addition, a mastery climate was negatively associated with perceived social loafing and anticipation of lower effort of team members, particularly for athletes who also strongly endorsed a task-oriented achievement goal. A performance climate, in contrast, related positively with these two aspects of social loafing. A mastery climate also related negatively to the third aspect of social loafing, i.e., players' readiness to reduce their own effort in response to their perception of social loafing among their teammates.