Psychosocial competences in the continuing training of French National Education professionals in 2024: A major issue in promoting health in school environment.

OBJECTIVE: Promoting health, and in particular developing psychosocial competences, at school encourages the emancipation of pupils and creates a favourable school environment. Furthermore, by helping to improve academic success, they improve pupils' overall health. However, school professionals need to be trained to develop students' psychosocial competences. The aim of this study was to describe the perceptions of French National Education professionals who have attended in-service training in psychosocial competences. METHOD: This research adopts a mixed methodology. An online questionnaire was administered to 304 professionals in order to measure their levels of satisfaction and professional development following the training. Then, 14 professionals took part in individual semi-structured interviews to discuss their needs and the obstacles and levers they encountered in reinvesting what they had learned into their professional practice. RESULTS: The quantitative data showed that the professionals have an average satisfaction rating ranging from 6.96 to 8.22 out of 10 depending on the variable measured, but that they need to discover more tools and practices to develop psychosocial competences (79.28%). The qualitative data reveal that continuing training enables National Education professionals to exchange ideas with their peers and to review their posture (78.57%). They were able to experiment with psychosocial competences according to their needs and modified their practices as a result of the training (57.14%). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that continuing training in psychosocial competences leads to changes in the attitudes and practices of National Education professionals, despite significant heterogeneity in terms of the length of training. Future research could focus on the actual practices of professionals trained in the development of psychosocial competences in order to assess the difficulties they encounter.

Review of the effects of social and emotional learning on mental health and academic outcomes: The role of teacher training and supportive interactions.

Child and youth mental health in France has become an important public health priority. Social and emotional learning has been shown to contribute to mental health in children and adolescents. Therefore, an increasing number of interventions are being proposed in schools. However, teachers are not yet trained to develop these competencies through evidence-based interventions during their initial training. One way of increasing motivation and investment in teacher training in social and emotional learning is to increase awareness of the effects on academic outcomes. The aim of this scoping review based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses is to present the effectiveness of school-based social and emotional learning programs on mental health and academic success, while specifying the contributing processes such as motivation, teacher training, and student support. The discussion section suggests several avenues to promote the development of psychosocial competencies in school settings, notably based on teacher training.

The Key Role of Psychosocial Competencies in Evidence-Based Youth Mental Health Promotion: Academic Support in Consolidating a National Strategy in France.

Psychosocial competencies, also known as psychosocial skills or life skills, are essential for the prevention and promotion of mental health. Since the beginning of this century, psychosocial competencies have been defined as the ability to develop positive mental health. Most individual or social mental health protection programs are related to psychosocial competencies. A majority of evidence-based programs that develop mental health explicitly aim at developing psychosocial competencies, either exclusively or with complementary approaches. Many of these programs have demonstrated their effectiveness, with lasting effects on reduced anxiety and depression symptoms, violent and risky behaviors, and improved well-being and academic success. Based on international meta-analyses and on 20 years of French national and local experiences, a national strategy to develop psychosocial competencies was launched in France in 2021 for all children from 3 to 25 years old. Two reports on evidence-based psychosocial competence development were published in 2022 by the national agency for public health-Santé publique France (Public Health France)-to support this deployment strategy and develop a common evidence-based culture in health and education. This article presents the French national strategy as an example of a means of increasing evidence-based mental health promotion while discussing the importance of cultural adaptation of such programs.

The effects of a cluster-randomized control trial manipulating exercise goal content and planning on physical activity among low-active adolescents.

The purpose of the present two studies was to investigate whether in framing messages that target salient beliefs of youth, the type of goal framed matter to promote physical activity (PA) participation among low-active adolescents (i.e., participating in less than 1 h/day of moderate-to-vigorous PA). More specifically, the main trial (study 2) compared the effect of intrinsic and extrinsic-goal framing messages alongside planning (IMC + P and EMC + P) to a control condition (CC) on low-active adolescents' physical activity (PA), intention, attitude, and exercise goals, and examined the potential meditational effect of these variables between condition and PA. Low-active students (n = 193; M age = 16.89) from fifteen classes were assigned to one of these three conditions. PA was assessed using an accelerometer, and the socio-cognitive mediators were measured at baseline (i.e., 2 weeks before the intervention) and post-test, and the intention was measured again at follow-up (i.e., 2 weeks after the intervention). Results showed that compared to adolescents in the CC group, those in the experimental conditions did not do more moderate PA, but carried out more light PA, and yielded an increase in attitude and intention. Mediational analysis revealed no significant effect of the potential mediators.

