BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to provide exploratory qualitative data on anecdotal reports by some physical therapists that they sometimes experience a sense of 'special connection' with patients or clients. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: 21 self-selected massage therapists provided written comments about their experience of therapy in response to ...

PURPOSE: There is little understanding of how physical therapy students are influenced by clinical instructors (CIs) particularly at the outset of their clinical learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate physical therapy students' perceptions of their learning experiences during an introductory clinical placement. METHODS: Subjects were 51 physical ...

PURPOSE: Due to relatively low physical activity among college students, a standardized, reliable, and valid scale of perceived benefits and barriers for this population is critical. The purpose of this study was to develop a new scale, the Physical Activity Benefits and Barriers Scale, and determine whether the scale was ...

This perspective outlines the theoretical basis for the presentation with the same name as the second part of this title, which was given at the III STEP conference in July 2005. It elaborates on the take-home message from that talk, which was to promote activity in children and adults with ...

OBJECTIVES: To develop strategies to recruit and retain inactive older adults into a physical activity program. METHODS: Names of 7378 older adults were obtained from 60 neighborhoods. Then, 6401 potential subjects were matched to telephone numbers and phoned. Subjects meeting the screening criteria were invited to join the program (n ...

BACKGROUND: Active for Life After Cancer is a randomized trial evaluating the efficacy of a 6-month group-based lifestyle physical activity program (Lifestyle) for prostate cancer patients to improve quality of life (QOL) including physical and emotional functioning compared to a group-based Educational Support Program and a Standard Care Program (no ...

During the past decade, numerous intervention studies have been published on the effectiveness of programs to promote active living; however, few studies have addressed the dissemination of effective physical activity interventions. Both community settings and healthcare settings are important locations for dissemination of evidence-based programs and policies. A major gap ...

This paper explores the scientific evidence that has been gathered on the contributions and benefits of physical education and sport (PES) in schools for both children and for educational systems. Research evidence is presented in terms of children's development in a number of domains: physical, lifestyle, affective, social, and cognitive. ...

Relative change or stability of perceived positive general feedback and perceived informational feedback and their influence on students' intrinsic motivation in physical education over two years were examined. 302 students, ages 11 to 15 years, responded to the Perception of Teacher's Feedback questionnaire. Two years later, these students filled out ...

Current policies governing the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs physical examination programs are out of step with current evidence-based medical practice. Replacing periodic and other routine physical examination types with annual preventive health assessments would afford our service members additional health benefit at reduced cost. Additionally, the Departments of ...

An increasing number of studies report on the efficacy of physical activity interventions conducted in, or in conjunction with, clinical settings. This article reviews the status of the literature with regard to translation to practice and describes methods that will heighten the likelihood of translation. In general, few physical activity ...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concurrent validity of a modified version of the widely used previous day physical activity recall (PDPAR-24) self-report instrument in a diverse sample of Australian adolescents comprising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (A&TSI) and non-indigenous high school students. A sample of 63 ...

The authors investigated vigorous physical activity, psychological well-being, and self-reported illness during transition to first-year university life in a sample of 175 Canadian undergraduates. At the completion of their first year of university study, participants completed retrospective measures assessing vigorous physical activity, upper respiratory infectious illness (URI), doctor visits, as ...

A multifaceted survey was conducted to identify the factors that academic occupational therapy (OT) programs were considering in making decisions as to whether the entry-level clinical doctorate (OTD) is a viable alternative for their institutions. The survey was sent in the summer of 2004 to program directors of all (150) ...

There are many unanswered questions about the concept of spirituality and its relationship to occupational performance. The role of occupational therapists in addressing clients' spiritual needs is unclear, and the inclusion of spirituality as a topic in the educational curricula of occupational therapy students requires further attention. Focus groups and ...

This paper describes the use of a web-site for the dissemination of the community-based '10,000 steps' program which was originally developed and evaluated in Rockhampton, Queensland in 2001-2003. The website provides information and interactive activities for individuals, and promotes resources and programs for health promotion professionals. The dissemination activity was ...

