Do negative stereotypes and domain identification moderate novice participants' performance on a soccer-dribbling task ?

The present research aimed to explore whether negative stereotypes and domain identification moderate novice participants' performance on a soccer-dribbling task, using a novel statistical procedure to explore within-subjects moderation effects. Fifty-four women with no soccer experience (Mage = 19.92, SDage = 1.0) were recruited and assigned to a negative stereotype condition or a nullified-stereotype condition and performed a soccer-dribbling task as fast as possible. Using moderation analyses for repeated measures, results showed (i) that inducing a negative stereotype did not moderate participants' performance, and (ii) that domain identification did not moderate participants' performance in a stereotype threat situation. In conclusion, the novice participants performance did not depend on the value of domain identification and the stereotype condition. More research is nonetheless needed to disentangle the question of how and why novice participants can be impacted by a stereotype threat situation.

[Encouragement of adapted physical activity for three months after the end of treatment in patients with head and neck cancer: A pre-post interventional study]. / Encouragement à l'activité physique adaptée pendant trois mois après la fin des traitements de patients atteints de cancer des VADS : étude interventionnelle pré-post.

CONTEXT: In our institution, patients with upper aero-digestive tract cancer receive adapted physical activity (APA) awareness training as part of their holistic oncology care program. The main aim of this study was to show that raising awareness of APA helped to increase self-reported PA levels, as assessed by questionnaire. METHOD: This retrospective study included 67 patients with localized Head and Neck cancer. The intervention consisted of an APA teacher; a face-to-face consultation before the start of oncological treatment, four monthly telephone interventions in the three months following the end of treatment. The pre-post evaluation focused on self-reported APA practices before and three months after the end of oncology treatment. RESULTS: APA awareness training significantly increased average total PA, average moderate PA intensity, average weekly walking frequency, average walking intensity, and significantly reduced daily sitting time. The search for correlations between body composition or type of treatments and changes in PA levels showed no significant results. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a basic APA awareness training integrated into a holistic oncology care program could increase patients' self-reported PA levels. The next step will be to verify the objectivity of the increase in self-reported PA, and then to assess its effect on quality of life and survival.

Cognitive behavior therapy combined with exercise for adults with chronic diseases: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The present meta-analysis aimed to determine the overall effect of cognitive behavior therapy combined with physical exercise (CBTEx) interventions on depression, anxiety, fatigue, and pain in adults with chronic illness; to identify the potential moderators of efficacy; and to compare the efficacy of CBTEx versus each condition alone (CBT and physical exercise). METHOD: Relevant randomized clinical trials, published before July 2017, were identified through database searches in PubMed, PsycARTICLES, CINAHL, SportDiscus, and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials. RESULTS: A total of 30 studies were identified. CBTEx interventions yielded small to large effect sizes for depression (standardized mean change [SMC] = -0.34, 95% CI [-0.53, -0.14]), anxiety (SMC = -0.18, 95% CI [-0.34, -0.03]), and fatigue (SMC = -0.96, 95% CI [-1.43, -0.49]). Moderation analyses revealed that longer intervention was associated with greater effect sizes for depression and anxiety outcomes. Low methodological quality was also associated with increased CBTEx efficacy for depression. When compared directly, CBTEx interventions did not show greater efficacy than CBT alone or physical exercise alone for any of the outcomes. CONCLUSION: The current literature suggests that CBTEx interventions are effective for decreasing depression, anxiety, and fatigue symptoms but not pain. However, the findings do not support an additive effect of CBT and exercise on any of the 4 outcomes compared to each condition alone. (PsycINFO Database Record

Do implicit attitudes toward physical activity and sedentary behavior prospectively predict objective physical activity among persons with obesity?

This study conducted among adults with obesity examined the associations between implicit attitudes toward physical activity and sedentary behavior, and physical activity behavior measured 4 months later. At baseline, 76 participants (M AGE = 56; M BMI = 39.1) completed a questionnaire assessing intentions toward physical activity and sedentary behavior and two computerized Single-Category Implicit Association Tests assessing implicit attitudes toward these two behaviors. At follow-up, physical activity was measured with accelerometers. Multiple regression analysis showed that implicit attitudes toward physical activity were positively and significantly associated with physical activity when participants' age, BMI, past physical activity and intentions were controlled for. Implicit attitudes toward sedentary behavior were not associated with physical activity. Adults with obesity who implicitly reported more favorable attitudes toward physical activity at baseline were more likely to present higher physical activity levels at follow-up. Implicit attitudes could be targeted in future research to enhance physical activity.

