Factorial validity and invariance of questionnaires measuring social-cognitive determinants of physical activity among adolescent girls

Background There are few theoretically derived questionnaires of physical activity determinants among youth, and the existing questionnaires have not been subjected to tests of factorial validity and invariance, The present study employed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the factorial validity and invariance of questionnaires designed to be unidimensional measures of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and self-efficacy about physical activity. Methods Adolescent girls in eighth grade from two cohorts (N = 955 and 1,797) completed the questionnaires at baseline; participants from cohort 1 (N = 845) also completed the questionnaires in ninth grade (i.e., 1-year follow-up). Factorial validity and invariance were tested using CFA with full-information maximum likelihood estimation in AMOS 4.0, Initially, baseline data from cohort 1 were employed to test the fit and, when necessary, to modify the unidimensional models. The models were cross-validated using a multigroup analysis of factorial invariance on baseline data from cohorts 1 and 2, The models then were subjected to a longitudinal analysis of factorial invariance using baseline and follow-up data from cohort i, Results The CFAs supported the fit of unidimensional models to the four questionnaires, and the models were cross-validated, as indicated by evidence of multigroup factorial invariance, The models also possessed evidence of longitudinal factorial invariance. Conclusions Evidence was provided for the factorial validity and the invariance of the questionnaires designed to be unidimensional measures of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and self-efficacy about physical activity among adolescent girls, (C) 2000 American Health Foundation and academic Press.

A prospective study of the determinants of physical activity in rural fifth-grade children

Background Understanding the factors that influence physical activity behavior is important in the design of intervention programs targeted at youth. Methods A prospective study design was used to identify the predictors of vigorous physical activity (VPA) (greater than or equal to 6 METs) and moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (greater than or equal to 3 METs) among 202 rural, predominantly African-American children. Selected social-cognitive determinants of physical activity were assessed via questionnaire in the fifth grade. Participation in VPA and MVPA was assessed via the previous day physical activity recall 1 year later in the sixth grade. Results For girls, participation in community sports, self-efficacy in overcoming barriers, enjoyment of school physical education, race (white > black), and perception of mother's activity level (active vs inactive) were significant predictors of VPA. For MVPA, participation in community sports and self-efficacy in overcoming barriers were significant predictors. For boys, self-efficacy in overcoming barriers was the only significant predictor of VPA, while beliefs regarding activity outcomes and participation in community sports were significant predictors of MVPA. Conclusion Social-cognitive constructs such as physical activity self-efficacy, access to community physical activity outlets, and positive beliefs regarding physical activity outcomes are important predictors of future physical activity behavior among rural, predominantly African-American children.

Differences in physical activity between black and white girls living in rural and urban areas

This study examined the relationship of race and rural/urban setting to physical, behavioral, psychosocial, and environmental factors associated with physical activity. Subjects included 1,668 eighth-grade girls from 31 middle schools: 933 from urban settings, and 735 from rural settings. Forty-six percent of urban girls and 59% of rural girls were Black. One-way and two-way ANOVAs with school as a covariate were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that most differences were associated with race rather than setting. Black girls were less active than White girls, reporting significantly fewer 30-minute blocks of both vigorous and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Black girls also spent more time watching television, and had higher BMIs and greater prevalence of overweight than White girls. However, enjoyment of physical education and family involvement in physical activity were greater among Black girls titan White girls. Rural White girls and urban Black girls had more favorable attitudes toward physical activity. Access to sports equipment, perceived safety of neighborhood, and physical activity self-efficacy were higher in White girls than Black girls.

Determinants of physical activity in active and low-active, sixth grade African-American youth

This study compared the determinants of physical activity in active and low-active African-American sixth grade students (N=108, 57 F, 51 M). Objective assessments of physical activity over a seven-day period were obtained using the CSA 7164 accelerometer. Students were classified as active if they exhibited three pr more 20-minute bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity over the seven-day period. Relative to low-actives, active boys reported significantly higher levels of self-efficacy, greater involvement in community physical activity organizations, and were significantly more likely to perceive their mother us active. Relative to low-actives, active girls reported significantly higher levels of physical activity self-efficacy, greater positive beliefs regarding physical activity outcomes, and were significantly less likely to watch television or play video games for greater than or equal to 3 hrs/day. These observations provide preliminary guidance as to the design of physical activity interventions targeted at African-American youth.

