Goal orientation profile differences on perceived motivational climate, perceived peer relationships, and motivation-related responses of youth athletes

The aims of this study were twofold: (a) to determine if dispositional achievement goal orientation profiles that are reported in the literature would be observed in a sample of youth athletes, and (b) to examine potential achievement goal orientation profile differences on perceptions of the motivational climate, perceptions of peer relationships, and motivation-related responses. Male soccer players (n=223) aged 9-12 years (mean=10.9, s=0.6) completed a multi-section questionnaire containing assessments of dispositional goal (task, ego) orientations, the perceived task- and ego-involving features of the motivational climate, perceived peer acceptance and friendship quality (positive friendship quality, conflict), perceived ability, soccer enjoyment, and satisfaction with one's performance and the team. Four profiles were observed that closely matched those observed by Hodge and Petlichkoff (2000), though in the present study a lower proportion of participants exhibited achievement goal profiles consisting of relatively high ego orientation. Achievement goal profile differences were found for all variables except positive friendship quality, with a general trend for those reporting relatively lower task goal orientation to exhibit less adaptive responses. Overall, the findings support achievement goal frameworks (e.g. Nicholls, 1989) and suggest that further examination of dispositional achievement goals may afford a deeper understanding of social relationships and motivational processes in youth sport.     

Analysis of the intraseasonal stability of field test performances in young academy soccer players

This study aimed to observe the intraseasonal stability of anthropometric, technical and functional test results in academy soccer players of different age categories. In total, 103 participants (age range: 7.7–13.4 years) by 5 age categories of the same academy were recruited for this study. Players were submitted to a field-test battery comprising 3 anthropometric measurements (body mass, stature and body mass index), 6 soccer technical tests (to assess the ability of ball control, ball control with the head, pass accuracy, shooting accuracy, dribbling and dribbling with pass) and 3 functional tests (countermovement jump with the hands on the hip, countermovement jump with free hands and 15-m linear sprint) that was administered in 4 test sessions during the same season. Though anthropometric results showed a clear increment in each age category across the season, the fluctuation of technical test results depended on age category and test session. Moreover, a significant increase in the results of functional tests was observed in most of the age categories, in particular, for the assessment of lower power limb. In conclusion, collecting repeated intraseason measurements permits the identification of players’ fluctuations of performance across the season and allows coaches to make frequent adjustments of their programmes.     

Validity of an Athletic Skills Track among 6- to 12-year-old children

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and validity of an Athletic Skills Track (AST) to assess fundamental movement skills among 6- to 12-year-old children in a physical education setting. Four hundred sixty-three Dutch children (211 girls, 252 boys) completed three tests: the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) and two Athletic Skills Tracks (AST-1, AST-2). The validity of AST-1 and AST-2 was examined by correlating the time (s) needed to complete the tracks and the KTK Motor Quotient (MQ).

Overall, there was a low correlation between AST-1 and the KTK MQ (r = –0.474 (P < 0.01)) and a moderate correlation between AST-2 and the KTK MQ (r = –0.502 (P < 0.01)). When split up by age group the associations were much higher and ranged between r = –0.469 and r = –0.767), with the exception of the low correlation coefficient of the AST-2 in 7-year-olds. The results indicate that fundamental movement skills of 6- to 12-year-old children can be assessed with a quick, convenient and low-cost motor competence test in a physical education setting, i.e., an Athletic Skills Track. Future studies should further assess the reliability, discriminative ability and validity of age-specific versions of the AST.     

