But what do the numbers really tell us? Arbitrary metrics and effect size reporting in sport psychology research

Many of the measurements used in sport psychology research are arbitrary metrics, and researchers often cannot make the jump from scores on paper-and-pencil tests to what those scores actually mean in terms of real-world behaviors. Effect sizes for behavioral data are often interpretable, but the meaning of a small, medium, or large effect for an arbitrary metric is elusive. We reviewed all the issues in the 2005 volumes of the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, The Sport Psychologist, and the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology to determine whether the arbitrary metrics used in sport psychology research were interpreted, or calibrated, against real-world variables. Of the 54 studies that used quantitative methods, 25 reported only paper-and-pencil arbitrary metrics with no connections to behavior or other real-world variables. Also, 44 of the 54 studies reported effect sizes, but only 7 studies, using both arbitrary and behavioral metrics, had calculated effect indicators and interpreted them in terms of real-world meaning.     

Contributions of the non-kicking-side arm to rugby place-kicking technique

To investigate non-kicking-side arm motion during rugby place kicking, five experienced male kickers performed trials under two conditions, both with an accuracy requirement but one with an additional maximal distance demand. Joint centre coordinates were obtained at 120 Hz during kicking trials and a three-dimensional model was created to enable the determination of segmental contributions to whole-body angular momentum. All kickers possessed minimal non-kicking-side arm angular momentum about the global medio-lateral axis. The more accurate kickers exhibited greater non-kicking-side arm angular momentum about the global antero-posterior axis. This augmented the whole-body antero-posterior angular momentum, and altered the whole-body lateral lean at ball contact. The accurate kickers also exhibited greater non-kicking-side arm angular momentum about the global longitudinal axis, which opposed the kicking leg longitudinal angular momentum and attenuated the whole-body longitudinal angular momentum. All participants increased the longitudinal angular momentum of the non-kicking-side arm in the additional distance demand condition, except for one participant whose accuracy decreased, suggesting that the longitudinal angular momentum of the non-kicking-side arm assists maintenance of accuracy in maximum distance kicking. Goal kickers should be encouraged to produce non-kicking-side arm rotations about both the antero-posterior and longitudinal axes, as these appear important for both the initial achievement of accuracy, and for maintaining accuracy during distance kicking.     

School behavior and attendance during the first year of treatment for childhood cancer

The school behavior of children with cancer and hemophilia is a relatively new area of interest and investigation. Children with cancer have been described as having increased school absenteeism and a self-protecting posture. The school behavior and achievement of children with cancer and hemophilia were rated by their teachers before and after first being seen in a large pediatric center. No pre-vs-post diagnosis differences were noted on academic and behavior ratings with either the cancer or hemophilia children. School absenteeism for the children with cancer was four times greater than that of healthy children, and absenteeism of children with hemophilia was twice normal. A substantial percentage of children with cancer was rated as having academic performance affected to at least a moderate degree. The school performance and behavior of children with cancer and hemophilia need to be monitored and appropriate educational adjustment made to accommodate the limitations imposed by these medical conditions.     

The diagnostic and prognostic utility of the dual-task tandem gait test for pediatric concussion

Background:The tandem gait test has gained interest recently for assessment of concussion recovery.The purpose of our study was to determine the prognostic and diagnostic use of the single-and dual-task tandem gait test,alongside other clinical measures,within 10 days of pediatric concussion.Methods:We assessed 126 patients post-concussion(6.3§2.3 days post-injury,mean§SD)at a pediatric sports medicine clinic and compared them to 58 healthy controls(age:15.6§1.3 years;43%female).We also compared the 31 patients with concussion who developed persistent post-concussion symptoms(PPCS)(age=14.9§2.0 years;48%female)to the 81 patients with concussion who did not develop PPCS following the initial assessment(age:14.1§3.0 years;41%female).All subjects completed a test battery,and concussion patients were monitored until they experienced concussion-symptom resolution.The test battery included tandem gait(single-task,dual-task(performing tandem gait while concurrently completing a cognitive test)conditions),modified Balance Error Scoring System(mBESS),and concussion symptom assessment(Health and Behavior Inventory).We defined PPCS as symptom resolution time>28 days post-concussion for the concussion group.Measurement outcomes included tandem gait time(single-and dual-task),dual-task cognitive accuracy,mBESS errors(single/double/tandem stances),and symptom severity.Results:The concussion group completed the single-task(mean difference=9.1 s,95%confidential interval(95%CI):6.1-12.1)and dual-task(mean difference=12.7 s,95%CI:8.7
16.8)tandem gait test more slowly than the control group.Compared to those who recovered within 28 days of concussion,the PPCS group had slower dual-task tandem gait test times(mean difference=7.9 s,95%CI:2.0-13.9),made more tandem-stance mBESS errors(mean difference=1.3 errors,95%CI:0.2-2.3),and reported more severe symptoms(mean difference=26.6 Health and Behavior Inventory rating,95%CI:21.1-32.6).Conclusion:Worse dual-task tandem gait test time and mBESS tandem stance performance predicted PPCS in pediatric patients evaluated within 10 days of concussion.Tandem gait assessments may provide valuable information augmenting common clinical practices for concussion management.     

Hyperinstrumentalism and cultural policy: means to an end or an end to meaning?

This paper investigates the implications for cultural policy of the logic of the instrumental view of culture taken to its conclusion. Policy developments that establish sets of justifications and rationales that have nothing to do with the cultural content of the policy concerned, but which arise from a deliberate realignment of policy frameworks, establish a form of hyperinstrumentalism. With hyperinstrumentalism the focus on outcomes and the ends of policy means that cultural policy is only as important as the ends to which it is directed. As such, hyperinstrumentalisation demonstrates the consequences for the sector of conditions where claims about the value of culture are irrelevant to political actors. The paper questions whether sense can be made of this shift as a coherent and strategic political choice, rather than as a simple assault on culture. The case of Northern Ireland’s Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is used to illustrate this. The authors question whether hyperinstrumentalism undermines the justification for an autonomous domain of cultural policy.     

Experimental Comparison of Virtual Reality with Traditional Teaching Methods for Teaching Radioactivity

Research at the University of Nottingham has been carried out to investigate the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) for teaching secondary school science. This paper describes the evaluation of VR to teach radioactivity at secondary school level. Evaluation was carried out in a local school and compared directly to the traditional teaching methods currently used in the school to teach radioactivity. Computer experience, computer attitudes, general attitudes and knowledge gained were measured to allow comparisons to be drawn. Individual differences of gender, ability and home computer use were also looked at in relation to the above measures. Results indicated that both ability level and the order in which the conditions were completed significantly affected the attitude scores. High ability students reported higher attitude scores, both overall and for the VR class in particular. As a result of the evaluation study, the Virtual Laboratory has been heavily modified and further evaluation studies were then carried out.