Physical activity correlates in adolescent girls who differ by weight status

Objective This study compared correlates of physical activity (PA) among African-American and white girls of different weight groups to guide future interventions. Research Methods and Procedures Participants were 1015 girls (mean age, 14.6 years; 45% African-American) from 12 high schools in South Carolina who served as control subjects for a school-based intervention. Post-intervention measures obtained at the end of ninth grade were used. PA was measured using the Three-Day PA Recall, and a questionnaire measured social-cognitive and environmental variables thought to mediate PA. Height and weight were measured, and BMI was calculated. Girls were stratified by race and categorized into three groups, based on BMI percentiles for girls from CDC growth charts: normal (BMI < 85th percentile), at risk (BMI, 85th to 94th percentile), and overweight (BMI ≥ 95th percentile). Girls were further divided into active and low-active groups, based on a vigorous PA standard (average of one or more 30-minute blocks per day per 3-day period). Mixed-model ANOVA was used to compare factors among groups, treating school as a random effect Results None of the social-cognitive or environmental variables differed by weight status for African-American or white girls. Perceived behavioral control and sports team participation were significantly higher in girls who were more active, regardless of weight or race group. In general, social-cognitive variables seem to be more related to activity in white girls, whereas environmental factors seem more related to activity in African-American girls. Discussion PA interventions should be tailored to the unique needs of girls based on PA levels and race, rather than on weight status alone.

Physical activities and sedentary pursuits in African American and Caucasian girls

The purposes of this study were to describe and compare the specific physical activity choices and sedentary pursuits of African American and Caucasian American girls. Participants were 1,124 African American and 1,068 Caucasian American eighth grade students from 31 middle schools. The 3-Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR) was used to measure participation in physical activities and sedentary pursuits. The most frequently reported physical activities were walking, basketball, jogging or running, bicycling, and social dancing. Differences between groups were found in 11 physical activities and 3 sedentary pursuits. Participation rates were higher in African American girls (p<.001)for social dancing, basketball, watching television, and church attendance but lower in calisthenics, ballet and other dance, jogging or running, rollerblading, soccer, softball or baseball, using an exercise machine, swimming, and homework. Cultural differences of groups should be considered when planning interventions to promote physical activity.

Prospective ten-month exercise intervention in premenarcheal girls: Positive effects on bone and lean mass

Enhancement of bone mineral acquisition during growth may be a useful preventive strategy against osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to explore the lean mass, strength, and bone mineral response to a 10-month, high-impact, strength-building exercise program in 71 premenarcheal girls, aged 9–10 years. Lean body mass, total body (TB), lumbar spine (LS), proximal femur (PF), and femoral neck (FN) bone mineral were measured using the Hologic QDR 2000+ bone densitometer. Strength was assessed using a grip dynamometer and the Cybex isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex II). At baseline, no significant difference in body composition, pubertal development, calcium intake, physical activity, strength, or bone mineral existed between groups. At completion, there were again no differences in height, total body mass, pubertal development, calcium intake, or external physical activity. In contrast, the exercise group gained significantly more lean mass, less body fat content, greater shoulder, knee and grip strength, and greater TB, LS, PF, and FN BMD (exercise: TB 3.5%, LS 4.8%, PF 4.5%, and FN 12.0%) compared with the controls (controls: TB 1.2%, LS 1.2%, PF 1.3%, and FN 1.7%). TB bone mineral content (BMC), LS BMC, PF BMC, FN BMC, LS bone mineral apparent density (BMAD), and FN bone area also increased at a significantly greater rate in the exercise group compared with the controls. In multiple regression analysis, change in lean mass was the primary determinant of TB, FN, PF, and LS BMD accrual. Although a large proportion of bone mineral accrual in the premenarcheal skeleton was related to growth, an osteogenic effect was associated with exercise. These results suggest that high-impact, strength building exercise is beneficial for premenarcheal strength, lean mass gains, and bone mineral acquisition.

