Cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness associations with older adolescent cognitive control

Background:Participation in physical activity supports greater cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF),a correlate of cognitive control.However,the relationship between muscular fitness(MF)and cognitive control is less clear.The present study investigated the differential relationship of CRF and MF with cognitive control in older adolescents.Methods:This cross-sectional study involved students(15
17 years old,n=541,43%female)from 20 secondary schools who completed tests of inhibition(modified flanker task),working memory(n-back task),CRF(Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run),and MF(standing long jump and push-up test).Multilevel analyses tested the association between CRF or MF and cognitive outcomes while accounting for the influence of the other fitness variable and relevant demographic factors.Results:CRF predicted response accuracy during incongruent flanker trials,the condition requiring greater inhibition.For the working memory task,CRF predicted greater target accuracy and greater d’scores on the 1-back task,requiring lesser amounts of working memory.In the 2-back task,which requires greater amounts of working memory,CRF also predicted greater target and non-target accuracy and d’scores.Comparatively,MF did not predict any cognitive outcomes after adjustment for CRF.Conclusion:CRF was selectively related to better performance during task conditions that require greater amounts of inhibition and working memory.This finding suggests that CRF,but not MF,may benefit cognitive control in older adolescents.This selective influence of CRF on older adolescents’cognition highlights the value of aerobic physical activity.     

Early identification and interventions for students with mathematics difficulties

This article highlights key findings from the small body of research on mathematics difficulties (MD) relevant to early identification and early intervention. The research demonstrates that (a) for many children, mathematics difficulties are not stable over time; (b) the presence of reading difficulties seems related to slower progress in many aspects of mathematics; (c) almost all students with MD demonstrate problems with accurate and automatic retrieval of basic arithmetic combinations, such as 6 + 3. The following measures appear to be valid and reliable indicators of potential MD in kindergartners: (a) magnitude comparison (i.e., knowing which digit in a pair is larger), (b) sophistication of counting strategies, (c) fluent identification of numbers, and (d) working memory (as evidenced by reverse digit span). These are discussed in terms of the components of number sense. Implications for early intervention strategies are explored.     

The Great Transition of Scholarly Communication at the Thomas G. Carpenter Library

The library’s place in scholarly communication can be emphasized in many different ways. At the Thomas G. Carpenter Library at the University of North Florida (UNF), librarians have been able to preserve, organize, and promote community and academic resources very creatively. The UNF Digital Commons is used as a way to showcase faculty, staff, and university special collections and make them accessible to all users. Library space is also changing to invite faculty collaboration in areas previously devoted to print periodicals.     

An examination of emergency contraception use by undergraduate college students in the Midwest using the integrated behavioural model

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence undergraduate college student use of emergency contraception (EC) and their level of knowledge about the product, in order to assist in the development of intervention programmes to increase its use, which could lead to lower rates of unintended pregnancies in this population. A response rate of 98.4% included 1553 surveys from students at 11 Midwestern universities. Students were predominantly female (63.5%), white (75.3%) and aged 18–21 years (80%). They ranged from first-year students (23.8%) through to fourth-year students (13.8%), with second-year students comprising the largest group (32.6%). The majority of respondents reported being heterosexual (92.1%), and 34.1% of those completing the questionnaire reported being in a committed relationship. Most respondents reported having had sexual intercourse at least once in their lifetime (78.9%). Of the 8.4% of sexually active students who had experienced an unintended pregnancy, 18.1% had used EC in the past 12 months. Knowledge of EC was not high; but as knowledge increased, the use of EC increased. The Integrated Behavioural Model predicted 50% of the variance in intention. Each construct contributed a portion of variance except experiential attitude, which was not statistically significant in the path analysis. The model could be used in any future interventions to increase EC use and decrease unintended pregnancies among college students.     

Collecting sexual orientation in counseling research: Implications for counselor education

Sexual orientation is often invisible in counseling research despite increasing LGBQ+ identity in the United States. We used consensual qualitative research to explore considerations from LGBQ+ counseling researchers for collecting sexual orientation. Three domains emerged: risks, benefits, and methodological considerations. Our findings highlight inclusive research practice strategies for LGBQ+ research participants.