Evaluating quality of implementation in physical activity interventions based on theories of motivation: current challenges and future directions

The evidence base pointing towards the maladaptive health consequences of an inactive lifestyle highlights the need for interventions that are effective in changing and maintaining physical activity behaviours. Theories of motivation are frequently applied to inform the content and delivery of such interventions. Systematic monitoring and evaluation of the quality of intervention implementation is therefore an important step in understanding if and how theories of motivation can be adopted and effectively applied to promote and/or sustain physical activity behaviours. However, intervention implementation quality in studies that aim to apply motivation theory to promote physical activity is often under-reported. The purpose of this article is, first, to review contemporary approaches used to monitor and evaluate intervention implementation; we outline the degree to which these methods have been used effectively in research concerned with applying theories of motivation to impact physical activity behaviours. Second, we identify and discuss specific challenges in effectively measuring quality of implementation faced by researchers who adopt a motivation theory basis to their work. Finally, recommendations for methods to monitor and evaluate intervention implementation in future trials aiming to promote physical activity based on theories of motivation are also proposed.     

A plea for mixed methods approaches in research on teaching in physical education

Research on teaching in Physical Education (RT-PE) comprises a great deal of complex phenomena. These can be understood at a more profound level by using mixed methods research approaches (MMR). Hence, the aim of this paper is to analyze potentials and limitations of mixed methods research in RT-PE, also trying to generate an additional value for MMR.     

What’s the value of an acceptance letter? Using admissions data to estimate the return to college

This paper exploits discontinuities and randomness in the college admissions in Sweden in 1982, to estimate the economic return to college in the 1990s. At the time, college admissions were highly selective and applicants were ranked with respect to their formal merits. Admissions were given to those ranked higher than some threshold value. At the margin, applicants were sometimes randomly assigned to college. Exploiting this Regression-Discontinuity design, individuals who were admitted in 1982 are estimated to have about 0.20 years longer college education in 1996. However, the earnings effects for applicants at the margin of admission are insignificant. Controlling for the college admission determinants, the OLS-estimates of the return to college is 1.4 percent in 1991–96. The IV-estimates are not significantly different from the OLS counterparts.     

Analysis of performance in orienteering with treadmill tests and physiological field tests using a differential global positioning system

The aim of this study was to determine the physiological responses to orienteering by examining the interrelationships between the information provided by a differential global positioning system (dGPS) about an orienteer's route, speed and orienteering mistakes, portable metabolic gas analyser data during orienteering and data from incremental treadmill tests. Ten male orienteers completed a treadmill threshold test and a field test; the latter was performed on a 4.3 km course on mixed terrain with nine checkpoints. The anaerobic threshold, threshold of decompensated metabolic acidosis, respiratory exchange ratio, onset of blood lactate accumulation and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) were determined from the treadmill test. Time to complete the course, total distance covered, mean speed, distance and timing of orienteering mistakes, mean oxygen uptake, mean relative heart rate, mean respiratory exchange ratio and mean running economy were computed from the dGPS data and metabolic gas analyser data. Correlation analyses showed a relationship between a high anaerobic threshold and few orienteering mistakes (r = - 0.64, P < 0.05). A high threshold of decompensated metabolic acidosis and VO2peak were related to a fast overall time (r = -0.70 to -0.72, P < 0.05) and high running speed (r = 0.64 to 0.79, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), and were thus the best predictors of performance.     

Un inventaire des notions impliquées dans un enseignement général de mathématique à l'école secondaire

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