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This study examined Physical Education Pre-Service Teachers' (PSTs) perceptions of their teaching from constructivist teaching practices and their variation among PSTs' responses when aggregated by sex, teaching practices curriculum, extension project, and university type. The sample consisted of 869 Physical Education PSTs from Brazil (female = 399 and male = 470). Data were collected through an online form and modeled using Bayesian multilevel ordinal regression analysis. Our results showed that there was substantial variation in perceptions about constructivist teaching practices by the teaching practices curriculum during graduation and small variation by sex and participation in extension projects. The present study highlights that Brazilian PSTs in Physical Education tended to perceive their teaching oriented to constructivist practices. Furthermore, there is a need to consider student-, curriculum-, and contextual-level factors in the intention to adopt constructivist teaching practices in games and sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the within- and between-day variability of time-segmented sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in adolescents. The sample comprised 154 adolescents (11-16 years old) from two public schools in Florianópolis, Brazil. The proportion of time spent in SB, LPA, and MVPA was measured using Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers for the following weekday time segments: before school (07:00-07:59), school time (08:00-11:59), after school (12:00-12:59), afternoons (13:00-17:59), and evenings (18:00-23:00). Participants were more active during commuting-related time segments. Females showed lower MVPA than males during school time, afternoons, and evenings, but not before school and after school. Higher age was associated with higher SB and lower LPA during school time, afternoons, and evenings, and slightly lower MVPA during afternoons. The variability of SB, LPA, and MVPA for all time segments was mainly explained by within-participant day-to-day variations rather than between-participant differences of daily-averaged estimates.

Background/Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with several coexisting diseases or comorbidities, including inflammatory and metabolic disorders. In fact, ASD symptoms may be associated with immune system dysfunction. However, studies investigating the peripheral blood levels of immune cells are lacking and have provided mixed findings. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between the intensity level of ASD symptoms and the inflammatory and metabolic profiles in 154 children and adolescents (2–17 years). Methods: Bayesian multilevel models were used to examine the relationship between their symptom intensities and inflammatory/metabolic profiles. Results: Heavier children had higher values for triglyceride and insulin levels. Children with a level 3 of ASD intensity had higher free fatty acids levels. However, when adjusting for ASD intensity, gender, medication use, or weight status, older children appeared to have higher values of triglycerides, insulin levels, and free fatty acids. Conclusions: We concluded that as Brazilian children with ASD became older, they had a higher risk for insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patterns of cumulated structured volleyball practice and other structured sports activities of elite adult Brazilian players, considering age of specialization in volleyball and achievement of international competition representing the national team, were examined using Bayesian multilevel models. Elite volleyball players (n = 78) with an average age of 19.2 (SD = 0.9) years were considered. We used retrospective quantitative questionnaire to track individual training history. The mean age of specialization in volleyball was 10.7 (95% CI 10.3 to 11.0) for players that specialized early (before age 12), 14.1 (95% CI 13.9 to 14.3) for players that specialized intermediate (between ages 13 and 15), and 16.2 (95% CI 15.7 to 16.7) for players that specialized late (after age 16). Consequently, the earlier the specialization age in volleyball, the more years of training experience were accumulated. International and national level players were similar in both specialization age and pattern of engagement in other structured sport activities. Conditional on the data and models, attainment of expertise in volleyball may be favored by the accumulation of nonspecific sport experiences at early ages, and specialization may occur at a rather late age during adolescence.

