The effects of physical activity or sport-based interventions on psychological factors in adults with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Inactivity is a major factor contributing to adverse health in people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). While it is generally agreed that physical activity (PA)/sport-based interventions promote cognitive and social development in the general population, little is known about their specific benefits in adults with ID. The aims of this systematic review were (a) to examine the effects of PA/sport-based interventions on intention, motivation and attitude regarding PA/sport participation in adults with ID and (b) to investigate the influence of these psychological factors on behavioural change (e.g. PA level) and quality of life. METHODS: A systematic review has been conducted searching four electronic databases (i.e. SCOPUS, Web of Science, PubMed and Cochrane Library). Studies were included if written in English, peer reviewed, had primary research data, and measured intention, motivation, attitude, behavioural outcomes or quality of life. RESULTS: Thirteen articles met our inclusion criteria of which 10 explored the effects of PA/sport as part of a multi-component intervention. Most investigated outcomes were exercise self-efficacy and quality of life. Five studies measured exercise self-efficacy, and four of them found significant changes. One study found a significant improvement in quality of life and another study in life satisfaction. We observed lack of sport-based interventions, few data about people with severe ID and limited psychological measures. CONCLUSIONS: Personal and environmental factors are key components of behavioural change. Support of caregivers and individualised instructions may benefit exercise self-efficacy. There is lack of information about the effects of psychological factors on behavioural change and quality of life in adults with ID.

Physical self-perception and motor performance in normal-weight, overweight and obese children.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships among physical self-perception, body image and motor performance in Italian middle school students. Two hundred and sixty children were categorized into normal-weight (n=103), overweight (n=86) or obese (n=71) groups. Perceived coordination, body fat and sports competence were assessed using the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire, while body image was measured using Collins' Child Figure Drawings. Individuals' perceptions of strength, speed and agility were assessed using the Perceived Physical Ability Scale. Tests involving the standing long jump, 2 kg medicine-ball throw, 10 × 5 m shuttle-run and 20 and 30 m sprints were also administered. Girls, when compared with boys, and overweight and obese participants, when compared with normal-weight peers, reported lower perceived and actual physical competence, higher perceived body fat and greater body dissatisfaction. Body dissatisfaction mediated all the associations between body mass index (BMI) and the different aspects of physical self-perception in boys, but not in girls. The same pattern of results was found for physical self-perception as a mediator of the relationship between BMI and body dissatisfaction. In conclusion, obesity proved to have adverse effects on both motor performance and physical self-perception.

Functional coupling of parietal α rhythms is enhanced in athletes before visuomotor performance: a coherence electroencephalographic study.

It has been shown that elite pistol shooters are characterized by a power increase of wide cortical electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha (about 8-12 Hz) and beta (about 14-35 Hz) rhythms during the preparation of air pistol shots, possibly related to selective attentional and "neural efficiency" processes [Del Percio C, Babiloni C, Bertollo M, Marzano N, Iacoboni M, Infarinato F, Lizio R, Stocchi M, Robazza C, Cibelli G, Comani S, Eusebi F (2009a) Hum Brain Mapp 30(11):3527-3540; Del Percio C, Babiloni C, Marzano N, Iacoboni M, Infarinato F, Vecchio F, Lizio R, Aschieri P, Fiore A, Toràn G, Gallamini M, Baratto M, Eusebi F (2009b) Brain Res Bull 79(3-4):193-200]. Here, we tested the hypothesis that such processes are associated with an enhanced functional coupling of posterior cortical regions involved in task-relevant attentional processes and visuo-motor transformations. To this aim, between-electrodes spectral coherence was computed from spatially enhanced EEG data collected during a previous study (i.e. right handed 18 elite air pistol shooters and 10 matched non-athletes; augmented 10-20 system; surface Laplacian estimation). Theta (about 4-6 Hz), low-frequency alpha (about 8-10 Hz), high-frequency alpha (about 10-12 Hz), low-frequency beta (14-22 Hz), high-frequency beta (23-35 Hz), and gamma (36-44 Hz) bands were considered. Statistical results showed that intra-hemispheric low-frequency alpha (parietal-temporal and parietal-occipital regions), high-frequency alpha (parietal-temporal and parietal-occipital regions), high-frequency beta, and gamma (parietal-temporal regions) coherence values were stable in amplitude in the elite athletes but not in the non-athletes during the preparation of pistol shots. The same applies to inter-hemispheric low-frequency alpha (parietal regions), high-frequency alpha (parietal regions), high-frequency beta and gamma coherence values. These findings suggest that under the present experimental conditions, elite athletes are characterized by the stabilization of functional coupling of preparatory EEG rhythms between "visuo-spatial" parietal area and other posterior cortical areas.