Confronting expectation in grade 4: Tossing two coins

This study focuses on the experiences of 91 Grade 4 students who had been introduced to expectation and variation through trials of tossing a single coin many times. They were then given two coins to toss simultaneously and asked to state their expectation of the chances for the possible outcomes, in a similar manner expressed for a single coin. This paper documents the journey of the students in discovering that generally their initial expectation for two coins was incorrect and that despite variation, a large number of tosses could confirm a new expectation.

Young, gifted and spiritual -The case of Finnish sixth-grade pupils

The aim of this study was to explore the spirituality of Finnish academically gifted 12 13-year old pre-adolescents (N = 101). Their spirituality was investigated through the following three questions: (1) What is their relationship to religion? (2) How do they perceive transcendence? and (3) How does their search for meaning integrate into their lives? A total of 60 girls and 41 boys participated in the study. They attend a special school, Helsingin Suomalainen yhteiskoulu, in Helsinki, Finland. The school includes classes from grade 3 to upper secondary school and has an entrance test. This study is part of a research project called Actualizing Finnish Giftedness which is funded by the Finnish Academy between 2000 2007 and is led by Professor Tirri. The research project is based on Gardner s Multiple Intelligences theory (Gardner 1993) and on Hay s (1998) work on spirituality. The data in this study was gathered in 2003 and 2004. It includes both qualitative and quantitative material. The emphasis is on data gathered with interviews. The mixed method approach was used as the methodological framework for connecting the qualitative content analysis, phenomenological approach and the quantitative tests of this study. The results of the sub-studies are reported in full in the four original articles. First, the articles show that the pupils connect religion mainly with Christian institutions and do not consider religion and spirituality to overlap. Second, the articles show that the pupils believe in God and the interference of God in their lives and they think that reality includes a spiritual dimension. Third, the pupils had four kinds of existentially significant interests: personal, transcendental, cosmic and ethical. Cosmic interests were especially highlighted in the article concerning boys as nature and science were reported to be integral sources for their existential thinking. In addition, perceptions on God seemed to be connected to the individual s perception on the meaning of life. In RE, spiritual development has been a constant topic of interest since the late eighties. Likewise, recently in gifted education there have been discussions concerning spiritual intelligence (Gardner 1999) and spirituality of the gifted (Kerr & Cohn 2001). Based on the empirical results of the study, this study concludes that education wishing to promote spiritual development should aim at being existentially relevant to the pupils and use their existential search as an integrative framework for their individual talents and skills.

Oral Health among Iranian Preadolescents : A School-Based Health Education Intervention

The present study assessed oral health and its determinants among Iranian preadolescents, and evaluated a school-based health education programme aimed to promote their oral health. The target population of this study comprised a random sample of the third-grade school children (n = 459) of all public primary schools in 19 areas of Tehran city. The data came from a clinical examination of the children and two self-administered questionnaires: one for children, and one for mothers. The clinical dental examination was performed for recording children's oral health. The mothers' questionnaires covered background factors, oral self-care (OSC) behaviours and oral health-related knowledge and attitude statements. After baseline data collection, a community trial was designed as a 3-month school-based intervention study. For the intervention trial, the third-grade classes as the clusters were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. Three kinds of intervention were implemented, one in class, one via the parents, and one as a combination of these. One group served as controls with no intervention. The outcome measures of the study were changes in plaque and bleeding scores recorded. The results showed that mean dmft was 3.75 (SD = 2.8) for the primary teeth and mean DMFT was 0.4 (SD = 0.9) for the permanent teeth. All children had plaque on at least one index tooth and bleeding on probing in at least one index tooth occurred in 81%. About one-third (34%) of the children reported favourable OSC and less than half (46%) of the children reported brushing their teeth at least twice daily. Girls reported favourable OSC (OR = 2.0), had decay-free teeth (OR = 1.8) and treated permanent teeth (OR = 3.3) more than did boys. Mother's oral health-related aspects, i.e., mother's favourable OSC, high knowledge levels of and positive attitudes towards oral health, and active supervision of the child's tooth brushing had a positive effect on all aspects of children's oral health status and behaviours (ORs from 1.3 to 1.9). After the intervention, the results showed a strong intervention effect on healthy gingiva in both groups where parents were involved: the parental-aid group (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 2.2-27.7) and combined group (OR = 6.6, 95% CI 2.0-22.1). To improve children's oral health, community school-based oral health educational programmes should be established to include all primary schools. These programmes should benefit from the common risk factor approach and a multi-sectored approach to employ for communication between the community, the school, and the family. Oral health interventions should empower the parents' ability to improve their own oral health behaviour and then to transfer that healthy behaviour to their children.

