Aging well in an aging society: physical health in older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults.

Introduction: Older sexual minority people meet a double stigma in our society related to their sexual identity and chronological age. The present study explores how experiences of discrimination and prejudice, coming out, and personal resiliency influence physical health of older lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. Methods: Respondents were recruited through online advertisements and an online-based survey. The sample included 82 Italian cisgender LGB adults over 65 years: young older adults (65-70 years; 78%) and old-old adults (over 71 years; 22%). Regarding sexual orientation, the sample was composed of sexual minority women (n = 30; 37%) and sexual minority men (n = 52; 63%). Results: ANOVAs' findings showed that sexual minority women described lower levels of physical health compared to sexual minority men. At the same time, old-old adults reported higher experiences of discrimination and prejudice compared to young older adults. Moreover, findings from hierarchical multiple regression analysis described that coming out, higher levels of personal resiliency, and fewer experiences of discrimination were predictors of physical health, regardless of age and sexual minority categories. Conclusion: These findings seem to align with previous studies that underline the relevance of investigating aging well in sexual minority people. Knowledge and awareness of LGBTQ+ issues are necessary for recognizing the unique needs and resources of older LGB people for promoting a healthy aging process.

Emotional Distress Symptoms, Coping Efficacy, and Social Support: A Network Analysis of Distress and Resources in Persons With Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The study's main aim was to analyze the structure and configuration of distress symptoms and resource factors. PURPOSE: Common methods of assessing distress symptoms in cancer patients (i) do not capture the configuration of individual distress symptoms and (ii) do not take into account resource factors (e.g., social support, coping, caring health professionals). Network analysis focuses on the configuration and relationships among symptoms that can result in tailored interventions for distress. Network analysis was used to derive a symptom-level view of distress and resource factors. METHODS: Nine hundred and ninety-two cancer patients (mixed diagnoses) completed an abridged Distress Screening Schedule that included 24 items describing symptoms related to distress (depression, anxiety) and resource factors (social support, coping, caring health professionals). RESULTS: In network analysis, the centrality strength index (CSI) is the degree to which an item is connected to all other items, thus constituting an important focal point in the network. A depression symptom had the highest CSI value: felt lonely/isolated (CSI = 1.30). In addition, resource factors related to coping efficacy (CSI = 1.20), actively seeking support (CSI = 1.10), perceiving one's doctor as caring (CSI = 1.10), and receiving social support (CSI = 1.10) also all had very high CSI scores. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These results emphasize the integral importance of the social symptoms of loneliness/isolation in distress. Thus, distress symptoms (loneliness) and resource factors (coping efficacy, seeking social support, and perceiving medical professionals as caring) should be integral aspects of distress management and incorporated into assessment tools and interventions to reduce distress.

Many persons with cancer experience emotional distress (i.e., depression and anxiety). Traditional methods of assessing distress do not capture the complex organization of individual symptoms of depression/anxiety or their relationship with specific personal resources such as seeking support and coping strategies. This study used network analysis to represent the structural configuration of individual distress symptoms and specific resources (agentic coping, seeking support, receiving support, satisfaction with medical care) and relationships between them. Participants were 992 persons with cancer who completed an inventory assessing distress and personal resources. The network configuration showed that loneliness and social isolation were most central to the network of distress symptoms, suggesting that these feelings are the most significant aspects of distress for persons with cancer. Importantly, agentic coping, seeking support, perceiving one's doctor as caring, and receiving social support were also highly central in the network. The results highlight the significance of the social symptoms of distress, namely loneliness and isolation, as well as the central importance of resource factors such as coping efficacy, seeking social support, and perceiving medical professionals as caring. These distress symptoms and resources can be incorporated into assessment tools and interventions to alleviate distress among persons with cancer.

Daily associations between global self-esteem and self-concept clarity and their relationships with subjective well-being in a sample of adult workers.