This article provides an overview of the development, implementation, and baseline findings from a statewide faith-based physical activity (PA) initiative. The 3-year program is training African Methodist Episcopal volunteers across South Carolina to implement programs to increase PA in their congregations. To date, 98 churches have been trained. Interviews done ...

We evaluated changes in different domains of quality of life (QL) for persons with Parkinson's disease after a program of physical activity. Twenty subjects with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease classified as Stages 1 to 3 on the Hoehn and Yahr scale and with a mean age of 61.5 +/- ...

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine the effect of physical education class enrollment and physical activity on academic achievement in middle school children. METHODS: Participants were 214 sixth-grade students randomly assigned to physical education during either first or second semesters. Moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (number of 30-min ...

The purposes of this study were to report an investigation of attitudes toward physical education in a sample of primary school students and examine the predictive influence of students' sex, grades in physical education classes, and parents' education and socioeconomic status on students' attitudes. Participants, 963 (474 girls and 489 ...

Spinal manipulation for low back complaints is an intervention supported by randomized clinical trials and its use recommended by clinical practice guidelines. Physical therapists in this country and internationally have used thrust spinal manipulation at much lower-than-expected rates, despite evidence supporting its efficacy for the treatment of acute low back ...

To study the effect of a teachers' ban on supervising sports-related extracurricular physical activities (ECAs), levels of physical activity among 979 grade 7 students (mean age=12.7 [0.5] years at baseline) were compared during and after the ban in seven schools that fully implemented the ban, and three schools that did ...

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of a six-month teacher-led osteogenic physical activity program, vs. a self-led activity program, on ultrasound measurements of bone in inactive teenage girls. METHODS: Ninety sedentary girls [mean (SD) age 16.3 (.6) years] were identified from 300 assessed for physical activity across five schools in southeast ...

PURPOSE: To explore the views high school students have about various physical activity contexts and their ideas of potential physical activity promoting strategies. METHODS: Forty-four students from New Zealand high schools with a low decile rating participated in one of nine focus groups. All groups were separated by gender and ...

BACKGROUND: In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded Play Across Boston to address disparities in access to physical activity facilities and programs for Boston, Mass, inner-city youths. CONTEXT: Local stakeholders worked with the Harvard School of Public Health Prevention Research Center and Northeastern University's Center for ...

INTRODUCTION: This project tested visual schedules and social stories in a physical education setting in order to increase the physical activity of developmentally disabled students. METHOD: This cohort study design involved 17 physical education teachers in a training course with an initial survey and 7-month post-survey. The initial survey assessed ...

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether treadmill walking, as a mode of physical activity for older adults, was comparable with overground walking when considering 1) spatiotemporal gait characteristics (walking velocity, stride length, and stride rate) at a preferred velocity and a prescribed intensity typical of many ...

In this study, the authors tried various methods to measure and conceptualize curiosity. A sample of 369 education students (103 men, 266 women) who were attending universities on the East Coast of the United States completed 5 paper-and-pencil curiosity measures in 1 of their classes. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the ...

The study assesses the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Aggression Questionnaire by Buss and Perry in a sample of 760 Greek high school students. This questionnaire has been widely used to study Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, Anger, and Hostility. A confirmatory factor analysis of responses showed adequate ...

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were 1) to identify gender-specific motivational factors associated with sports program participation and attrition in middle school students and 2) to examine the relationships among sports program participation, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in this age group. METHODS: Seventh and eighth grade students (N ...

Achievement goal theory and the expectancy-value model of achievement choice were used to examine fourth-grade students' motivational changes in an elementary physical education running program. In fall and spring of the school year, participants (N = 113; 66 boys, 47 girls) completed questionnaires assessing achievement goals, expectancy beliefs, subjective task ...

A significant number of studies evidence girls' lack of participation in physical education. This study used feminist poststructuralism to examine the ways in which high school girls participated in or resisted physical education. Using qualitative research methods, researchers collected field notes, informal interviews, and formal interviews with the teacher and ...