High-intensity interval training to promote cerebral oxygenation and affective valence during exercise in individuals with obesity.

Left/right prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation is linked to positive/negative affects, respectively. Besides, larger left PFC oxygenation during exercise relates to higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is superior to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in improving CRF. The influence of training on PFC oxygenation and affects during exercise in individuals with obesity is, however, currently unknown. Twenty participants with obesity (14 males, 48 ± 8 years, body-mass index = 35 ± 6 kg·m-2) were randomised to MICT [50% peak work rate (WRpeak)] or HIIT (1-min bouts 100% WRpeak; 3 sessions/week, 8 weeks). Before/after training, participants completed an incremental ergocycle test. Near-infrared spectroscopy and the Feeling Scale assessed PFC oxygenation and affects during exercise, respectively. Improvements in CRF (e.g., WRpeak: 32 ± 14 vs 20 ± 13 W) were greater after HIIT vs MICT (p < 0.05). Only HIIT induced larger left PFC oxygenation (haemoglobin difference from 7 ± 6 to 10 ± 7 µmol) and enhanced affective valence (from 0.7 ± 2.9 to 2.2 ± 2.0; p < 0.05) at intensities ≥ second ventilatory threshold. Exercise-training induced changes in left PFC oxygenation correlated with changes in CRF [e.g., WRpeak (% predicted), r = 0.46] and post-training affective valence (r = 0.45; p < 0.05). HIIT specifically improved left PFC oxygenation and affects during exercise in individuals with obesity. Implementing HIIT in exercise programmes may therefore have relevant implications for the management of obesity, since greater affective response to exercise is thought to be associated with future commitment to physical activity.

Effects of high intensity interval training on sustained reduction in cardiometabolic risk associated with overweight/obesity. A randomized trial.

Background: Considering the potential greater cardiocirculatory effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT), we hypothesized that a 2-month supervised high volume short interval HIIT would induce greater improvements in CRF and cardiometabolic risk and increase long-term maintenance to physical activity compared to isocaloric moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) in overweight/obesity. Methods: Sixty (19 females) subjects with overweight/obesity were randomized to three training programs (3 times/week for 2 months): MICT (45 min, 50% peak power output-PPO), HIIT (22 × 1-min cycling at 100% PPO/1-min passive recovery) and HIIT-RM (RM: recovery modulation, i.e. subjects adjusted passive recovery duration between 30s and 2 min). After the intervention, participants no longer benefited from supervised physical activity and were instructed to maintain the same exercise modalities on their own. We assessed anthropometrics, body composition, CRF, fat oxidation, lipid profile, glycemic balance, low-grade inflammation, vascular function, spontaneous physical activity and motivation for eating at three time points: baseline (T0), 4 days after the end of the 2-month supervised training program (T2) and 4 months after the end of the training program (T6). Results: HIIT/HIIT-RM induced greater improvement in VO2peak (between +14% and +17%), power output at ventilatory thresholds and at maximal fat oxidation rate (+25%) and waist circumference (-1.53 cm) compared to MICT and tended to decrease insulin resistance. During the four-month follow-up period during which exercise in autonomy was prescribed, HIIT induced a greater preservation of CRF, decreases in total and abdominal fat masses and total cholesterol/HDL. Conclusion: We have shown greater short-term benefits induced by a high volume short interval (1 min) HIIT on cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic risk over an isocaloric moderate intensity continuous exercise in persons with overweight/obesity. We also showed greater long-term effects (i.e. after 4 months) of this exercise modality on the maintenance of CRF, decreases in total and abdominal fat masses and total cholesterol/HDL.

Improving Mental Health and Well-Being through Informal Mindfulness Practices: An Intervention Study.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based programs have been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, and enhancing well-being. However, it remains unclear whether longer formal mindfulness practices are necessary to obtain such results. We therefore aimed to assess the effectiveness of a program (FOVEA, 8 weeks, 2h/week) which was only based on brief and informal practices. METHODS: Using a switching replication design, participants (N = 139) were assigned to a FOVEA or a wait-list group, and completed the following self-report questionnaires online at three time points: perceived stress, anxiety, depression, satisfaction with life (dependent variables), and mindfulness (mediating variable). They also completed a daily practice diary. RESULTS: Relative to the wait-list group, FOVEA participants showed significantly reduced perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and increased satisfaction with life. These changes were completely mediated by increased mindfulness, and were maintained 2.5 months after the end of the program. The effect sizes were moderate to large. CONCLUSIONS: These results underline the potential benefits of a mindfulness informal practices program for the general population. This type of program could constitute a first step towards more formal practices once the motivation to practice has been enhanced by the perceived benefits of brief practices.