OBJECTIVES: The present pre-registered study examined the reciprocal day-to-day associations between global self-esteem and self-concept clarity and their incremental validity with respect to daily life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. METHODS: We used intensive longitudinal data from 153 adult workers (45.1% women), over a period of 31 days. Data were analyzed using dynamic structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Results attested higher global self-esteem and self-concept clarity mean levels for older vs. younger participants, and lower global self-esteem and self-concept clarity variability for older vs. younger participants. Furthermore, global self-esteem and self-concept clarity were correlated at a cross-sectional daily level, yet only self-concept clarity states positively predicted subsequent global self-esteem states, while global self-esteem states did not predict subsequent self-concept clarity states. Daily global self-esteem and daily self-concept clarity further predicted subsequent daily higher life satisfaction and positive affect, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings shed light on the short-term relationships linking global self-esteem and self-concept clarity, pointing to their discriminant validity in predicting individuals' subjective well-being.

"I RUN CLEAN Project"-An Innovative and Self-Sustainable Approach to Develop Clean Sport Behaviours in Grassroots Athletes.

The phenomenon of doping is a public health issue that poses threats to sport and society. In recent decades, the emphasis on efforts to address the issue and reduce the incidence of doping by young people in sport has shifted from deterrence through testing and punishment to the promotion of clean sport behaviours through values-based education. The "I Run Clean project" sought to develop new and effective tools targeting grassroots athletes and those around them (coaches, medical support personnel, sport leaders, parents). These included sport-specific e-learning and in-person peer-to-peer workshops led by trained volunteer ambassadors. The aim of all "I Run Clean" measures is to go beyond the warnings and provision of factual information about early anti-doping campaigns to a more holistic educational approach that focuses participants on their personal and sport-related values in order to encourage good decision-making and resistance to doping-related behaviours. This study evaluates the efficacy of the peer-to-peer workshops and their impact on selected psycho-social variables. The collaboration of the volunteer ambassadors is shown to effectively transmit the desired reasoning, reduce doping risk factors and enhance protective factors.

"I Am on Top!": An Interactive Intervention Program to Promote Self-Regulation Processes in the Prevention of the Use of Doping in Sports High Schools.

The use of substances to improve sports performance is a widespread phenomenon among adolescents. Several anti-doping programs have been developed, mainly based on knowledge-based evidence. The main aim of the present study was to implement an anti-doping intervention in sports high school students, based on a psychological framework, such as Socio-Cognitive Theory, through the development of a Serious Game (SG), i.e., digital learning based on the game. The experimental design included an intervention group (n = 167; F = 37.7%; Meanage = 17.5 years; SD = 0.58) and a control group (n = 112; F = 42%; Meanage = 17.6; SD = 1). Both of the groups completed the same questionnaire on two different occasions (i.e., time 1 and time 2) for measuring doping intention, self-regulatory efficacy to resist social pressure for the use of substances, moral disengagement, and doping knowledge. Data were analyzed through repeated measures of Group X Time ANOVA, demonstrating some degree of efficacy of the intervention, in particular in terms of the decrease in doping intention and the strengthening of doping knowledge. Moreover, the study demonstrated that the score obtained during the implementation of the SG could partially represent a coherent measure of the participants' beliefs regarding doping. These results could be considered a starting point for future research to better develop technological anti-doping interventions.

Is the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire a Valid Measure in Older People?

BACKGROUND: Despite the widely recognized benefits of physical activity for preventing physical and cognitive decline during aging, global estimates indicate that most older adults do not achieve the recommended amount of physical activity due to a lack of motivation. The current research examined the validity and psychometric properties of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3) among older adults. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the BREQ-3 stands out as one of the most extensively utilized tools among exercise motivation studies. METHODS: A sample of older adults (N = 383; M age = 73.2 years, SD age = 7.2) completed the BREQ-3 and the Godin-Shepard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the six-factor structure postulated by SDT, showing good fit indices (CFI= 0.95; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.04) and supporting the full measurement invariance of the scale across sex and age groups (65 to 74 years; over 75 years). The construct and criterion validity of the BREQ-3 was upheld through the latent correlations between its subscales and their correlations with the GSLTPAQ. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated for the first time the effectiveness of the BREQ-3 in assessing all forms of behavioral regulation proposed by SDT in older adults, suggesting that older adults similarly interpreted the items across sex and age groups.

The role of sense of presence in expressing cognitive abilities in a virtual reality task: an initial validation study.

