Trait Courage, Attachment to God, and Mental Well-Being Among U.S. Collegiate Athletes.

In recent decades, scholars and practitioners alike have devoted increased attention to the psychological well-being of student-athletes. However, to date, far less research has examined the role of virtues, religion, and spirituality in contributing to well-being in student-athlete populations. In this study, we attempt to address these gaps by (a) assessing the association between trait courage, an understudied virtue in the sporting realm, and mental well-being, and then (b) considering how student-athletes' attachment to God might moderate the association between trait courage and depressive symptoms. Drawing on a sample of 415 student-athletes from the USA, regression results illustrate that courage was not significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms among student-athletes. However, a secure attachment to God appeared to function as a compensatory resource for student-athletes lacking in courage. On the contrary, athletes with low trait courage but who reported greater avoidant attachment to God reported greater depressive symptoms. Taken together, a more positive relationship with God could help provide athletes with lower trait courage a way to find meaning and strength that helps them with emotion-regulation strategies to deal with the pressures within and beyond their sport. This study clearly shows that greater attention should be paid to the religious and spiritual development of student-athletes.

Attachment to God, Contingent Self-Worth, and Mental Health Outcomes in U.S. Collegiate Athletes.

Scholars and practitioners have recently devoted increased attention to the psychological well-being of student-athletes. However, sparse research has examined the role of religion/spirituality in well-being in athletic populations. In a sample of U.S. collegiate athletes (N = 415), the present study assessed how the divine relationship, measured by attachment style to God, associates with depressive and anxiety symptoms in a sample of collegiate student-athletes, as well as the mediating role of contingent self-worth based on the approval of others in this process. Results show that secure attachment to God is associated with fewer mental illness symptoms, whereas avoidant and anxious attachment to God are associated with greater mental illness symptoms. Contingent self-worth based on others' approval partially mediates each of these associations. Implications for the religion and health literature and sport practitioners are discussed.

Home Environment Influence on Adolescent Health Literacy.

Adolescent health disparities are influenced by individuals' health literacy. To date, the only known household factors to influence adolescent health literacy (AHL) are social capital factors of parental health literacy, parent education, and household income. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to expand the understanding of household factors that influence AHL for future interventions. A sample of 105 adolescents and their parents completed an online survey. Home environment variables included family communication, family involvement, and books in the home. A quantitative analysis of correlations and regression was employed to explore the relationship between AHL and household factors. Findings from this study suggest that parental health literacy is the best-known household facilitator of AHL. Family communication and family involvement were not correlated with AHL. The number of books in the home was correlated with AHL. A good understanding of the factors influencing AHL is necessary for developing interventions. These findings continue to lend support that AHL is heavily associated with parental health literacy. Based on the salience of these findings in the research, future health literacy interventions should consider incorporating a parent/caregiver component. Yet, what remains unknown is the mechanism between AHL and parental health literacy.

Health Literacy of Adolescents.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe influencing factors of adolescent health literacy. METHODS: This study is a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study. Based on an a priori power analysis and utilizing convenience sampling, 105 adolescents completed the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) health literacy instrument via the Qualtrics online platform. Health literacy was correlated with potential influencing factors to determine relationships between variables. RESULTS: The mean NVS score was 3.78 (SD = 1.96), indicating possible limited health literacy in this population. There was a moderate, positive correlation between adolescent health literacy and race (r = 0.34, p = .00), with non-white adolescents scoring lower than white adolescents. There was a moderate, positive correlation between adolescent health literacy and income (r = 0.24, p < .05). There were no statistically significant correlations between adolescent health literacy and age or grade level. Regression analysis showed that the overall model accounts for a significant amount of the variance in health literacy scores (F (2, 95) =7.99, p = .001; R2 = 0.144; R2adjusted = 0.126). Race was the only variable that significantly contributed to the model (ß = 1.26; SE(ß) = 0.40; Standardized ß = 0.30, p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the paucity of adolescent health literacy literature. Furthermore, this study indicates that race and income may play significant roles in adolescent health literacy. Future research is needed to further investigate influencing factors of adolescent health literacy. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This article provides unique information for nurses to consider alongside other individualized assessments as they continue to design health promotion and patient education practices for adolescents.

Promoting youth physical activity in rural southern communities: practitioner perceptions of environmental opportunities and barriers.

PURPOSE: Research on youth physical activity has focused on urban areas. Rural adolescents are more likely to be physically inactive than urban youth, contributing to higher risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Study objectives were to: (1) identify perceived opportunities and barriers to youth physical activity within a rural area and (2) identify rural community characteristics that facilitate or inhibit efforts to promote youth physical activity. METHODS: Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with expert informants in 2 rural southern US counties. Interviewees were recruited from diverse positions across multiple sectors based on their expert knowledge of community policies and programs for youth physical activity. FINDINGS: Informants saw ball fields, natural amenities, and school sports as primary resources for youth physical activity, but they were divided on whether opportunities were abundant or scarce. Physical distance, social isolation, lack of community offerings, and transportation were identified as key barriers. Local social networks facilitated political action and volunteer recruitment to support programs. However, communities often lacked human capital to sustain initiatives. Racial divisions influenced perceptions of opportunities. Despite divisions, there were also examples of pooling resources to create and sustain physical activity opportunities. CONCLUSIONS: Developing partnerships and leveraging local resources may be essential to overcoming barriers for physical activity promotion in rural areas. Involvement of church leaders, school officials, health care workers, and cooperative extension is likely needed to establish and sustain youth rural physical activity programs. Allocating resources to existing community personnel and volunteers for continuing education may be valuable.