Variability effects on retention of a motor skill in elementary school children.

Variability effects on learning, retention, and transfer of motor skills have been a main issue for scientists involved in laboratory and field research. Variable practice is intended as parameter variations of a generalized motor program as well as rehearsal of different motor programs. Although the benefits deriving from variable practice on motor skill retention appear quite robust in laboratory settings, field investigations have produced mixed results. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of different variable schedules on the retention of a complex min tor skill in a physical education setting. 61 elementary school children were assigned Blocked/Nonvariable, Blocked/Variable, Serial/Nonvariable, or Serial/Variable schedules, and practiced two tasks (throwing and hurdle running) and a complex skill (jumping) across 14 lessons. Improved performance in the complex skill was found after practice, with the Serial/Nonvariable group outperforming all other groups. Therefore. the rehearsal of different motor programs was beneficial for jumping skill retention, whereas parameter variation was not.

Emotions, heart rate and performance in archery. A case study.

BACKGROUND: A case study of an elite female archer was conducted to gain insight into individual psychophysical reactions accompanying an athletic event, and to test predictions of pre-performance emotions effects upon performance. Good performance was expected when the actual pre-performance emotions resembled the recalled optimal emotion pattern. Conversely, poor performance was expected when the actual pre-performance emotions paralleled the recalled ineffective emotion pattern. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: the investigation comprised individual emotion profiling, emotions and heart rate monitoring, final interview and performance evaluation. SETTING: The research was accomplished during the 1996 European Archery Championships, one of the most important international archery competitions. PARTICIPANT: An 18-year-old female athlete of the Italian archery national team. INTERVENTIONS: Because of the exploratory nature of the study, no intervention was implemented. MEASURES: Emotion profiling was carried out using an idiographic approach based on recalled optimal and poor performances, according to the Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) model. Emotions, heart rate, and performance were monitored across the five days of practice and competition. RESULTS: Individual pre-performance optimal emotion pattern, heart rate deceleration during shooting, consistent shooting scores were revealed throughout practice and competition. CONCLUSIONS: The good performance predicted on the basis of pre-performance emotion assessments was met and was confirmed by the archer's interpretation.

Performance-related emotions in skilled athletes: hedonic tone and functional impact.

Idiosyncratic, performance-related emotions were identified in 32 track and field athletes and 34 figure skaters following the lines of the Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning model. The model is an idiographic, individual-oriented approach recognizing the beneficial or detrimental effects of emotions depending on the individual's perception. In developing optimal and dysfunctional profiles of individual emotions, the athlete is required to identify the positive (pleasant) and negative (unpleasant) emotions having facilitating or debilitating effects upon performance; however, while the individual's perception of facilitating-debilitating effects of emotions (the functional impact) is emphasized, pleasant or unpleasant characteristics of emotions are usually established a priori by the researcher. In this investigation, participants were requested both to recognize facilitating-debilitating effects of emotions and to classify them as pleasant or unpleasant. The main goal was to ascertain whether the athlete's experience of positive and negative performance-related emotions (the hedonic tone) would be different from the conventional labeling of affect. Analyses showed that different facilitating or inhibiting emotions were experienced as pleasant (23.38%), unpleasant (33.77%), or both (42.86%). Further, positive or negative emotions were functionally facilitating (12.99%), inhibiting (19.48%), or both (67.53%). Therefore, athletes perceived emotions not only as facilitating or debilitating but also as positive or negative depending on idiosyncratic meaning and intensity. The study of the functional influence of emotions as well as their hedonic tone may have important practical implications.

Italian version of the Perceived Physical Ability Scale.