There is a raised interest in literature to use Virtual Reality (VR) technology as an assessment tool for cognitive domains. One of the essential advantages of transforming tests in an immersive virtual environment is the possibility of automatically calculating the test's score, a time-consuming process under natural conditions. Although the characteristics of VR can deliver different degrees of immersion in a virtual environment, the sense of presence could jeopardize the evolution of these practices. The sense of presence results from a complex interaction between human, contextual factors, and the VR environment. The present study has two aims: firstly, it contributes to the validation of a virtual version of the naturalistic action test (i.e., virtual reality action test); second, it aims to evaluate the role of sense of presence as a critical booster of the expression of cognitive abilities during virtual reality tasks. The study relies on healthy adults tested in virtual and real conditions in a cross-over research design. The study's results support the validity of the virtual reality action test. Furthermore, two structural equation models are tested to comprehend the role of sense of presence as a moderator in the relationship between cognitive abilities and virtual task performance.

Exploring the Psychological Nexus of Virtual and Augmented Reality on Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Rapid Review.

With the global population of older adults projected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050, it becomes crucial to promote healthy aging to alleviate the associated disease burden. In this context, technology, particularly virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), has garnered attention for its potential to augment physical activity in older adults. These immersive technologies offer interactive and enjoyable exercise experiences, making physical activity more appealing. However, the effectiveness of these interventions is not solely attributed to technology itself but is deeply intertwined with psychological processes. This rapid review examines the effectiveness of VR and AR interventions in enhancing physical exercise among healthy older adults while exploring the role of psychological variables, including mood, self-efficacy, and motivation. The results of the study show that technology-enhanced physical activity interventions hold great promise but call attention to the need for a comprehensive understanding of psychological dynamics that will pave the way for more tailored and effective interventions. Future research endeavors should aim to bridge these gaps in knowledge to optimize the impact of technology on healthy aging.

Adolescents' Characteristics and Peer Relationships in Class: A Population Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate differences in adolescents' social relationships with classmates of diverse gender, socioeconomic status, immigrant background, and academic achievement. METHODS: A population of 10th-grade students (N = 406,783; males = 50.3%; Mage = 15.57 years, SDage = 0.75) completed the Classmates Social Isolation Questionnaire (CSIQ), an instrument specifically designed to measure two distinct but correlated types of peer relationships in class: peer acceptance and peer friendship. To obtain reliable comparisons across diverse adolescent characteristics, the measurement invariance of the CSIQ was established by means of CFAs and then latent mean differences tests were performed. RESULTS: Immigrant background, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status all proved to be important factors influencing relationships with classmates, while being a male or a female was less relevant. Being a first-generation immigrant adolescent appears to be the foremost risk factor for being less accepted by classmates, while having a low academic achievement is the greatest hindrance for having friends in the group of classmates, a finding that diverges from previous studies. CONCLUSIONS: This population study suggests that adolescent characteristics (especially immigrant background, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement) seem to affect social relationships with classmates.

Application of Real and Virtual Radial Arm Maze Task in Human.

Virtual Reality (VR) emerges as a promising technology capable of creating different scenarios in which the body, environment, and brain are closely related, proving enhancements in the diagnosis and treatment of several spatial memory deficits. In recent years, human spatial navigation has increasingly been studied in interactive virtual environments. However, navigational tasks are still not completely adapted in immersive 3D VR systems. We stipulate that an immersive Radial Arm Maze (RAM) is an excellent instrument, allowing the participants to be physically active within the maze exactly as in the walking RAM version in reality modality. RAM is a behavioral ecological task that allows the analyses of different facets of spatial memory, distinguishing declarative components from procedural ones. In addition to describing the characteristics of RAM, we will also analyze studies in which RAM has been used in virtual modality to provide suggestions into RAM building in immersive modality.

Anxiety, Motives, and Intention for Physical Activity during the Italian COVID-19 Lockdown: An Observational Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led governments to adopt strict containment measures to avoid spreading the virus. These essential measures led to home confinement that influenced both the physical and mental health of populations. Physical activity plays a key role in preventing chronic diseases and promoting protective psychological factors. In the context of a lockdown, understanding the motives that guide people to enact physical activity is an important issue for public health. The present study aimed to evaluate the relation between autonomous motivation and physical activity, considering the role of behavioral intention and anxiety in a longitudinal moderated mediation model. METHODS: Italian participants (N = 86; meanage = 29.74, standard deviation = 9.74; female = 53.5%) completed a booklet composed of different questionnaires (motivation, intention, anxiety, and physical activity) 3 weeks apart. RESULTS: The hypothesized model is supported by the evidence; both autonomous motivation and intention are direct predictors of physical activity. The results also show that the direct effect of autonomous motivation on physical activity is stronger in participants with low anxiety, while high levels of anxiety are a significant moderator of the intention-behavior relation. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, a multidisciplinary approach should be promoting methods and infrastructures to permit people to adhere to physical activity, as a front line against any health emergency.

