The Effect of Physical Activity Levels on Cognitive Performance: Research in Portuguese Adolescents.

The literature unequivocally acknowledges the numerous health benefits that physical activity (PA) provides. However, in other variables, such as cognitive performance (CP), the PA characteristics required to elicit favorable benefits remain controversial, particularly among adolescents. The aim was to investigate the evolution of CP in adolescents over the school year, as well as the role of regular PA levels. The study included 366 adolescents (boys n = 154), between 12 and 20 years old (15.46 ± 1.63), from middle school (n = 123) and high school (n = 243). CP was assessed through a face-to-face interview employing the Cognitive Telephone Screening Instrument. The variation in CP (∆CP) was determined by the difference between the value of the final assessment (end of the school year) and the initial assessment (start of the school year). PA was assessed using accelerometry (ActiGraph GT3X+). The CP score improved from the initial to the final assessment (37.80 ± 9.26 vs. 40.45 ± 10.05) (t = -6.135; p < 0.001; Glass's Delta = 0.37. Multiple linear regression revealed that age (ß = -0.332; t = -4.255; p < 0.001) and high-intensity PA (ß = 0.283; t = 3.627; p < 0.001) accounted for 17.2% of the variation in ∆CP. CP improved significantly over the school year, emphasizing the significance of age and vigorous PA in ∆CP in adolescents.

The Effect of Motivation on Physical Activity among Middle and High School Students.

The study addressed two main objectives: (i) to investigate disparities in motivation dimensions regarding extracurricular physical activity and (ii) to identify the influence of motivation on time spent in formal and informal physical activity. A sample of 704 adolescents (56% girls) from middle (46%) and high school (54%), with an average age of 14.88 ± 2.52, was assessed for different motivation dimensions using the Questionnaire of Motivation for Sports Activities (QMSA). Additionally, participants were categorized based on extracurricular physical activity practice. Multivariate analyses and multiple linear regressions were conducted to examine the effect of physical activity type on motivation dimensions and identify predictors of time spent in formal and informal physical activities, respectively. Results indicated that motivation varied significantly with extracurricular physical activity practice (p < 0.05), with students involved in extracurricular activities being more motivated. Sex and age differences were observed, with boys showing higher motivation in certain dimensions (achievement status (p < 0.001); group activity (p = 0.027); contextual (p = 0.004); technical improvement (p = 0.012) and older participants having lower scores in all dimensions. The influence of family and friends was a significant predictor only for boys in formal physical activity (p = 0.039). In terms of time spent in physical activity, group activity was a predictor for informal activities (p < 0.001), while technical improvement was a predictor for formal activities (p < 0.001), with notable sex differences. These findings underscore the importance of considering sex- and age-specific motivations when promoting physical activity among adolescents.

Association between the Duration of the Active Commuting to and from School, and Cognitive Performance in Urban Portuguese Adolescents.

This study aimed to analyze the differences between active commuting to school (ACS) and non-ACS in cognitive performance (CP), and the association of ACS duration with CP. This cross-sectional study included 370 adolescents (males n = 170), with a mean age of 15.28 ± 2.25 years. CP was assessed through an interview, and ACS, extracurricular physical activity, and socioeconomic status was assessed by self-report. Body composition was assessed using the FitnessGram test battery. One in two adolescents did ACS (51.6%). ACS was associated with boys (53.9%), younger adolescents (14.91 ± 2.15 vs. 15.69 ± 2.29), those having school social support (55.0%), and those doing one or more extracurricular physical activities (53.6%), compared to non-ACS participants (p < 0.05). The analysis of covariance, after controlling for age, sex, school social support, and participation in extracurricular physical activity, showed an effect of ACS on the total cognitive score (F(2,362) = 3.304, p < 0.05). The CP was higher in adolescents with more than 30 min of ACS than non-ACS (p < 0.05). The influence of ACS duration can be seen in the dimensions of inductive reasoning (ß = 0.134, t = 2.587, p < 0.05) and working memory (ß = 0.130, t = 2.525, p < 0.05). The role of ACS for CP, as well as guidelines for future research, are discussed.

Adaptação transcultural do Empowering Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire para a língua portuguesa e análise da invariância em atletas masculinos brasileiros e portugueses / Adaptación transcultural del Empowering Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire para el portugués y el análisis de la invarianza en los atletas masculinos brasileños y portugués / Cross-cultural adaptation of Empowering Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire for Portuguese language and analysis of invariance in Brazilian and Portuguese male athletes

O objetivo do presente estudo foi o de proceder à tradução e adaptação transcultural do "Empowering and Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire-Coach" (EDMCQ-C) para a língua portuguesa e analisar a invariância da sua estrutura fatorial, quando aplicado a atletas brasileiros e portugueses. A amostra foi constituída por 963 atletas do sexo masculino, praticantes de diferentes desportos (andebol, basquetebol, futebol, futsal e voleibol), com idades compreendidas entre os 11 e os 24 anos (M = 15.04 ± 1.88), sendo 553 brasileiros (M = 15.81 ± 1.91) e 410 portugueses (M = 13.94 ± 1.30). Através do recurso à Análise Fatorial Confirmatória, foi possível verificar a existência de bons índices de ajustamento ao modelo teórico examinado, com uma solução reduzida constituída por 15 itens, distribuídos pelos cinco fatores do instrumento original (χ2/df = 2.38; CFI = 0.97; TLI = 0.96; SRMR = 0.03; RMSEA = 0.04). Complementarmente, a invariância do modelo de medida, quando aplicado a atletas brasileiros e portugueses, foi avaliada através da comparação do modelo com pesos fatoriais fixos e o modelo com coeficientes estruturais livres, tendo o resultado sido de DELTACFI = 0.01. Em conformidade, os resultados encontrados suportam a sugestão de que a versão adaptada para a língua portuguesa do EDMCQ-C evidencia boas propriedades psicométricas, podendo, portanto, constituir-se como uma ferramenta útil para avaliar as perceções de atletas brasileiros e portugueses sobre o clima motivacional que lhes é proporcionado pelos seus treinadores