Boys and girls in religious school, handwriting of Reverend Gershom Seixas

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Sleep Patterns in Elementary School Children (Grades 2-5) and Adolescents (Grade 10)

Background: To date, there is limited research examining sleep patterns in elementary school children. Previous researchers focused on parental responses rather than student responses to determine factors that affect sleep. The presented study surveyed sleep patterns and examined external factors affecting total sleep time among elementary school children and adolescents. Methods: Students in grades 2-5 (n=885) and grade 10 (n=190) enrolled in a public school system in the Northeast, completed a district administered survey that included questions on sleep duration and hygiene. Results. Average reported sleep duration decreased with increasing grade level. Children in grades 2-5 woke up earlier (31.7-72.4%) and on their own in comparison to adolescents in grade 10 (6.8%). Significantly shorter sleep durations were associated with having a television (grades 2, 4, 5, p< 0.01) or a cell phone in the room (grades 3, 4; p < 0.05), playing on the computer or video games (grades 3, 4, p<.001) before going to bed. In contrast, students in grade 2, 3, & 4 who reported reading a book before going to bed slept on average 21 minutes more per night (p=.029, .007, .009, respectively). For tenth graders, only consumption of energy drinks led to significant reduction in sleep duration (p<.0001). Conclusion. Sleep is a fundamental aspect in maintaining a healthy and adequate life style. Understanding sleep patterns will assist parents, health care providers, and educators in promoting quality sleep hygiene in school-aged children.

Peer rejection and social information-processing factors in the development of aggressive behavior problems in children.

The relation between social rejection and growth in antisocial behavior was investigated. In Study 1,259 boys and girls (34% African American) were followed from Grades 1 to 3 (ages 6-8 years) to Grades 5 to 7 (ages 10-12 years). Early peer rejection predicted growth in aggression. In Study 2,585 boys and girls (16% African American) were followed from kindergarten to Grade 3 (ages 5-8 years), and findings were replicated. Furthermore, early aggression moderated the effect of rejection, such that rejection exacerbated antisocial development only among children initially disposed toward aggression. In Study 3, social information-processing patterns measured in Study 1 were found to mediate partially the effect of early rejection on later aggression. In Study 4, processing patterns measured in Study 2 replicated the mediation effect. Findings are integrated into a recursive model of antisocial development.

Ethnomathematical research and drama in education techniques: developing a dialogue in a geometry class of 10th grade students

Ethnomathematical research, together with digital technologies (WebQuest) and Drama-in- Education (DiE) techniques, can create a fruitful learning environment in a mathematics classroom—a hybrid/third space—enabling increased student participation and higher levels of cognitive engagement. This article examines how ethnomathematical ideas processed within the experiential environment established by the Drama-in-Education techniques challenged students‘ conceptions of the nature of mathematics, the ways in which students engaged with mathematics learning using mind and body, and the ̳dialogue‘ that was developed between the Discourse situated in a particular practice and the classroom Discourse of mathematics teaching. The analysis focuses on an interdisciplinary project based on an ethnomathematical study of a designing tradition carried out by the researchers themselves, involving a search for informal mathematics and the connections with context and culture; 10th grade students in a public school in Athens were introduced to the mathematics content via an original WebQuest based on this previous ethnomathematical study; Geometry content was further introduced and mediated using the Drama-in-Education (DiE) techniques. Students contributed in an unfolding dialogue between formal and informal knowledge, renegotiating both mathematical concepts and their perception of mathematics as a discipline.