High-Pressure Game Conditions Affect Quiet Eye Depending on the Player's Expertise: Evidence from the Basketball Three-Point Shot.

Research on attention in sport using eye-tracking methodology has highlighted that the highest levels of expertise and performance are characterized by a specific gaze behavior consisting of a perception-action variable named quiet eye. The present study aimed to understand the role of quiet eye during the three-point shot, especially in game conditions in which even a single point may determine victory or defeat. Twenty-one basketball players (twelve competitive elites and nine semi-elites) with a high-shooting style performed three-point shots in four game scenarios different from each other for the time available (time pressure) and the relevance of the score (performance pressure). The results showed that competitive elites performed a longer quiet eye online duration and a shorter QE preprogramming duration than semi-elites, especially in the highest-pressure condition. On the one hand, these results suggest that quiet eye during three-point shots could fulfill an online control function. On the other hand, the findings stressed the importance of implementing experimental conditions that can resemble as closely as possible actual sport situations. Finally, we suggest that sport professionals interested in administering to athletes a quiet eye training protocol in order to improve three-point shot performance consider the shooting style of the players.

The Psychometric Properties of the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3): Factorial Structure, Invariance and Validity in the Italian Context.

BACKGROUND: Motivation to engage in physical activity plays a central role in ensuring the health of the population. The present study investigated the psychometric properties and validity in Italy of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3), a widely used instrument for assessing individuals' motivation to exercise based on self-determination theory (SDT). METHODS: A large sample (N = 2222; females = 55.4%; Mage = 36.4 years, SDage = 13.9, min = 20, max = 69) of young people, and middle aged and older adults completed the Italian translation of the BREQ-3, also indicating their intentions to exercise in the following weeks. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the posited six-factor structure of the BREQ-3 fitted the data well (CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.04) and provided evidence for full measurement invariance across gender and different age groups. The construct validity of the BREQ-3 was supported by the latent correlations among the subscales, which were consistent with the quasi-simplex pattern theorized by SDT. The overall level of self-determination and the intention to exercise were positively correlated, providing evidence for the criterion validity of the scale. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian version of the BREQ-3 has proved to be a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the behavioral regulation of exercise in individuals with different demographic characteristics.

Assessing the fear of recurrence using the Cancer Worry Scale in a sample of Italian breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: The fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is one of the most reported problems by cancer survivors. A valid instrument to detect this issue could be useful to identify cancer survivors who are more vulnerable to developing FCR and related adverse outcomes (e.g., anxiety). The present study aimed to evaluate FCR in a sample of Italian breast cancer survivors using an Italian version of the 8-item Cancer Worry Scale (CWS) in order to establish a cut-off for the use in clinical settings. METHODS: The participants were 119 breast cancer survivors (mean age 47.7 years) at least 1 year after their primary treatment. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of CWS, internal reliability of CWS, concurrent and divergent validity using a bivariate correlation between the key measures of the study (i.e., FCR, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and self-efficacy), and ROC analysis of CWS were performed. RESULTS: Fit indices for the EFA were considered acceptable and showed a two-factor structure-labeled cancer worries and worries impact. The reliability of the two factors showed a Cronbach's alpha coefficient greater than 0.90. The CWS was positively related to anxiety, depression, fatigue, and negatively related to perceived self-efficacy. The best cut-off score was 24 versus 25, with a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 85%. CONCLUSIONS: The CWS is a valid questionnaire to assess FCR among breast cancer survivors. The present study provides an overview of the relationship between CWS and the adverse outcomes related to FCR and coping strategies adopted to face it.

Promoting Media Literacy Online: An Intervention on Performance and Appearance Enhancement Substances with Sport High School Students.

