Anabolic steroid use by male and female middle school students.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of anabolic steroid use by high school and college students has been reported in the literature. However, rumors persist regarding the use of steroids by younger populations. OBJECTIVE: To assess the extent of steroid use by male and female middle school students and to explore their attitudes and perceptions about these drugs. Methods. A confidential self-report questionnaire was administered to 466 male and 499 female students between 9 and 13 years of age (mean +/- SD, 11.4 +/- 0.9 years) in 5th, 6th, and 7th grades from four public middle schools in Massachusetts. The number of students reporting steroid use and differences between users' and nonusers' underlying attitudes and perceptions about these drugs were evaluated. RESULTS: The response rate was 82% (965/1175 eligible). Results indicated that 2.7% of all middle school students reported using steroids; 2.6% were males and 2.8% were females. When steroid users were compared with nonusers, 47% versus 43% thought that steroids make muscles bigger; 58% versus 31% thought that steroids make muscles stronger; 31% versus 11% thought that steroids improve athletic performance; 23% versus 13% thought that steroids make one look better; 23% versus 9% knew someone their own age who currently took steroids; 38% versus 4% were asked by someone to take steroids; 54% versus 91% thought that steroids were bad for them; and 35% versus 2% indicated that they would take steroids in the future. Additional analyses determined steroid user involvement in sports and activities. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the problem of illicit steroid use extends to children and young adolescents and that a segment of this population is mindful of the potential physiologic effects of steroids. This information will be useful to pediatricians, sport authorities, and school teachers whose guidance will become increasingly more important as steroid educational interventions for male and female middle school students are developed.

Comparison of high and moderate intensity of strength training on mood and anxiety in older adults.

This study was designed to examine the psychological benefits of anaerobic exercise for older adults. Specifically, strength training was employed to examine the effects on mood and anxiety in a group of healthy but sedentary older women. 36 women (mean age = 68.5 yr.) were randomly assigned to groups given high intensity or moderate intensity strength training or to a control group. Strength training was conducted three days a week for 12 weeks. After the training period, both high and moderate strength-training programs produced marked improvements in muscle strength and body composition compared to the control subjects. The average improvements in the high and moderate intensity strength-training groups for muscle strength were 40.5 and 35.5%, respectively, and for percent body fat 1.52 and 2.50%, respectively. As for psychological changes, both training groups significantly improved positive mood (vigor), and the moderate intensity group significantly reduced trait anxiety compared to means of the control group. Also, both training groups showed some decrease in tension and state anxiety after the training period. These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of anaerobic training to enhance perception of psychological well-being in older women. A moderate intensity rather than high intensity of training regimen may be more beneficial for sedentary older women to improve psychological health.

Effects of high-intensity strength training on quality-of-life parameters in cardiac rehabilitation patients.

Cardiac rehabilitation programs have not consistently been shown to improve the psychological well being of their patients. In our study of 38 cardiac patients (29 men and 9 women), a variety of quality-of-life parameters were assessed before and after they completed either 12 weeks of high-intensity strength training or flexibility training added to their outpatient cardiac rehabilitation aerobic exercise program. The strength-trained patients increased their self-efficacy scores for lifting (29% vs 4%, p <0.05), push-ups (65% vs. 17%, p <0.01), climbing (36% vs 0%, p <0.001), and jogging (100% vs -9%, p <0.001), when compared with the flexibility-trained patients. The strength group also had greater improvements in Profile of Mood States dimensions: total mood disturbance (123% vs 18%, p <0.05), depression/dejection (73% vs 15%, p <0.05), and fatigue/inertia (42% vs 3% p <0.05), than did the flexibility group. The Medical Outcome Survey Short Form 36 role emotional health domain scores were significantly improved in the strength group when compared with the flexibility group (64% vs 0%, p <0.05), and the role limitation scores improved in both groups. Increases in strength were associated with enhanced self efficacy and improved mood and well-being scores (n = 34, r = 0.30 to 0.53, p <0.05). High-intensity strength training added to a cardiac rehabilitation program of selected patients leads to improvements in quality-of-life parameters. These data, in conjunction with improvements in strength, strongly support the value of adding high-intensity strength training to cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Physical fitness and psychological benefits of strength training in community dwelling older adults.