Promoting Physical Activity during School Closures Imposed by the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Physical Education Teachers' Behaviors in France, Italy and Turkey.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reduced physical activity (PA) behaviors of many people. Physical education (PE) is considered one of the privileged instruments to promote youths' PA. We aimed to investigate the effects of lockdown on PE teachers' behaviors promoting their students' out-of-school PA and differences between three European countries. A sample of 1146 PE teachers (59.5% females) from France, Italy, and Turkey answered an online questionnaire about guiding students to engage in out-of-school PA, helping them to set PA goals, encouraging in self-monitoring PA, the pedagogical formats of these behaviors and feedback asked to students. RM-MANCOVAs were performed with a two-time (before and during the lockdown), three country (France, Italy, Turkey), two gender factorial design, using teaching years and perceived health as covariates. A significant multivariate main effect time × country × gender (p < 0.001) was reported for the behaviors promoting students' PA, with French and Italian teachers increasing some behaviors, while Turkish teachers showing opposite trends. Significant multivariate main effects time × country were found for formats supporting the behaviors (p < 0.001) and for asked feedback formats (p < 0.001). The massive contextual change imposed by lockdown caused different reactions in teachers from the three countries. Findings are informative for PA promotion and PE teachers' education.

A short bout of high-intensity intermittent exercise before moderate-intensity prolonged exercise as a mean to potentiate fat oxidation ?

Moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) improves fat oxidation. High-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) is thought to have a greater potential for fat oxidation but it might be too demanding in the long term for patients. We hypothesized that an initial bout of HIIE could maximize fat oxidation during MICE and the following passive recovery. Eighteen healthy participants performed two acute isocaloric exercise sessions at random. MICE consisted of 45-min cycling at 50% of maximal aerobic power (Pmax). COMB began with five 1-min bouts of HIIE at Pmax (interspaced with 1-min recovery periods) followed by 35-min MICE. Gas exchange allowed substrate oxidation rate assessment.Expressed as a % of energy expenditure, fat oxidation (%) increased during in the passive recovery following COMB (Recovery: 36.0 ± 19.4 vs 23.0 ± 20.3%; ES: 0.66; p < 0.0001). An initial bout of HIIE preceding a prolonged moderate-intensity exercise may potentiate fat oxidation during the following recovery. This might be relevant for health management of overweight/obese persons.

Development and validation of the multidimensional motivational climate observation system.

This article outlines the development and validation of the Multidimensional Motivational Climate Observation System (MMCOS). Drawing from an integration of the dimensions of the social environment emphasized within achievement goal theory and self-determination theory (as assumed within Duda's [2013] conceptualization of "empowering" and "disempowering" climates), the MMCOS was developed to enable an objective assessment of the coach-created motivational environment in sport. Study 1 supported the initial validity and reliability of the newly developed observation system. Study 2 further examined the interobserver reliability and factorial structure of the MMCOS. Study 3 explored the predictive validity of the observational system in relation to athletes' reported basic psychological need satisfaction. Overall, the results of these studies provide preliminary support for the inter- and intraobserver reliability, as well as factorial and predictive validity of the MMCOS. Suggestions for the use of this observational system in future research in sport are provided.

The effects of persuasive communication and planning on intentions to be more physically active and on physical activity behaviour among low-active adolescents.

The purpose of the present study was to examine, using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) combined with a self-regulatory behaviour change approach, whether persuasive communication based on adolescents' salient beliefs (SBCondition) and planning (PCondition) could promote the intention and physical activity (PA) behaviour of low-active adolescents participating in less than 1 h/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The protocol tested the effectiveness of two strategies used separately (i.e. SBC or PC) or in combination (i.e. CC = NSBC-SBC-PC) compared to a group receiving a message based on non-salient beliefs (NSBCondition). The 116 low-active students from ten 10th and 11th grade classes were assigned, using a cluster randomisation, into one of the four conditions (i.e. NSBC, SBC, PC and CC). Baseline data were collected two weeks before the intervention. The post-test data collection occurred directly after the intervention, and the follow-up took place two weeks later. Results showed that (1) the NSBC was the least effective strategy, (2) the SBC had no significant effect on PA behaviour and the TPB variables, (3) the PC had no significant effect on PA behaviour but increased the intention and perceived behavioural control and (4) the effects of the PC and the CC were not significantly different.