The assessment of the readiness of five countries to implement child maltreatment prevention programs on a large scale

This study aimed to systematically assess the readiness of five countries – Brazil, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa – to implement evidence-based child maltreatment prevention programs on a large scale. To this end, it applied a recently developed method called Readiness Assessment for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment based on two parallel 100-item instruments. The first measures the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs concerning child maltreatment prevention of key informants; the second, completed by child maltreatment prevention experts using all available data in the country, produces a more objective assessment readiness. The instruments cover all of the main aspects of readiness including, for instance, availability of scientific data on the problem, legislation and policies, will to address the problem, and material resources. Key informant scores ranged from 31.2 (Brazil) to 45.8/100 (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and expert scores, from 35.2 (Brazil) to 56/100 (Malaysia). Major gaps identified in almost all countries included a lack of professionals with the skills, knowledge, and expertise to implement evidence-based child maltreatment programs and of institutions to train them; inadequate funding, infrastructure, and equipment; extreme rarity of outcome evaluations of prevention programs; and lack of national prevalence surveys of child maltreatment. In sum, the five countries are in a low to moderate state of readiness to implement evidence-based child maltreatment prevention programs on a large scale. Such an assessment of readiness – the first of its kind – allows gaps to be identified and then addressed to increase the likelihood of program success.     

Children's heart rate reactivity responses to three school tasks

The effects of three routine classroom tasks upon heart rate reactivity were investigated with a sample of 30 typical fifth-grade children. Instructions for a mental arithmetic task, the mental arithmetic task itself, and silent reading were administered under standardized conditions, with a reward being offered for performance on the mental arithmetic task to enhance competition. Heart rate was individually monitored each second during these tasks, and data were collected on mental arithmetic performance and reading ability. Results indicated that some children showed large increases in their heart rates during the three tasks, and that these children should be considered as at-risk in terms of their cardiac health.     

The perceived impacts of e-government on U.S. cities: A survey of Florida and Texas City managers

This study examines the perceived impacts of electronic government or e-government adoption on U.S. cities. This research conducted a survey of Texas and Florida city managers in the fall of 2005 to find out their opinions on the impact of e-government on their city government. The results indicated that e-government is having a positive impact on management, stakeholder involvement, needs and collaboration, and procurement in American cities. There are, however, concerns over spam or unsolicited e-mail and the ability of e-government to reduce the level of staffing. The results of this study imply that, according to city managers' perceptions, e-government adoption in American city governments is positively viewed as having an impact on their organizations and communities.     

Maximal-intensity isometric and dynamic exercise performance after eccentric muscle actions

A well-documented observation after eccentric exercise is a reduction in maximal voluntary force. However, little is known about the ability to maintain maximal isometric force or generate and maintain dynamic peak power. These aspects of muscle function were studied in seven participants (5 males, 2 females). Knee extensor isometric strength and rate of fatigue were assessed by a sustained 60 s maximal voluntary contraction at 80 degrees and 40 degrees knee flexion, corresponding to an optimal and a shortened muscle length, respectively. Dynamic peak power and rate of fatigue were assessed during a 30 s Wingate cycle test. Plasma creatine kinase was measured from a fingertip blood sample. These variables were measured before, 1 h after and 1, 2, 3 and 7 days after 100 repetitions of the eccentric phase of the barbell squat exercise (10 sets x 10 reps at 80% concentric one-repetition maximum). Eccentric exercise resulted in elevations in creatine kinase activity above baseline (274+/-109 U x l(-1); mean +/- s(x)) after 1 h (506+/-116 U x l(-1), P < 0.05) and 1 day (808+/-117 U x l(-1), P < 0.05). Isometric strength was reduced (P < 0.05) for 7 days (35% at 1 h, 5% at day 7) and the rate of fatigue was lower (P < 0.05) for 3 days at 80 degrees and for 1 day at 40 degrees. Wingate peak power was reduced to a lesser extent (P < 0.05) than isometric strength at 1 h (13%) and, although the time course of recovery was equal, the two variables differed in their pattern of recovery. Eccentrically exercised muscle was characterized by an inability to generate high force and power, but an improved ability to maintain force and power. Such functional outcomes are consistent with the proposition that type II fibres are selectively recruited or damaged during eccentric exercise.     

Anxiety, arousal and visual attention: a mechanistic account of performance variability

Despite extensive research devoted to determining the nature of the relationship between stress and performance, there has been little systematic examination of the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Recently, researchers have begun to empirically address the attentional mechanisms underlying theoretical accounts of how stress, anxiety and arousal influence performance. Given the critical role of visual attention to sport expertise, this paper focuses primarily on literature dealing with how visual cues are differentially identified and processed when performers are anxious. Emerging evidence indicates that gaze behaviour tendencies are reliably altered when performers are anxious, leading to inefficient and often ineffective search strategies. Alterations of these visual search indices are addressed in the context of both self-paced and externally paced sports events. Recommendations concerning the utility of perceptual training programmes and how these training programmes might be used as anxiety regulation interventions are discussed. The theoretical implications and directions for future research are also addressed.     

Motivation for physical activity in young people: entity and incremental beliefs about athletic ability

Three studies are reported of children and youth aged 11-19 years (n = 3478) examining the nature of beliefs about athletic ability. Drawing on related research in academic, moral and stereotyping domains, development of a psychometric instrument assessing athletic ability beliefs is detailed. Support was found for a multidimensional hierarchical structure that is invariant across age and gender. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a structure comprising two higher-order factors of entity and incremental beliefs underpinned by beliefs that athletic ability is stable and a gift (entity), and is open to improvement and can be developed through learning (incremental). Incremental beliefs, indirectly through a task goal orientation, and entity beliefs directly, predicted self-reported amotivation towards physical education and sport. On the other hand, enjoyment of physical activity in youth was predicted directly by task orientation and incremental beliefs. Predictions concerning the moderating role of perceived competence were not supported. Our findings highlight the importance of ability beliefs and goals in understanding the determinants of physical activity in children and youth.