Previous studies concerning psychological benefits of exercise among the elderly has focused predominantly on the effects of aerobic exercise. In the present study, psychological and behavioral adaptations in response to 12-weeks of strength training were examined in medically healthy but sedentary 42 older adults (mean age = 68 years). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of high and low intensity resistance training intensity on a) muscular fitness, b) psychological affect, and c) neurocognitive functioning. Subjects were randomly assigned to high intensity/low volume (EXH: 2 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions for 75 to 85% of 1 RM), low intensity/high volume (EXL: 2 sets of 14 to 16 repetitions for 55 to 65% of 1 RM), or no exercise control programs. Prior to and following the 12-week program, subjects underwent comprehensive physiological and psychological evaluations. Physiological assessment included measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, arm and leg muscle strength, body composition, and oxygen consumption (VO2max). Psychological measures included evaluations of mood, anxiety, and physical self-efficacy as well as cognitive functioning. The results of this study indicated that both high and low intensity strength programs were associated with marked improvements in physiological fitness and psychological functioning. Specifically, subjects in the strength training programs increased overall muscle strength by 38.6% and reduced percent body fat by 3.0%. Favorable psychological changes in the strength-trained subjects included improvements in positive and negative mood, trait anxiety, and perceived confidence for physical capability. The treatment effects of neurocognitive functioning were not significant. In summary, this study demonstrated that participation in 12-weeks of high or low intensity strength training can improve overall physical fitness, mood, and physical self-efficacy in older adults while cognitive functioning remains constant.

Forced unilateral nostril breathing (FUNB) effects on the autonomic nervous system: an unsupported claim.

Previous claims that forced unilateral nostril breathing (FUNB) has several specific measurable effects on the autonomic nervous system were examined. Using the technique suggested by Backon, 4 subjects were tested, using an ABABA design. The results did not demonstrate any significant changes in heart rate, pulse amplitude, temperature, skin conductance response, or respiration force as a result of FUNB.

Physiological reactivity in acculturation: a study of female Japanese students.

Several investigations have indicated that length of residence can predict acculturation associated with stress. However, there have been no studies from a psychophysiological perspective to assess whether length of residence affects physiological reactivity. The purpose of this study was to compare reactivity to psychological stress in female Japanese students of long- and short-term residence at a large university in northeastern USA, after administering a stress questionnaire to examine stress in adjusting to their US academic lives. 12 subjects were randomly chosen for each group (short- and long-term residence) from an initial population of 90 students. The subjects were presented three stressors (English-reading, stress-imagination, and arithmetic) for 2 min. each, with a 6-min. recovery period following each stressor. A significant interaction appeared for groups over time on heart-rate reactivity. While the long-term group had a linear component in heart rate across time for the tasks, the short-term group did not. Although the short-term group had higher skin temperature than the long-term group, only the short-term group had a tendency to increase skin temperature after the tasks. These data suggest that continued study of physiological reactivity to stress may be useful for developing techniques for coping with acculturative stress.

Biofeedback and meditation: effects on muscle tension and locus of control.

A total of 48 subjects participated in a relaxation experiment to determine whether frontalis muscle EMG biofeedback, Transcendental Meditation, and meditation (Benson technique) produced decreased muscle tension and concomitant changes in locus of control. All three treatments resulted in significant decreases in frontalis muscle tension when compared to a control. Concomitant changes towards an internal locus of control occurred only in the subjects given biofeedback.

Physical activity, motor development and self-concept: race and age differences.

To investigate the effect of organized physical activity on the development of specific motor skills (body coordination and self-concept) of elementary age children, 344 children from the ethnic origins, black and white, were administered the Schilling Body Coordination Test and the Martinek-Zaichkowsky Self-concept Scale for Children. Motor development (body coordination) and self-concept scores were significantly higher for the group who participated in the physical activity program than for controls who did not. There was a linear trend in motor skill improvement, with Grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 showing significantly higher gains than Grade 1. The self-concept scores indicated a significant decline for Grades 3, 4, and 5. There were no significant differences between blacks and whites. A two-way interaction was found between grade and race in motor development, with blacks demonstrating lower mean scores than whites in Grade 2 but higher mean scores in Grade 5. Correlations between self-concept and motor development were non-significant.

The development of perceptual motor sequencing ability.

The purposes of this study were (a) to investigate the possibility that short-term memory may be a limiting factor in the development of perceptual-motor sequencing ability, (b) to determine whether sex differences exist in sequencing ability, (c) to determine whether organized information facilitates serial recall, and (d) to ascertain whether the recall of serial perceptual-motor responses results in a bow-shaped serial-position curve. A 2 × 2 × 3 factorial design was used to analyze the independent variables of age, sex, and pattern organization. Further, an age × serial position ANOVA was performed to investigate the serial-position curve. Serial recall improved with age; however young children experienced difficulty in recalling a complex task. The poor recall performance of 5-yr.-old children was discussed in terms of the possibility that young children fail to use labeling strategies to facilitate recall. No sex differences were found. A primacy effect was obtained on the complex task.