El objetivo de este estudio fue la adaptación transcultural de la versión en portugués del "Empowering and Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire-Coach" (EDMCQ-C), que evalúa la percepción de los atletas en el clima motivacional proporcionada por el entrenador, e investigar la invariancia factorial entre brasileños y portugueses. La muestra consistía en 963 atletas hombres, practicantes de diferentes deportes (balonmano, baloncesto, fútbol, fustal y voleibol) con edades entre 11 y 24 años (M = 14,15 ± 1.88), de los cuales 553 eran brasileños (M = 15,81 ± 1,91) y 410 atletas portugueses (M = 13,94 ± 1,30). Mediante el análisis factorial confirmatorio fue posible verificar índices de ajuste aceptables al modelo teórico tanto para portugueses (χ2 / df = 1,67, CFI = 0,92, TLI = 0,91; SRMR = 0.06; RMSEA = 0:04) cuanto para brasileños (χ2 / df = 1.92, CFI = 0.90, TLI = 0.89, SRMR = 0.05, RMSEA = 0.04). Los resultados también mostraron que el modelo de medición es invariante entre atletas portuguesas y brasileñas (DELTACFI <0,01). En conclusión, el instrumento puede ser una herramienta útil para analizar la percepción de los atletas brasileños y portugueses al clima motivacional proporcionado por el entrenador

The aim of the present study was to carry out the cross-cultural adaptation of the Portuguese version of "Empowering and Disempowering Motivational Climate" (EDMCQ-C), which evaluates the athletes' perception the motivational climate provided by the coach and to examine the factorial invariance between Brazilians and Portuguese. The sample was composed by 963 male athletes from different sports (handball, basketball, soccer, futsal and volleyball), aged between 11 and 24 (M = 15.04 ± 1.88), of whom 553 were Brazilian (M = 15.81 ± 1.91) and 410 Portuguese athletes (M = 13.94 ± 1.30). The results of the confirmatory factorial analysis found satisfactory adjustment indices of the model for both portuguese (χ2/df = 1.67; CFI = 0.92; TLI = 0.91; SRMR = 0.06; RMSEA = 0.04) and brazilian (χ2/df = 1.92; CFI = 0.90; TLI = 0.89; SRMR = 0.05; RMSEA = 0.04). The results also showed that the model of measurement was invariant between Brazilian and Portuguese athletes (DELTACFI <0.01). In conclusion, the instrument used can be a useful to analyze the perception of Brazilian and Portuguese athletes for the motivational climate provided by the coach

Validity and Reliability of the Portuguese school physical activity environment questionnaire in adolescents / Validação e Fiabilidade da versão portuguesa do questionário de avaliação do ambiente escolar para a atividade física em adolescentes

Abstract The aim of this study is to analyze the psychometric properties and to examine the factorial validity of the Portuguese version of the Questionnaire Assessing School Physical Activity Environment (Q-SPACE) for school-age youth. The translated and adapted version of the questionnaire was applied and resulted in two studies: study I, in which 504 students participated (56% boys), the factorial structure of the scale was examined; in study II, which involved 501 students (53.5% boys), the factorial structure obtained in study I was tested through confirmatory factor analysis. The results of the exploratory factorial analysis, carried out in study I, showed that the Portuguese version of the Q-SPACE is composed of five factors that characterize the students' perception regarding the social and physical school environment for physical activity: equipment and space conditions; recess; school social support; physical education structure; school activity offer. Internal consistency values ranged from 0.60 to 0.89. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the applicability of the Portuguese Q-SPACE version, presenting adequate fit indexes: χ2/df = 2.90, GFI = 0.92; CFI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.06. In conclusion, Q-SPACE showed acceptable validity and reliability for assessing school physical activity environment in Portuguese adolescents.

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo é analisar as propriedades psicométricas e examinar a validade fatorial da versão portuguesa do instrumento "Questionnaire Assessing School Physical Activity Environment" (Q-SPACE) para jovens em idade escolar. A versão traduzida e adaptada da escala foi aplicada e resultaram dois estudos: no estudo I, em que participaram 504 estudantes (56% eram rapazes), foi examinada a estrutura fatorial da escala; no estudo II, em que participaram 501 estudantes (53.5% eram rapazes), foi testada a estrutura fatorial obtida no estudo I através da análise fatorial confirmatória. O resultado da análise fatorial exploratória, efetuada no estudo I, demonstrou que a versão portuguesa da escala Q-SPACE é constituída por cinco fatores que caraterizam a perceção dos estudantes relativamente ao ambiente social e físico escolar para a prática de atividade física: condições dos espaços e material; intervalos; suporte social escolar; organização da educação física; diversidade de atividades. Os valores de consistência interna variaram entre 0.60 e 0.89. A análise fatorial confirmatória, comprovou a aplicabilidade da versão portuguesa do Q-SPACE, apresentando adequados índices de ajustamento: χ2/df = 2.90, GFI = 0.92; CFI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.06. Em conclusão, a escala Q-SPACE demonstrou uma validade e fiabilidade adequadas para avaliar a perceção do ambiente escolar para a prática de atividade física em adolescentes portugueses.