Acceptance and Commitment Training for Ice Hockey Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Recent systematic reviews on the topic of mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches in sport psychology conclude that there is a need for further trials using a more robust research methodology with direct performance as outcome. Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) is a contextual behavioral change method that focuses on facilitating psychological processes such as values, committed action, acceptance and mindfulness. In the present study designed as a randomized controlled trial, 34 junior elite ice hockey players were allocated into either an ACT group intervention or a wait list control group. Results showed significant effects on both objective performance outcomes (goals, assists, and taken shots) and blinded coach ratings of players' performance, focus and commitment to their development in favor of the ACT group. Effects lasted at 3-month follow-up for the coach ratings, but not for the objective performance measures. All ACT trained players recommended ACT to other players and considered the training as important for their development as ice hockey players. The results add to the growing body of evidence on ACT interventions for athletes and its effect on performance. Future studies should investigate the maintenance of effects from the psychological training over time, using robust research methodology and investigate theoretical coherent potential mediating variables.

Toxicokinetics of Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids Influences Their Toxic Potency in the Zebrafish Embryo ( Danio rerio).

Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAA) are highly persistent and bioaccumulative and have been associated with several adverse health effects. The chemical structure mainly differs in two ways: the length of the hydrophobic alkyl chain and the type of hydrophilic end group. Little is known how the chemical structure affects the toxicokinetics (TK) in different organisms. We studied the TK of four PFAA (PFOS, PFHxS, PFOA, and PFBA) with different chain lengths (4-8 carbons) and functional groups (sulfonic and carboxylic acid) in zebrafish ( Danio rerio) embryo. The time courses of the external (ambient water) and internal concentrations were determined at three exposure concentrations from 2 up to 120 h postfertilization (hpf). Three of the four PFAA showed a biphasic uptake pattern with slow uptake before hatching (around 48 hpf) and faster uptake thereafter. A two-compartment TK model adequately described the biphasic uptake pattern, suggesting that the chorion functions as an uptake barrier until 48 hpf. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) determined at 120 hpf varied widely between PFAA with averages of approximately 4000 (PFOS), 200 (PFHxS), 50 (PFOA), and 0.8 (PFBA) L kg dry weight-1, suggesting that both the alkyl chain length and the functional group influence the TK. The differences in toxic potency were reduced by 3 orders of magnitude when comparing internal effect concentrations instead of effective external concentrations.

The Values, Acceptance, and Mindfulness Scale for Ice Hockey: A Psychometric Evaluation.

There is an increased interest in mindfulness, acceptance, and values based skills training interventions in sports but there is a lack of psychometrically evaluated instruments to investigate the processes adapted to sport populations. This paper describes the development and investigation of an instrument that measure acceptance, mindfulness, and values for ice hockey players. Ice hockey players at elite and sub elite level (n = 94) in Sweden participated in the study. The results reveal that the values, acceptance, and mindfulness (VAMS) shows acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.76) and satisfactory validity. Furthermore, scores on the VAMS predicts ice hockey performance as measured by assists and team points. Future research is suggested to evaluate the sensitivity of the instrument for longitudinal research design studies. In conclusion, VAMS is a useful instrument for practitioners and researchers to increase the knowledge in how psychological processes such as acceptance, mindfulness, and values influence performance among ice hockey players.