Cognitive development of intellectually gifted: A Piagetian perspective

This article explores some of the materials prepared for parents of gifted children and examines the explanatory language and concepts used in terms of their potential for shaping parental attitudes and affecting the adjustment of gifted children. The author argues that the conceptual frameworks used to explain giftedness, nongiftedness and the nature of differences have powerful effects on societal and educational attitudes, including the willingness to provide differentiated services for gifted children. A strong plea is made for professional sensitivity and responsibility in describing giftedness in ways that do not isolate gifted children or their parents and which potentiate shared advocacy with other educational advocacy groups.     

A systematic approach to analysing sports performance

A systematic approach to the analysis of sporting events is discussed. The basic tenet is that objective quantification of critical events is required for a complete analysis. This approach encompasses diverse areas of methodology and research, such as quantification, biomechanics and physiology. The theoretical underpinning are behavioural, in so far as athletes produce observable behaviour that can be quantified and ultimately changed. Several areas of analysis are linked together in a general framework and each one of these areas is dealt with in detail.     

Young weightlifters' performance across time

Prestigious professional organisations have questioned the efficacy of resistive training by children or have often neglected to address weightlifting in their position papers on resistive training for children. The purpose of this paper was to address the deficit in data regarding the efficacy of training children for weightlifting and to report data regarding to safety in this population. Eleven subjects (3 female, 8 male) who had trained at the USA Weightlifting Development Centre in Shreveport Louisiana for a minimum of 22 months (mean = 28.8; SD +/- 4.4) served as subjects for this study. Means for the pool of subjects subjected to t-test to compare data obtained at each subject's initial competition with that obtained at the individual's most recent competition revealed significant positive changes in body weight, snatch weight, clean and jerk weight, and total weight lifted. The latter three were significant both in absolute weight and in weight lifted per kg of body weight. Total weight lifted at competitions plotted separately for boys and for girls across time indicated an apparently steeper slope of improvement for boys. The latter were not tested for significance because of the small sample sizes. The lack of injury in training and in 534 competitive lifts was discussed. None required medical attention or loss of training time. It was concluded that there can be no doubt regarding the efficacy of weightlifting as carried out at the USA Weightlifting Development Centre. The importance of proper application of scientific theory of conditioning in a conservative manner for this population was emphasised.     

Statin use and self-reported swimming performance in US masters swimmers

Exercise and treating hyperlipidaemia with statins are two integral components of the American Heart Association guidelines to reduce cardiovascular risk in adults. Since statins can cause myalgias and myopathies, they could affect the duration or intensity of an exercise regimen. To determine the impact of statin use in adult masters swimmers, a survey was distributed to examine the association between swimming performance and statin usage in adult swimmers (≥35 years). After excluding those with chronic diseases or taking drugs that reduce physical capacity, 749 swimmers (118 taking statins, 73 not taking statins to control elevated cholesterol and 558 controls) were included in a regression model to determine the factors significantly affecting the duration and intensity of swimming workouts. Age and gender were significantly (P ≤ 0.001) associated with the distance swam per 60 min. Younger, male swimmers completed more yards per 60-min workout. Use of statins was not significantly associated with yards swam per 60-min workout. Nor did statin usage affect the number of swim sessions per month or the length of swim session. Evidently, statins do not cause enough fatigue or pain in masters swimmers to require a decrease in the duration or intensity of workouts.     

A longitudinal study of how women's prenatal and postnatal concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic predicts their infants' social–emotional development

Infant social–emotional development may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated associations between maternal pre- and postnatal pandemic-related concerns and social–emotional developmental risk. Data, collected in 2020–2021, came from 220 mothers (87% white, 6% Hispanic, 1% Black, 3% Asian, 1% American Indian, M_age = 32.46 years), and infants (53.18% male, M_age = 12.98 months) in the United States. Maternal postnatal pandemic-related concerns were associated with total risk scores (B = 6.09, p-value <.001) and offspring risk of scoring positive for problems related to inflexibility (B = 4.07, p-value = .006). The total score association was moderated by self-reported social support. Infants may be detrimentally impacted by the pandemic via maternal pandemic-related concerns. Maternal social support may buffer infants.