Perfectionism and training distress in junior athletes: a longitudinal investigation

Perfectionistic athletes may train harder and for longer than non-perfectionistic athletes, leaving them susceptible to elevated levels of training distress. So far, however, no study has investigated the relationships between perfectionism and training distress, a key indicator of overtraining syndrome. Furthermore, no study has determined psychological predictors of overtraining syndrome. Using a two-wave design, the present study examined perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns and training distress in 141 junior athletes (mean age = 17.3 years, range = 16–19 years) over 3 months of active training. Multiple regression analyses were employed to test cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between perfectionism and training distress. In all analyses, perfectionism emerged as a significant predictor, but strivings and concerns showed differential relationships. When the cross-sectional relationships were regarded, perfectionistic concerns positively predicted training distress (P < .001), whereas perfectionistic strivings negatively predicted training distress (P < .01). When the longitudinal relationships were regarded, only perfectionistic concerns predicted increases in training distress (P < .05), whereas perfectionistic strivings did not (P > .05). The findings suggest that sports scientists who wish to identify athletes at risk of overtraining syndrome may monitor athletes’ perfectionistic concerns as a possible risk factor.     

Estimating the value of national sporting success

The sporting success of athletes and national teams is associated with a feel-good-factor among the population. These positive social effects can be regarded as public goods that entail a certain value for the population. The value of public or non-market goods can be estimated using the contingent valuation method (CVM). A theoretical model is developed based on the consumption capital theory. This model explains the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for winning the 2010 Football World Cup as a function of sport-related and football-specific consumption capital as well as intangible and socio-economic factors. Within a survey of German citizens (n = 3049), the value of winning the 2010 Football World Cup is assessed using CVM. The model is tested using regression analyses to identify the significant determinants of WTP. The results reveal half of the respondents stated a WTP that amounted to €26 on average. The findings of a mixed-effects logistic as well as an alternative Tobit regression model show that intangible factors such as identification with the country and with the national team as well as individual and national importance of a good result significantly influence individuals’ WTP. Based on the findings of this study, it can be recommended that policy makers invest in national teams and athletes as national sporting success can generate a feel-good-factor among the population and make people happier. Additionally, it can impact on peoples’ perceptions and expectations about current and future economic situations which in turn determine macro-economic outcomes. Moreover, such estimations could be integrated into cost-benefit terms that are carried out for sport events.     

What goes before the CART? Introducing classification trees with Arbor and CODAP

This volume is largely about nontraditional data; this paper is about a nontraditional visualization: classification trees. Using trees with data will be new to many students, so rather than beginning with a computer algorithm that produces optimal trees, we suggest that students first construct their own trees, one node at a time, to explore how they work, and how well. This build-it-yourself process is more transparent than using algorithms such as CART; we believe it will help students not only understand the fundamentals of trees, but also better understand tree-building algorithms when they do encounter them. And because classification is an important task in machine learning, a good foundation in trees can prepare students to better understand that emerging and important field. We also describe a free online tool—Arbor—that students can use to do this, and note some implications for instruction.     

A Search for Meaning

This article describes an active learning demonstration to increase student interest in and involvement with the topic of research ethics and deception. Students received false, low feedback on an exam and then completed a faculty evaluation form. The class was then informed about the deception and the research issue (the impact of grades on evaluations). Students then discussed their immediate reactions to the experience of deception. Two weeks later students wrote a reflective essay that described how their reactions and views had evolved. The discussion and essays indicated that the demonstration produced a high level of student involvement, empathy toward research participants, and self-examination.     

体育项目中的训练与过度训练特征

目的:多种症状都支持对过度训练(OT)的探查。测量血清尿素(SU)和血清肌氨酸激酶(CK)值,除了对优秀运动员进行诊断和分析之外,也用于对运动员日常训练状态进行监控。因此,我们将根据不同运动员,同一运动员的不同状态,对这些指标的意义进行检验。方法:测试时象为具有国际水平的赛艇运动员,所有数据均来自于对这些运动员训练过程的测试。结果:6981例血清尿素测试样本(男运动员717人,女运动员285人)表明, 数据呈现出一种轻微不对称的正态分布态势(男运动员80％,5～7mmol·L-1;女运动员75％, 4～6mmol·L-1)。女运动员的数值比男运动员约低1．5mmol·L-1,个体差异较大,因此以 8．3mmol·L-1(男运动员)和7．0mmol·L-1(女运动员)作为判断运动员过度训练的固定阈值是不可靠的。在运动训练中,肌氨酸激酶(CK)也已被作为判定肌肉紧张的重要参数进行检测和评价。2790例肌氨酸激酶测试样本(男运动员497人,女运动员350人)显示,数据的频率分布为不对称的正态分布,在100—250U·L-1的区域内具有明显偏向高值区域的趋势,在250～ 350U·L-1和1000～2000U·L-1范围内分布频数明显升高。男运动员的最高值为3000U·L- 1,女运动员最高值为1150U·L-1,个体差异显著。血清肌氨酸激酶水平长期较低的运动员显示出小的数值变化;血清肌氨酸激酶水平长期较高的运动员在数值上显示出显著的变化波动。结论:这两个参数也许都有助于从大量样本中测定个人数值基准线。对这两个参数的测量至少应该在标准条件下每3天进行一次。如果在一段时间的训练(2—4天)后同时观察到参数数值显著升高和训练耐受力降低,则表明机体的分解／合成代谢活动或训练耐受力不足的可能性升高。     

Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture (FOC): a new subject in Russia’s schools

The question of religious education is one of the most controversial questions in the current discussions on religion and politics in Russia. Most notably a new subject, Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture (FOC), is of interest because it differs markedly from Western European approaches to religious education. Referring to ‘Culturology’ FOC combines an introduction into Russian culture and patriotism with moral education and the imparting of knowledge about Orthodox Christianity. According to its own self‐image FOC is a non‐denominational subject, but an analysis of two widespread textbooks will be used to show that FOC is, in all respects, Orthodox.     

Passion and motivation for studying: predicting academic engagement and burnout in university students

Research on the dualistic model of passion has investigated harmonious and obsessive passion in many domains. However, few studies have investigated passion for studying and the role passion for studying plays in student engagement and well‐being. The present study investigated the relationships between harmonious and obsessive passion for studying and academic engagement (vigour, dedication and absorption) and burnout (exhaustion, cynicism and inefficacy) in 105 university students, controlling for the effects of autonomous and controlled motivation. Both harmonious and obsessive passion explained variance in academic engagement and burnout beyond autonomous and controlled motivation: harmonious passion predicted higher dedication and lower cynicism, obsessive passion predicted higher absorption, and both harmonious and obsessive passion predicted higher vigour and lower inefficacy. The findings suggest that passion for studying explains individual differences in students’ academic engagement and burnout beyond autonomous and controlled motivation and thus deserves more attention from educational psychology.