The adoption of physical activity and eating behaviors among persons with obesity and in the general population: the role of implicit attitudes within the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Obesity can be prevented by the combined adoption of a regular physical activity (PA) and healthy eating behaviors (EB). Researchers mainly focused on socio-cognitive models, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), to identify the psychological antecedents of these behaviors. However, few studies were interested in testing the potential contribution of automatic processes in the prediction of PA and EB. Thus, the main objective of this study was to explore the specific role of implicit attitudes in the pattern of prediction of self-reported PA and EB in the TPB framework, among persons with obesity and in adults from the general population. One hundred and fifty-three adults participated to this cross-sectional study among which 59 obese persons (74% women, age: 50.6 ± 12.3 years, BMI: 36.8 ± 4.03 kg m-²) and 94 people from the general population (51% women; age: 34.7 ± 8.9 years). Implicit attitudes toward PA and EB were estimated through two Implicit Association Tests. TPB variables, PA and EB were assessed by questionnaire. Regarding to the prediction of PA, a significant contribution of implicit attitudes emerged in obese people, ß = .25; 95%[CI: .01, .50]; P = .044, beyond the TPB variables, contrary to participants from the general population. The present study suggests that implicit attitudes play a specific role among persons with obesity regarding PA. Other studies are needed to examine which kind of psychological processes are specifically associated with PA and EB among obese people.

Subjective Age and Changes in Memory in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: The subjective experience of aging, indexed by how old or young an individual feels, has been related to well-being and health-related outcomes among older adults. The present study examined whether subjective age is associated with memory level and changes, as indexed by measures of immediate and delayed recall. A complementary purpose was to test the mediating role of depressive symptoms and physical activity in the relation between subjective age and memory changes. METHOD: Participants were drawn from three waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Subjective age, baseline memory measures, and covariates were assessed during the 2008 wave (N = 5809), depressive symptoms and physical activity were assessed again in the 2010 wave, and the follow-up memory measures were assessed in the 2012 wave. RESULTS: Regression analyses that included demographic, metabolic, and vascular covariates revealed that a younger subjective age at baseline was associated with better concurrent performance and with slower decline in immediate and delayed recall. Bootstrap procedures indicated that fewer depressive symptoms mediated these associations. Additional analyses revealed that memory level and change were unrelated to changes in subjective age. CONCLUSION: Beyond chronological age, the subjective experience of age is associated with cognitive aging.

The role of action and coping planning in the relationship between intention and physical activity: a moderated mediation analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Using a moderated mediation model, the present study investigated whether the mediation of intention into physical activity (PA) behaviour via action planning depends on the level of coping planning. METHOD: A four-month prospective study was conducted among 157 French adults, who were recruited through a web-based survey. They were administrated measures of behavioural intention and sociodemographic variables at baseline and action and coping planning and PA four months later. RESULTS: Action planning partially mediated the contribution of intention on PA level. However, this indirect effect was conditional on the level of coping planning, insofar as action planning acted as a mediator of the intention-PA relationship only for individuals with high level of coping planning. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the complexity of the relationship between intention and behaviour and provide evidence for the distinct role of both forms of planning.

Subjective age and cognitive functioning: a 10-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: The present study examines whether subjective age (i.e., how old or young individuals feel) is associated with cognitive functioning and tests potential mediators of this association. DESIGN: Data from the two waves of measurement of the Midlife in the United States survey were used, with assessments conducted at the first wave in 1994-1995 and at the second wave in 2004-2006. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,352 men and women aged from 50 to 75 years at baseline (M: 59.32; SD: 6.72). MEASUREMENTS: Subjective age, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and the covariates sex, age, education, marital status, and disease burden were assessed at baseline to predict episodic memory and executive function measured 10 years later. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis revealed that a younger subjective age at baseline was prospectively associated with better episodic memory and executive function. Bootstrap analysis indicated that the association of subjective age with episodic memory and executive function was partially mediated by BMI and frequency of physical activity respectively. CONCLUSION: Even after accounting for chronological age and other risk factors for cognitive decline, such as disease burden and sedentary lifestyle, the subjective experience of aging predicts cognitive functioning in old age.

Personality and subjective age among older adults: the mediating role of age-group identification.

OBJECTIVE: A small body of research has highlighted the role of the five-factor model personality traits in subjective age. However, no study has yet focused on the mechanisms through which personality could be related to subjective age among older adults. The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating role of age-group identification in relation between personality traits and subjective age. It was hypothesized that both extraversion and openness to experience are positively related to a younger subjective age through the mediation of their negative relationship with age-group identification. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 501 older individuals aged from 60 to 95 years who completed measures of sociodemographic variables, self-rated health, personality, subjective age, and age-group identification. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis revealed that openness to experience was positively related to subjective age through the complete mediation of age-group identification, whereas no support was found for the relationship between extraversion and subjective age. CONCLUSION: This study fills a gap in the existing literature and reveals that openness to experience is related to a youthful subjective age, because older open individuals tend to distance themselves from their age group. Therefore, this study confirms that personality deserves attention as a predictor of subjective age, independently of sociodemographic and health-related variables.