The Perceived Physical Ability scale developed by Ryckman, Robbins, Thornton, and Cantrell in 1982 was translated into the Italian language and modified to be applicable to children and youth. The scale was administered to 2,546 subjects, 1,269 females and 1,277 males, aged 10 to 20 years. Composed of 10 items, the scale assesses an individual's perception of his physical ability and motor performance. The scale showed good reliability and discriminative capacity. From factor analysis, two factors linked to perceptions of physical efficiency and difficulties with movements emerged. Findings with this scale showed that higher scores on Perceived Physical Ability were reported for males than for females, and for subjects with sport experience than for subjects without. Further, high scores on Perceived Physical Ability tended to be associated with high scores on Self-perception, Confidence with own body, and Positive Attitude when facing motor tasks.

A case study of improved performance in archery using hypnosis.

Active-alert hypnosis and traditional hypnosis procedures can be combined and applied in sport following the lines of an isomorphic model. A case study of improved shooting performance in an adult expert archer after 20 weeks of mental training is reported.

Relationships between scores on the motor activity anxiety test and the fear survey schedule.

Relationships between the Motor Activity Test and the Fear Survey Schedule scales were assessed in a research involving 120 subjects ages 13 to 21 years. Correlations ranged from low (r = .27) to moderate (r = .49). These results confirm the specificity of fearful situations in motor activity compared to events not related to physical activity and they also confirm the opportunity to use the Motor Activity Anxiety Test in an educational context.

Emotional reactions to music by gender, age, and expertise.

Fragments of classical music were submitted to 80 subjects, 40 children 9 to 10 years old and 40 adults 19 to 29 years old who were divided into eight groups of ten, to induce feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. The task required linking each piece of music to one emotion, identifying at the same time the intensity of the emotional response on a scale of 1 to 3. The goal was to study how gender, age, and exposure or expertise related to emotional perceptions of music. Analysis showed (a) experts in music and nonexperts ascribed similar emotions to pieces of music, (b) there was no difference in emotional response to music by gender, although women linked to music stronger emotions of anger than girls, (c) children perceived greater feeling of happiness in music and less feeling of anger than adults, and (d) emotions of anger and fear in music were often confused with one another.

Hypnosis in sport: an Isomorphic Model.

Hypnosis in sport can be applied according to an Isomorphic Model. Active-alert hypnosis is induced before or during practice whereas traditional hypnosis is induced after practice to establish connections between the two experiences. The fundamental goals are to (a) develop mental skills important to both motor and hypnotic performance, (b) supply a wide range of motor and hypnotic bodily experiences important to performance, and (c) induce alert hypnosis before or during performance. The model is based on the assumption that hypnosis and motor performance share common skills modifiable through training. Similarities between hypnosis and peak performance in the model are also considered. Some predictions are important from theoretical and practical points of view.

The Motor Activity Anxiety Test.

Feelings and perceptions of insecurity, anxiety, and danger can hinder motor learning and performance. The Motor Activity Anxiety Test is proposed to assess personal attitude to meet typical motor requirements for physical education in schools and anxiety about the physical dangers linked to motor activities in particular. The test is composed of 16 pictures and has been given to 1110 subjects ranging from 11 to 19 years of age. The test has good reliability and discriminative power. Previous research shows correlation between test scores and those on other psychological and motor tests. It is easy to complete in about 5 minutes. Teachers can use the information about their pupils to plan adequate strategies and help subjects overcome inhibitions and difficulties. Influences of gender, age, and experience on pupils' attitudes toward potentially dangerous sports and motor tasks might be studied through research.

Effects of contextual interference on learning technical sports skills.

The effects of contextual interference on learning skills of volleyball (volley, bump, serve) are influenced by the scheduling of actual practice sessions: the activities can be proposed in a repetitive practice schedule (blocked practice) by continuously repeating the same task (low interference) or in random practice schedules by performing more tasks or variations of one same activity (high interference). High contextual interference, even though causing immediate limited performance, leads to superior performance on retention and transfer tests. Four experimental groups (13 students each) were placed in conditions of random, blocked, serial, and serial with high interference practice for 8 meetings (2 tests and 6 practice). Analysis yielded significant differences among the groups on a transfer test (long transfer) for the serve, so results in this instructional setting are partially in line with those generally found in laboratory experiments.