Multicultural school psychology training: An examination of students’ self‐reported course outcomes

This mixed methods study examined the outcomes of a multicultural course on school psychology students’ feelings of empathy and sensitivity toward members of different racial and ethnic groups. It also investigated students’ perceptions of how the course would influence their future practice as school psychologists. Ethnic identity awareness was explored across ethnic groups and in relation to students’ feelings of empathy and sensitivity toward members of different racial and ethnic groups. Results showed differences in ethnic identity awareness between White and non‐White participants, significant increases in areas of feelings of empathy and sensitivity at posttest, and significant positive correlations between measures of ethnic identity awareness and feelings of empathy and sensitivity. Additionally, a content analysis of the participants’ reflection papers highlighted three key themes: (1) importance of a safe learning environment, (2) increased social awareness, and (3) putting theory into practice. Implications for school psychology training programs to prepare culturally competent practitioners will be discussed as well as limitations and future directions for research.     

Comics as an educational resource in the teaching of social science: socio-historical commitment and values in Tezuka’s manga / El cómic como recurso educativo en la enseñanza de las ciencias sociales: compromiso socio-histórico y valores en el manga de Tezuka

From the perspective of Dual Coding Theory, comics facilitate comprehension of aspects beyond those of art, language and literature. Some authors and projects such as Manga Edutainment Project to Open New Worlds defend the use of manga (Japanese comics) as an educational resource for the teaching of different subjects, including history, society and culture. After the introduction, the paper carries out a brief review of the role of the teaching of values and socio-historical commitment in the work of Osamu Tezuka (1928–89). Finally, a discussion is carried out of the educational potential of his work Adolf in relation to questions about historical conscience, attention to identity conflicts and emotions, and to the delegitimization of war, leading us to recognize the educational potential of Tezuka’s work and its capacity to construct ethical values.     

A neurodevelopmental profile of the rural hearing‐impaired child in the QwaQwa region,South Africa

Being hearing impaired does not only affect a child's academic performance, but can also influence a child's overall development and ability to succeed academically. Children with hearing impairment often experience delays in other areas of their development and an understanding of the inter‐relatedness of these delays are important in order to address all these aspects, and thus minimise the impact on a child's overall development. The paper provides a neurodevelopmental profile of 4‐year‐old to 8‐year‐old rural hearing‐impaired children based on the result of a psychometric assessment. Eighteen children were selected from a special needs school in the rural QwaQwa Free State area of South Africa and underwent a psychometric assessment using two test batteries (Griffiths mental developmental scales – extended revised and a neurodevelopmental evaluation scale). The neurodevelopmental profile will contribute to knowledge of the nature of the challenges faced by the hearing‐impaired child in rural education and the neurodevelopmental origin of these challenges.     

Search for autonomy in motor task learning in physical education university students

The study focused on discovering the influence that an autonomous motor task learning programme had on the improvement of perceived competence, intrinsic regulation, incremental belief and motivational orientations. The study was performed with two groups of participants (n = 22 and n = 20) aged between 19 and 35 years. The instruments used were the incremental factor of the Conceptions of the Nature of Athletic Ability Questionnaire (CNAAQ-2), the Goal Orientation in Exercise Scale (GOES), the intrinsic regulation factor of the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-2), the perceived autonomy factor of the autonomy measurement scale (EMA) and the perceived competence factor of the Motives for Physical Activity Measure Revised Scale (MPAM-R). The questionnaires were handed out over 3 months in a weekly session with pre-test and post-test. The results showed that the use of an autonomy-based teaching programme increased perceived competence, intrinsic motivation, incremental ability belief and task-involving motivational orientation.     

Relationship between sociometric types and academic achievement in a sample of compulsory secondary education students / Relación entre tipos sociométricos y rendimiento académico en una muestra de estudiantes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between sociometric types, behavioural categories and academic achievement in a sample of 1,349 compulsory secondary education students (51.7% boys), ranging in age from 12 to 16 years. The students’ sociometric identification was performed by using the Programa Socio and academic performance was measured by school marks provided by teachers in the subjects of Spanish language, mathematics and average academic performance. The results show that sociometric types were significant predictors of academic achievement, as students who were rated positively by their peers (popular, leaders, collaborators and good students) were more likely to have high academic achievement (in mathematics, Spanish language and average academic achievement) than students rated negatively by peers (rejected-aggressive, rejected-shy, neglected and bullies).