Subjective age and social-cognitive determinants of physical activity in active older adults.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to examine the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between subjective age and intention to engage in physical activity (PA) among active older adults. It was expected that subjective age would be positively related to PA intention because it is positively associated with self-efficacy. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 170 older adults age 60-80 years (M = 66.10, SD = 4.78) who completed measures of subjective age, self-efficacy, behavioral intention, self-rated health, and past PA. RESULTS: Bootstrap procedure revealed that self-efficacy partially mediated the positive relationship between feeling younger than one's age and PA intention, while chronological age, self-rated health, and past PA were controlled. DISCUSSION: These results emphasize the need to consider both subjective and objective components of age as correlates of social-cognitive determinants of health behavior.

Predictors of situational disengagement in the academic setting: the contribution of grades, perceived competence, and academic motivation.

BACKGROUND. Although psychological disengagement is a well-documented phenomenon in the academic setting, the attempts to identify its predictors are scarce. In addition, existing research has mainly focused on chronic disengagement and less is known on the determinants of situational disengagement. AIMS. The purpose of the present study was to identify the predictors of situational disengagement in a physical education (PE) setting. In line with the core postulate of psychological disengagement, it was hypothesized that grades contribute to discounting through a decrease in perceived competence. Drawing upon self-determination theory, it was also expected that devaluing reflects the motivational orientations of individuals. SAMPLE. A total of 120 students who were in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades. METHOD. Students were asked to report their motivation towards PE and their perceived competence at the beginning of a 10-week cycle. Perceived competence in PE and psychological disengagement were assessed at the end of cycle, after grades were communicated individually to each student. RESULTS. The results revealed that grades significantly predicted discounting, through perceived competence, but did not predict devaluing. Devaluing was negatively predicted by integrated and identified regulations, and positively predicted by amotivation, whereas no motivational variables were related to discounting. CONCLUSION. The present study extends the core postulate of psychological disengagement to situational disengagement. It revealed that students may temporarily disengage their self-esteem from performance feedback through discounting, but are less inclined to devalue the academic domain when faced with negative feedback in a particular situation because of their motivational orientations.

Social cognitive determinants of physical activity among retired older individuals: an application of the health action process approach.

OBJECTIVE: The identification of the determinants of physical activity (PA) among older adults is an important avenue of research. To date, although the health action process approach (HAPA) has proven to be a valid framework for the prediction of PA among heterogeneous sample of both middle-aged and older adults in rehabilitation and work settings, no studies have specifically considered its predictive value among older adults in their retirement years. Therefore, drawing upon the HAPA, the present study aimed to identify the social cognitive determinants of PA involvement among retired older adults. DESIGN: A 6-month prospective design was employed. METHOD: Participants were retired older individuals (N= 120), members of a French university-based organization, aged from 53 to 83 years (Mean = 65.38 years; SD= 5.63). They were administrated measures of risk perception, action self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and PA intention at baseline (T1) and of planning, coping self-efficacy, and PA behaviour 6 months later (T2). RESULTS: Path analyses revealed that, in the motivational phase, action self-efficacy and risk perception, but not outcome expectancies, were positively related to PA intention. In the volitional phase, PA intention and coping self-efficacy, but not planning, were positive predictors of PA behaviour. CONCLUSION: The present study contributes to existing knowledge as the first to apply the HAPA for the prediction of PA among retired older adults. It confirms that it provides a useful framework for the understanding of the social cognitive processes underlying this behaviour for this age group.

Subjective health and memory self-efficacy as mediators in the relation between subjective age and life satisfaction among older adults.

OBJECTIVE: Perceiving oneself as younger than one's actual age functions as a self-enhancing positive illusion that promotes life satisfaction. However, no research has yet focused on the mechanisms through which a youthful subjective age could be related to higher life satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to identify the mediating role of resources, such as subjective health and memory self-efficacy, in the relation between subjective age and life satisfaction among older adults. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 250 older individuals aged from 60 to 77 years who completed measures of subjective age, subjective health, memory self-efficacy, and life satisfaction. RESULTS: Path analysis revealed that subjective age was positively related to both subjective health and memory self-efficacy, and that subjective health and memory self-efficacy were both positively related to life satisfaction. Bootstrap procedures further indicated that subjective age has significant total and specific indirect contribution to life satisfaction through subjective health and memory self-efficacy. DISCUSSION: This study fills a gap in existing literature and suggests that a youthful subjective age is associated with higher life satisfaction because it is related to higher evaluation of health and memory self-efficacy. It provides an initial support for a resource-based explanation of the relation between subjective age and life satisfaction.