Development and evaluation of a social cognitive theory-based instrument to assess correlations for physical activity among people with spinal cord injury

BACKGROUND

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) are more susceptible to sedentary lifestyles because of the displacement of physical functioning and the copious barriers. Benefits of physical activity for people with SCI include physical fitness, functional capacity, social integration and psychological well-being.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a social cognitive theory-based instrument aimed to predict physical activity among people with SCI.

METHODS

An instrument was developed through the utilization and modification of previous items from the literature, an expert panel review, and cognitive interviewing, and tested among a sample of the SCI population using a cross-sectional design. Statistical analysis included descriptives, correlations, multiple regression, and exploratory factor analysis.

RESULTS

The physical activity outcome variable was significantly and positively correlated with self-regulatory efficacy (r = 0.575), task self-efficacy (r = 0.491), self-regulation (r = 0.432), social support (r = 0.284), and outcome expectations (r = 0.247). Internal consistency for the constructs ranged from 0.82 to 0.96. Construct reliability values for the self-regulation (0.95), self-regulatory efficacy (0.96), task self-efficacy (0.94), social support (0.84), and outcome expectations (0.92) each exceeded the 0.70 a priori criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

The factor analysis was conducted to seek modifications of current instrument to improve validity and reliability. The data provided support for the convergent validity of the five-factor SCT model. This study provides direction for further development of a valid and reliable instrument for predicting physical activity among people with SCI.

Knowledge of eating disorders among collegiate administrators, coaches, and auxiliary dancers

Knowledge of eating disorders, confidence in knowledge, and attendance of eating disorder educational programs were assessed among NCAA Division I and II university administrators (n = 61), coaches (n = 44), and dancers (n = 53). A questionnaire assessed knowledge in 5 domains: etiology, signs and symptoms, management and treatment, risk factors, and prevention and education. Overall, dancers' knowledge and previous attendance were significantly lower than administrators' and coaches'. There was inconsistency between participants' confidence in answers and the correctness of their answers. Education is necessary for improving knowledge and reducing risky behaviors in auxiliary dancers.

Attitude and Knowledge Changes in Collegiate Dancers following a Short-Term, Team-Centered Prevention Program on Eating Disorders

Eating knowledge, nutritional knowledge, and psychological changes among female collegiate dancers were examined before and after a 4-wk. team-centered program on sport nutrition, exercise, and disordered eating consequences. Collegiate female dancers from two NCAA Division I institutions participated in a control ( n = 19; M age = 19.1 yr., SD = 1.0) or intervention ( n = 21; M age = 19.2 yr., SD = 1.2) group. Measures were administered to both groups before and after intervention to assess eating disorders, depression, and nutritional and disordered eating knowledge. There was a statistically significant increase in scores on nutritional and overall eating disorder knowledge in the intervention group compared to the control group. Mean scores on depression, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and maturity fears decreased in the intervention group.

Body image, anthropometric measures, and eating-disorder prevalence in auxiliary unit members

CONTEXT

Medical professionals have recognized eating disorders and related problems in competitive athletes. Auxiliary members (color guard, dance, majorettes) experience the same appearance-related pressures observed in sports commonly associated with eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate eating-disorder prevalence based on associated eating-disorder characteristics and behaviors in female auxiliary members and to compare perceived and ideal body images and anthropometric measurements between at-risk and not-at-risk participants for eating-disorder characteristics and behaviors.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional design.

SETTING

Three universities in the southeastern United States.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Participants (n = 101, mean age = 19.2 +/- 1.2 years) represented 3 auxiliary units, including color guard (n = 35), dance line (n = 47), and majorettes (n = 19).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Participants self-reported menstrual history, height, and weight. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, body fat percentage, and waist and hip circumferences. We screened for eating-disorder risk behavior with the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT)-26 and for body dissatisfaction with the Figural Stimuli Survey.

RESULTS

Based on the EAT-26, we estimated eating-disorder prevalence among members to measure 29.7% (95% confidence interval = 20.8%, 38.6%). The EAT-26 results revealed that 21% of participants used purgatives and 14% vomited to control weight or shape. The at-risk group had higher scores on the EAT-26 total (P

CONCLUSIONS

Collegiate auxiliary unit members may have an unacceptable prevalence of eating disorders. Our results validate concerns that auxiliary members may exhibit an unacceptable eating-disorder risk, highlighting the need to examine and address unhealthy weight-management behaviors independent of eating-disorder status.

