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This study aimed to determine how California secondary physical education teachers perceive the state mandated youth fitness testing for the 5th, 7th, and 9th grades using Fitnessgram. The participants were secondary school physical education teachers (N = 323). A previously validated attitudinal instrument (Keating & Silverman, 2004a) was used to collect the data. The means and standard deviations for each attitude subdomain and the overall attitudes were computed. MANOVA and ANOVA were employed to test the differences in attitudes by demographic and profession-related variables. Teachers' overall attitudes toward the Fitnessgram were slightly higher than a neutral attitude, indicating slightly positive attitudes on a 7-point Likert scale (M = 4.47, SD = 1.06). The mean scores for the attitude subdomain of cognitive (i.e., usefulness of fitness test results) and the affective (i.e., enjoyment of implementing fitness tests, and enjoyment of using fitness test results) components were 4.25 (SD = 1.38), 4.90 (SD = 1.15), and 4.39 (SD = 1.17), respectively. The data from the study suggested that teachers marginally agreed that the test results were useful and that they somewhat enjoyed implementing the test. Class size and student grade levels taught were important profession-related variables to consider regarding teacher attitudes toward the Fitnessgram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of mentoring in the success of women and diverse faculty members in the higher education of kinesiology. Topics include statistics on the representation of women and diverse faculty in the field of kinesiology, details on studies on the mentoring practices of sub-disciplines of exercise physiology, coaching, health education, sport psychology, and physical education, and details on strategies for effective mentoring.

Presents an article discussing gender differences in physical fitness in old age, written by Y. Netz and E. Argov and taken from volume 83, 1996 issue of `Perceptual and Motor Skills'.

Presents a digest of an article from the 1996 issue of the `Journal of Learning Disabilities' regarding the social skills of students with learning disabilities. Assessment by different raters; Manifestation of social deficit disorders; Deficits relating most to physical education.

Presents a digest from an article of the 1996 issue of `Spinal Cord' regarding the dangers of thermal stresses for athletes with spinal cord injuries. Dangers of exercise in high temperatures; Negative results of environmental conditions; Guidelines for preventing heat injury.

Presents a digest of an article from the 1996 issue of `Paraplegia' regarding the psychosocial and financial parameters of paraplegics. Good use of home and leisure facilities; Less financial resources; Less chances in engaging in leisure activities.

Presents a study on improving fitness of dually diagnosed adults by W.J. Merriman, B.B. Barnett and E.S. Jarry, taken from vol. 83, 1996 issue of the `Perceptual and Motor Skills'.

Presents an article discussing physical education for students with fetal alcohol syndrome written by J. Loftus and M. E. Block, and taken from volume 53, 1996 issue of `The Physican Educator'.

Presents an article discussing low back pain written by L. Kuritzy and J. White from volume 25, 1997 issue of `The Physician and Sportsmedicine'.

Presents a digest of an article from the 1995 issue of `Clinical Kinesiology' regarding case studies in adapted physical activity (APA) research. Distinction between case studies and single-subject research design; Reasons for the limited use of case studies; Nine categories of single subject research in APA.

Presents a digest of an article from the 1995 issue of the `Therapeutic Recreation Journal' concerning the leisure or recreation patterns of disabled youth using the augmentative and alternative communicative devices. Description of the systems used; Results of the study on leisure; Reduction of leisure repertoires.

Presents a digest of an article from the 1996 issue of the journal `Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis' regarding the use of toys to implement behavior management techniques. Effects of differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior procedures; Toy play and toy preference as the stimuli used for the subjects; Categories of the stimuli.

Presents a digest of an article from the 1995 issue of the book `The Physical Educator' regarding eating disorders. Common response to eating disorders; Importance of early treatment; Focus of prevention.

Presents a digest from an article of the 1996 issue of `Spinal cord' concerning the personal styles, psychological needs and ways of coping of persons using wheelchair or paraplegics. Three groups of wheelchair users; Assessment of the wheelchair users; Findings of the study.

Presents a digest from the 1996 issue of `Spinal Cord' regarding sports-related spinal injury in Japan. Incidence of spinal cord injury from sports-related accidents; Diving, skiing, football and sky sports as some of the sports related to accidents.

Presents a digest of an article from the 1996 issue of `Spinal Cord' regarding the field test on the peak oxygen uptake for wheelchair athletes. Validity of the field test on peak oxygen uptake; Basis of the field test; Uses of the field test.

Presents a digest of an article from the 1995 issue of the `Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy' on the effect of drug exposure on children. Clinical profile of the children; Tendency for sensory processing deficiencies and language impairments; Specific intervention techniques.