The Effect of Metronome Pacing on Gait in Healthy Subjects

The complex process of gait is rendered partially automatic by central pattern generators (CPGs). To further our understanding of their role in gait control in healthy subjects, we applied a paradigm of anti-phase, or syncopated, movement to gait. To provide a context for our results, we reviewed the literature on in-phase, or synchronized, gait. The review results are as follows. Auditory cueing increased step/stride rate for older subjects, but not younger. Stride rate variability decreased for younger subjects, perhaps because the metronome’s cue acted as a temporal ‘anchor point’ for each step. Step width increased in half of the treadmill studies, but none of the overground ones, suggesting a cumulative effect of the attentional demands of synchronizing gait while on a treadmill. Time series analysis revealed that the α exponent was the most sensitive parameter reported, decreasing toward anti-persistence in almost all cued-gait studies. This project compares in-phase (IN) and anti-phase gait (ANTI) in young and old healthy subjects. We expected gait to be less disrupted during ANTI trials at preferred speed, when the facilitating effect of CPGs would be strongest. The measures step time variability, jerk index, and harmonic ratio quantified gait perturbation: none indicated that ANTI was easiest at preferred walking speed. Surprisingly, the gait of older subjects was no more perturbed than that of younger subjects. When they successfully matched the pace of the beat, they unwittingly synchronized to it. The temporal relationship of their steps to the beat was the same in the IN and ANTI conditions. Younger subjects, visibly struggling during ANTI trials, were able to walk in syncopation. This result suggests that cognitive resources available only to the younger group are required to resist synchronizing to the beat.

Burnout and work engagement among teachers: an application of the job demands-resources model

The present dissertation focuses on burnout and work engagement among teachers, with especial focus on the Job-Demands Resources Model: Chapter 1 focuses on teacher burnout. It aims to investigate the role of efficacy beliefs using negatively worded inefficacy items instead of positive ones and to establish whether depersonalization and cynism can be considered two different dimensions of the teacher burnout syndrome. Chapter 2 investigates the factorial validity of the instruments used to measure work engagement (i.e. Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, UWES-17 and UWES-9). Moreover, because the current study is partly longitudinal in nature, also the stability across time of engagement can be investigated. Finally, based on cluster-analyses, two groups that differ in levels of engagement are compared as far as their job- and personal resources (i.e. possibilities for personal development, work-life balance, and self-efficacy), positive organizational attitudes and behaviours (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behaviour) and perceived health are concerned. Chapter 3 tests the JD-R model in a longitudinal way, by integrating also the role of personal resources (i.e. self-efficacy). This chapter seeks answers to questions on what are the most important job demands, job and personal resources contributing to discriminate burned-out teachers from non-burned-out teachers, as well as engaged teachers from non-engaged teachers. Chapter 4 uses a diary study to extend knowledge about the dynamic nature of the JD-R model by considering between- and within-person variations with regard to both motivational and health impairment processes.