The outbreak of coronavirus required adjustment regarding the delivery of interventions. Media literacy interventions are necessary to help people acquire relevant skills to navigate the complexities of media communications, and to encourage health-promoting behaviors. The present study aimed to promote a media literacy intervention regarding performance and appearance enhancement substances use in sports high school students. The COVID-19 contingency allowed us to evaluate whether online sessions can effectively promote greater awareness of media influence, a stronger sense of confidence in persuading others to deal with media messages, and healthier attitudes about PAES use among high school students. The study relied on an "intervention group" comprising 162 students (31.5% female) and a "control group" comprising 158 students (42% female). Data were analyzed through repeated measures of Group X Time MANOVA and ANOVA, demonstrating some degree of efficacy of the media literacy intervention. The "intervention group" reported higher awareness of potential newspapers' influence and a significant increase in their sense of confidence in dealing with media influence compared to the "control group". Findings support the efficacy of online media literacy programs to prevent doping consumption in adolescents.

The Implementation and Evaluation of a Media Literacy Intervention About PAES Use in Sport Science Students.

With respect to both competitive and amateur/fitness sports, media may strongly influence young people's opinions and behaviors concerning the use of PAES (Performance and Appearance Enhancing Substances). The present investigation addressed this topic by focusing on sport sciences students' beliefs concerning the possible role of media related to the implementation and evaluation of a PAES-focus media literacy intervention conducted with sport science students. This study relied on a sample of 521 students (attrition rate 10.3%) (45.1% female, mean age = 22.6, SD = 2.20), which provided baseline data on students' levels of media literacy concerning the use of PAES (i.e. "descriptive sample"), and a sample of 248 students, who participated in and provided data on the media literacy intervention. This latter sample included a group of 128 students (44.5% female, mean age = 23.03, SD = 3.76) who actively participated in the intervention (i.e. "intervention group"), and a group of 120 students who did not (i.e. "control group", 53.3% female, mean age = 22.25, SD = 2.47). All students filled out media literacy questionnaires targeting students' awareness of media influence, their views about the realism of media content, their sense of confidence in dealing with media messages, and their positive attitudes toward PAES use. Analyses of questionnaire data showed that students are relatively aware of media influence on people's views and behaviors with respect to PAES use. At the same time, students also believed that young people do not consider media as "realistic sources" of information; nonetheless, they also did not consider themselves entirely capable of dealing effectively with media messages. With respect to the intervention, students overall appreciated and greatly welcomed the educational program on media literacy, and the analyses of intervention data across intervention and control groups showed that key media literacy variables changed over time, attesting to the overall effectiveness of the intervention.

Psychosocial variables and quality of life during the COVID-19 lockdown: a correlational study on a convenience sample of young Italians.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, to limit the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), many countries, including Italy, have issued a lengthy quarantine period for the entire population. For this reason lifestyle has changed, bringing inevitable repercussions to the Quality of Life (QoL). The present study aims to identify which psychosocial variables predict behaviors capable of affecting the QoL during the lockdown period, potentially highlighting factors that might promote well-being and health in the Italian population during the epidemic. METHODS: Between 27 April 2020 and 11 May 2020, we administered a web-survey to a sample of young Italian people (age M = 21.2; SD = 3.5; female = 57.7% of the sample). Employing variance-based structural equation modeling, we attempted to identify whether social connectedness, social support, and loneliness were variables predictive of the QoL of young Italians. We also sought to identify specific psychological factors, such as symbolic threat, realistic threat, and the threat from potentially contaminated objects, was correlated to COVID-19 fear and whether engaging in particular behaviors was likely to improve the QoL. RESULTS: Our results suggest that social connectedness and loneliness are significant predictors of QoL, while social support did not have a significant effect on QoL. Furthermore, we observed that symbolic and realistic threats and the threat from potentially contaminated objects are significant and positive predictors of COVID-19 fear. Moreover, COVID-19 fear had significant and positive relationships with the carrying out of specific behaviors, such as creative activities during the isolation period and that this related to affirming individuals' country-specific identity. Finally, COVID-19 fear is a significant predictor of behavioral factors related to the adherence to public health advice in line with national guidance regarding the containment of COVID-19; this factor, however, did not correlate with QoL. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the importance of social context and psychological factors to help devise intervention strategies to improve the QoL during lockdown from epidemic events and, in particular, support the importance of promoting social communication and accurate information about the transmission of the virus.