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Key Words

• EAT-26
• athletes
• body image
• dancers

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MESH Headings

• Adult
• Analysis of Variance
• Anthropometry
• Body Image
• Body Mass Index
• Competitive Behavior
• Confidence Intervals
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Dancing
• Feeding and Eating Disorders/epidemiology
• Female
• Humans
• Menstruation
• Nutritional Status
• Prevalence
• Psychometrics
• Risk Factors
• Sex Factors
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• United States/epidemiology
• Weight Loss

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A Compositional Analysis of a Common Acetic Acid Solution With Practical Implications for Ingestion

OBJECTIVE: Acetic acid solutions, such as pickle juice (PJ), have gained anecdotal popularity among certified athletic trainers and other sports medicine professionals as remedies for exercise-associated muscle cramps. The aims of this study were 2-fold: (1) to report compositional analyses of 2 common types of PJ and (2) to discuss implications for ingestion following current National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) fluid-replacement guidelines. DESIGN AND SETTING: Biochemical laboratory analyses of 2 PJ sample types. MEASUREMENTS: Compositional analyses were performed in triplicate and compared with a 1-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: Mean values for PJ with 220 mg of sodium per serving were carbohydrate, 4 +/- 0.2%; osmolality, 713 +/- 6 mOsm.kg H(2)O(-1); pH, 3.8 +/- 0.2; calcium, 0.5 +/- 0.02 g/L; potassium, 1.4 +/- 0.02 g/L; magnesium, 0.1 +/- 0.01 g/L; and sodium, 7.4 +/- 0.1 g/L. Mean values for PJ with 390 mg of sodium per serving were carbohydrate, 3 +/- 0.1%; osmolality, 1446 +/- 9 mOsm.kg H(2)O(-1); pH, 3.5 +/- 0.1 g/L; calcium, 0.1 +/- 0.01 g/L; potassium, 1.2 +/- 0.02 g/L; magnesium, 0.1 +/- 0.01 g/L; and sodium, 17.1 +/- 0.1 g/L. Differences between the 220 and 390 PJ were significant (P <.05) for osmolality, calcium, and sodium. CONCLUSIONS: Both types of PJ exceeded sodium concentration levels set by the current NATA guidelines for fluid replacement. Hypothetical dilution references are presented to assist the athletic trainer with fluid volumes necessary to dilute PJ. Ingestion of PJ or other hypertonic fluids should be followed by ingestion of hypotonic or isotonic fluids to ensure that ingested amounts of sodium fall within the current NATA guidelines. Volumes for proper dilution may be substantial.

Critical-Thinking Predisposition Among Undergraduate Athletic Training Students

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the tendency of undergraduate athletic training students to think critically, to assess their likelihood of using specific components of critical thinking, and to study the effect of selected demographic and educational variables on critical-thinking tendencies in this sample of students. DESIGN AND SETTING: Data were collected before regularly scheduled athletic training classes at the beginning of the spring semester. SUBJECTS: Ninety-one students enrolled in 3 Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs-accredited undergraduate athletic training education programs in the southeast. The subjects ranged in age from 19 to 29 years (mean age = 22.33 +/- 1.94). Forty-six (50.5%) of the subjects were men and 45 (49.5%) were women. MEASUREMENTS: The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory contains 75 Likert-type items assessing 7 components of critical thinking: truth seeking, open mindedness, analyticity, systematicity, inquisitiveness, cognitive maturity, and critical-thinking self-confidence. RESULTS: The overall mean indicated a general but mild trend toward critical thinking, with weak scores on the truth-seeking subscale. One-way analysis of variance reflected significant differences among the schools for truth seeking, open mindedness, and maturity subscales and for the overall mean score for the entire inventory. Only the open-mindedness difference persisted between 2 of the schools after post hoc testing. Correlation analyses indicated no significant relationship between total score and age, sex, ethnicity, year in athletic training program, cumulative grade point average, completed semester hours, or clinical-experience hours. CONCLUSIONS: Athletic training students are inclined toward critical thinking, but this tendency is relatively weak. Classroom and clinical instructors should use teaching methods and techniques that facilitate the components of critical thinking. The promotion of critical thinking and critical-thinking skills has implications for athletic training education and the advancement of certified athletic trainers and the profession of athletic training.