We aimed to explore life skills development among medical student-athletes who participated in a university basketball team. We conducted qualitative constructivist research based on the life skills approach. Medical students from the college basketball team were interviewed in-depth. Using inductive thematic analysis, two independent researchers generated codes and themes. Methodological integrity and self-reflection process were carefully followed. Our analyses revealed that the medical students involved as athletes in college basketball were likely to perceive life skills development to contribute to their future medical careers. Several life skills were mentioned, such as time management, leadership, teamwork, learning improvement and mental performance. The coach was the one mentioned as the essential agent in developing life skills. This study highlighted how a rational and responsible commitment to sports could contribute to developing life skills that might be transferable to a future medical career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether participation and individual performance in the under-18 Euroleague Next Generation Tournament (NGT) predicted a future contract with an NBA, Euroleague, or Eurocup squad. Data from 1446 players between 2002–2003 and 2011–2012 seasons were considered. We considered information about each player, including country, the number of games played, and performance index rating (PIR). We tracked the players' highest club level attained in their adult careers. We used a multilevel ordinal regression with a cumulative model in a fully Bayesian framework to examine the probability of the players playing in the NGT attaining the NBA, Euroleague, or Eurocup. Furthermore, we explored in the model if PIR in the NGT was a relevant predictor of achieving the highest club level in adult careers. From the total sample, only a very small percentage attain the NBA (20 in 1446, 1.4%), Euroleague (103 in 1446, 7.2%), and Eurocup (60 in 1446, 4.2%). The results highlight that a very small number of players with a very high PIR per game in the NGT had a higher chance to play in the NBA, Euroleague, or Eurocup. The probability of attainment of NBA and Euroleague for the population of highly selected basketball players playing the under-18 NGT in the first 10 years of the NGT was small. Hence, caution is warranted when assuming the effectiveness of current talent development models, even at the late stages of young players' development, often labelled as young elite players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to develop and validate the Coach Knowledge Questionnaire (CKQ). Study 1 included the CKQ development and content validity, using an expert panel. In this study, acceptable values of content validity were found. In Study 2, the Exploratory Factor Analysis with 230 Brazilian coaches was tested. Within this study, evidence for a preliminary construct validity was provided. Study 3 included 164 Brazilian coaches who completed the CKQ. Evidences for the construct validity through Confirmatory Factor Analysis and acceptable values for convergent validity, discriminant validity and internal reliability were found in this study. Study 4 included 45 Brazilian coaches that completed the CKQ. Within this study, acceptable values for the concurrent validity and test–retest reliability were provided. In Study 5, multilevel regressions were used to verify the CKQ dimensions' sensitiveness as a part of the validation process based on the responses of 394 Brazilian coaches. Multilevel models suggest a substantial effect size considering coaches' competitive level and years of experience in the professional & interpersonal knowledge dimension and low effect size of years of experience in the intrapersonal knowledge dimension. The present study highlights the validity of the Coach Knowledge Questionnaire, which could be considered an important instrument to understand sports coaches' knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Multidisciplinary intervention is an alternative for the treatment of children and adolescent obese. However, the influence of age and menarcheal status in the pattern of metabolic response of obese girls has not been investigated. The following study examined the effects of a 12-week multidisciplinary intervention on metabolic health in overweight girls and the contribution of age and menarcheal status on the resulting changes. Methods Eighty-eight overweight girls (10 - 16 years) were considered initially for this study and randomly assigned (intervention group: n = 58; control group: n = 30). Forty-six girls completed the intervention program and 16 girls completed the follow-up for the control group. The 12-week intervention included aerobic exercises (three times per week) and nutritional intervention. Anthropometrical measures (body mass, body mass index and waist circumference), menarcheal status and metabolic profiles including glucose, insulin, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were assessed in the beginning and after of intervention. Additionally, were calculated homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI). Results After 12-week, girls decreased significantly the body mass (76.6 ± 14.7 to 75.7 ± 14.6 kg) body mass index (30.1 ± 4.0 to 29.4 ± 4.0 kg/m2) and waist circumference (98.9 ± 10.9 to 96.5 ± 11.4 cm). There were differences in HDL-C (43.1 ± 8.2 to 50.3 ± 9.4 mg/dl), TG (120.9 ± 64.3 to 93.3 ± 47.9 mg/dl) and insulin (16.9 ± 7.6 to 15.6 ± 9.8 mg/dl). Relative contribution of age was significant only for within-subject variability in waist circumference. Conclusions The multidisciplinary based on aerobic training intervention used in this study produced substantial benefits on metabolic health indicators in overweight girls. The changes observed were not related to inter-individual variability in age and maturity status.