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Introduction.: The purposes of this study were to (1) explore the relationship of preclinical assessment outcomes and grade point averages (GPAs) with full-time clinical education experience (CEE) performance and (2) determine the predictive value of associated variables to full-time CEE performance. Review of Literature.: In-program academic variables such as performance tests, comprehensive examinations, and GPAs reflect a measure of student performance before clinical education. Limited and conflicting physical therapist education research exists examining the relationship between preclinical in-program academic variables and CEE performance. Subjects.: A retrospective convenience sample of 130 graduated PT student academic records with expected graduation years of 2018, 2019, and 2020. Methods.: Academic records related to performance test outcomes, cumulative program GPAs, utilization of a practical retake appeal policy, and comprehensive examination performance were correlated with CEE performance. A dichotomous ordinal rating scale quantified CEE performance per full-time experience based on the presence of a learning contract. Overall CEE performance was defined as the percentage from the combined CEE performance scores across all experiences. Data analyses included Pearson's correlation coefficient, Spearman's rho, and a multiple linear regression analysis. Results.: Ten of 25 course-specific performance tests had significant associations with CEE performance. Cumulative GPA and the practical retake appeal were significantly associated with the CEE III score and overall CEE performance. The practical retake appeal was a significant contributor to clinical performance, explaining 5.3% of the variance (β = 0.24, P =.01, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.09, part correlation = 0.23, tolerance = 0.91). Discussion and Conclusion.: These findings support the use of performance tests as an effective assessment strategy before CEEs but only represent one aspect of the full picture of readiness to practice. Academic progression policies can offer a mechanism for early identification to support at-risk students before the CEEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, many women are driven to subscribe to a more athletically oriented appearance ideal hallmarked by muscle tone (referred to as athletic- or fit-looking). However, the constellation of unhealthy eating and exercise behaviors that may accompany the pursuit of toned muscularity among women is not yet well characterized. To address this knowledge gap, our study evaluated the associations among the female drive for toned muscularity and both thinness-oriented disordered eating behaviors (e.g., dietary restriction) and muscularity-oriented disordered eating behaviors (e.g., excessive scrutiny of macro-nutrient values of food), as well as dimensions of compulsive exercise. Participants were 388 Australian undergraduate women who completed an online questionnaire including self-report measures of said constructs. Hierarchical regression models were used to determine whether the drive for toned muscularity accounted for unique variance in eating and exercise behaviors after adjusting for theoretically relevant covariates. Results indicated independent relationships between the drive for toned muscularity and several facets of thinness- and muscularity-oriented disordered eating, as well as compulsive exercise (e.g., exercise rigidity). Our findings further contribute to an emerging literature illustrating that women driven to attain a toned appearance may be vulnerable to engaging in a wide range of maladaptive eating and exercise practices. • We tested associations of female drive for muscularity with unhealthy eating and exercise. • Female drive for muscularity is linked to several indices of disordered eating. • Female drive for muscularity is linked to several indices of compulsive exercise. • Relationships with compulsive exercise were particularly salient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Open weighing increases anxiety and preoccupation with weight control behaviours. • Blind weighing reduces anxiety and overconcern with weight. • Both forms of weighing increase weight preoccupation and disordered behaviours. • Blind weighing, although not completely benign, may be safer than open weighing. Regular weighing is a routine component of public health interventions but concerns have been raised about possible negative psychological consequences. Blind weighing is an alternative form of weighing that is commonly used in clinical contexts, and that is thought to decrease weighing anxiety and engagement with disordered eating behaviours. In this study, normal weight female participants who indicated a high drive for thinness (N = 53) were randomly assigned to receive bi-weekly open or blind weighing for three weeks. Participants who were open weighed felt increasingly anxious over time, whereas participants who were blind weighed felt less anxious. Both groups experienced increased weight preoccupation and disordered eating behaviours on weighing days compared to non-weighing days. Analyses of participants' qualitative responses further indicated that open weighed participants experienced increased urges to engage in weight-controlling behaviours throughout the experiment whereas blind weighed participants reported reduced concern with weight. Findings suggest that blind weighing may be a safer approach to weight monitoring, even though weighing in both forms can have a (transient) negative effect. Future research should evaluate whether the current findings are generalisable for other subgroups of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Comparisons to acquaintances and strangers are the most common in women's lives. • Upward comparisons to all targets linked to poorer body image than no comparisons. • Upward comparisons to all targets linked to lower mood than no comparisons. • Upward comparisons linked to more diet/exercise intentions than no comparisons. • Attainability mediates link between upward comparison to models vs. other targets and body image. Appearance comparisons can negatively influence women's body image, but little is known about the potential impact of comparison targets. We conducted an ecological momentary assessment study in which female undergraduate students (N = 146) completed a brief online survey at five random times every day for five days. In this survey, participants were asked if they had made an appearance comparison. If so, they were asked who they compared themselves to (i.e., close peer, acquaintance, stranger, celebrity/model), how they rated compared to that person (i.e., more attractive, just as attractive, less attractive), and how attainable that person's appearance is to them. All participants then completed state measures of mood, appearance satisfaction, and intention to diet and exercise. Upward comparisons (i.e., to more attractive others) to all targets were associated with less appearance satisfaction, lower positive mood, and more thoughts of dieting and exercising than when no comparisons were made. There were indirect relationships between comparisons to celebrities/models versus all other targets and appearance satisfaction via perceived attainability of the target's appearance. These findings suggest that celebrities may be particularly harmful appearance comparison targets in women's everyday lives because their attractive appearance is perceived to be less personally attainable than other targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appearance comparisons are an important sociocultural factor influencing women’s body image. These comparisons can occur in different contexts (e.g., through magazines, social media, in person). However, little is known about the frequency and outcome of appearance comparisons made in different contexts in women’s everyday lives. Using Ecological Momentary Assessment methods, female undergraduate students ( n = 146) completed a brief online survey at random times every day for 5 days. They reported the frequency, direction (upward, lateral, downward), and context of appearance comparisons, and also reported their appearance satisfaction, mood, and diet and exercise thoughts and behaviors. Upward appearance comparisons were the most common across all contexts. Upward comparisons through social media were associated with more negative outcomes on all measures (except diet and exercise behavior) than comparisons made in person, and with more negative mood than comparisons in any other context. These findings highlight the importance of the appearance comparison context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the phenomenology of weight stigma in people׳s everyday lives. Participants were 46 community adults who took part in an ecological momentary assessment study of their experiences with weight stigma. Over a two-week period, participants completed a brief survey following each experience with weight stigma in which they reported on the contextual factors related to the stigma episode, including the source of the stigma and where the stigma episode took place. Participants also reported their positive and negative affect following the stigma episode. On average, participants experienced 11.12 episodes of weight stigma over the two-week period. Stigma was most often expressed by strangers, spouses, friends, parents, and the media. Furthermore, stigma occurred frequently at home as well as in public places. Stigma from strangers was associated with more negative affect compared to stigma from spouses, the media, and (to some degree) friends. These findings provide important information about the phenomenology of weight stigma in daily life, which can have implications for efforts to reduce the occurrence of weight stigma as well as efforts to reduce the negative impact of stigma experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]