Physical activity and osteoporotic fracture among older women

OBJECTIVE

To determine the importance of physical activity in the occurrence of osteoporotic fracture and to examine the impact of exercise frequency on osteoporotic fracture among a national sample of women aged 50 years and older.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This study involved female participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), Phase 1.

SUBJECTS

The sample consisted of 2,325 women aged 50 years and older who were interviewed for Phase 1 of NHANES III.

MEASUREMENTS

Predictor variables that were examined in this study included heredity, age, race, body mass index, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol use, and dairy product intake. Multivariate analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

Race, age, body mass index, and inactivity were significant risk factors Predicting the occurrence of osteoporotic fracture.

CONCLUSIONS

Athletic trainers in clinical settings are in an ideal position to educate female patients about risk factors for osteoporotic fracture. The clinical athletic trainer may incorporate balance training, generalized strengthening, and other fall-prevention activities into rehabilitation programs in order to help prevent osteoporotic injuries.

An assessment of learning styles among undergraduate athletic training students

OBJECTIVE

Increased attention has been directed toward assessing and improving academic quality in athletic training education. The educational process has been assessed from a global level, but little is known about how athletic training students learn. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the learning styles of undergraduate athletic training students.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Undergraduate students enrolled in a Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)-accredited athletic training education program completed a learning styles inventory during a regularly scheduled athletic training class at the start of the spring semester.

SUBJECTS

Twenty-seven student athletic trainers (age range, 19-30 yrs, mean age = 20.5 yrs) served as subjects. Sixteen subjects (7 male, 9 female) were in the first year of this 3-year program. Eleven subjects (7 male, 4 female) were second-year students.

MEASUREMENTS

Learning style was assessed using the Productivity Environmental Preference Survey.

RESULTS

Parametric and nonparametric one-way analyses of variance for each learning subscale by sex and by year in program revealed significant differences (P < .05) in light preferences for male and female students. There were also significant differences (P < .05) between first-and second-year students in preferences for afternoon learning activities.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that undergraduate athletic training students function best as leamers in a well-lit leaming environment. The significance of aftemoon as the preferred time for learning reinforces the importance of the clinical setting in the introduction and mastery of skills. Athletic training educators and clinical instructors can use these results as they examine their teaching strategies and educational environments.

Predictors of Success on the NATABOC Certification Examination

OBJECTIVE

To determine the degree to which a selected number of variables could predict success on the first attempt at the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification Examination.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Data were obtained from the student records of subjects who were enrolled in the same undergraduate athletic training education program for a minimum of two years, maintained a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and had taken the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification Examination. A telephone survey of the subjects was used to supplement these records.

SUBJECTS

Fifty-two subjects (38 male, 14 female) who had been enrolled for a mean of seven semesters (+/-2.57) participated in this study. Subjects maintained a mean overall GPA of 3.27 (+/- 0.39), with an athletic training mean GPA of 3.34 (+/-0.43) and an academic minor mean GPA of 2.91 (+/-0.46). The mean ACT composite score was 18 (+/-4.02).

MEASUREMENTS

Subjects sat for the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification Examination. Examination passing status, rather than subjects' scores on individual sections, was used in the analysis.

RESULTS

Analysis using forward multiple linear regression indicated that no single independent variable predicted examination success. However, a strong interrelationship was present between several of the independent variables. Multiple discriminant analysis was used to determine the nature and strength of these interrelationships. A composite set of variables was formed to include overall academic GPA, athletic training GPA, academic minor GPA, ACT composite score, and number of semesters of university enrollment. This composite set explained 42% of the variance in predicting successful completion of the entire examination on the first attempt. The predictive power of the composite set greatly decreased after the first examination attempt.

CONCLUSIONS

Academic variables are the strongest predictors of first-time success on the overall National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification Examination and its component sections.