OBJECTIVES: Translating efficacious interventions into practice within community settings is a major public health challenge. We evaluated the effects of 2 evidence-based physical activity interventions on self-reported physical activity and related outcomes in midlife and older adults. METHODS: Four community-based organizations implemented Active Choices, a 6-month, telephone-based program, and 5 ...

Information and communication technologies (particularly websites and e-mail) have the potential to deliver health behavior change programs to large numbers of adults at low cost. Controlled trials using these new media to promote physical activity have produced mixed results. User-centered development methods can assist in understanding the preferences of potential ...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate barriers and supports for healthy eating and physical activity in youths in a remote sub-arctic community, Fort Albany First Nation, Ontario, Canada. STUDY DESIGN: A qualitative multi-method participatory approach. METHODS: The study included a purposive convenience sample of two adult (n = 22) and three youths (n ...

INTRODUCTION: Increasing the physical activity levels of older adults through diffusion of successful research-based programs into community settings is challenging because of differences between research and real-world settings. This project diffused the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) II, an individual-level research-based physical activity promotion program, through three ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Exercise is advocated in the management of Parkinson disease (PD), however, little is known regarding the potential benefits of complementary mind/body exercise for this clinical population. The purpose of this pilot program evaluation was to gain insight into participant and instructor perceptions of the perceived benefits and ...

The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) is a randomized, multicenter field trial in middle schools that aims to reduce the decline of physical activity in adolescent girls. To inform the development of the TAAG intervention, two phases of formative research are conducted to gain information on school structure ...

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of goal orientation, motivational climate, and dispositional flow in physical education lessons on extracurricular involvement in physical activity. Questionnaires were administered to 1,103 (792 athletes; 311 nonathletes) secondary school students (M age = 14.3 yr., SD = 0.7). Analysis showed ...

School and community agency collaboration can potentially increase physical activity opportunities for youth. Few studies have examined the role of community agencies in promoting physical activity, much less in collaboration with schools. This article describes formative research data collection from community agencies to inform the development of the Trial of ...

Studies in rats that assessed the relation of hippocampus-dependent learning and adult hippocampal neurogenesis suggested a direct regulatory effect of learning on neurogenesis, whereas a similar study in mice had not found such causal link. We here report a substantial decrease of BrdU-positive cells and other measures of adult hippocampal ...

PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the role of physical therapists in the transition of young children with special needs from early intervention to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten. METHODS: Questionnaires were mailed to 500 pediatric physical therapists throughout the United States. Respondents reported how they participated in ...

OBJECTIVE: This purpose of this study was to describe school-based occupational therapy practice for kindergarten through twelfth-grade students in Colorado and to examine occupational therapy practice in light of current education policy and published views of best practice. METHOD: Study data were provided by 105 occupational therapists and occupational therapy ...

Many educational psychologists believe that students' beliefs about the nature of knowledge, called epistemological beliefs, play an essential role in their learning process. Educators also stress the importance of helping students develop a better understanding of the nature of knowledge. The tentative and creative nature of science is often highlighted ...

BACKGROUND: Little information exists regarding whether medical students learning in relatively resource-scarce countries develop greater confidence in their physical examination skills or whether, compared to U.S. medical students, they have more positive attitudes regarding the utility of the physical examination. PURPOSE: To compare U.S. And Dominican medical students' attitudes toward ...

BACKGROUND: Interventions to promote successful aging include psychological and physical activity programs. Identification of determinants of attendance of older persons may be useful to develop strategies to improve attendance. For physical activity programs determinants of attendance have been investigated extensively. For psychological programs hardly any knowledge is available. Determinants of ...

The purpose of this project was to generate and refine criteria for professional behaviors previously identified to be important for physical therapy practice and to develop and pilot test a new instrument, which we have called the Comprehensive Professional Behaviours Development Log (CPBDL). Items were generated from our previous work, ...

PURPOSE:: The purpose of this project was to revisit the 1990 American Physical Therapy Association Section on Pediatrics policy statement and competencies for physical therapists in early intervention and update their content to reflect present practice, legislation, and terminology. METHODS:: A review of the literature and competencies for early intervention ...

PURPOSE: The objective of this cross-sectional study was to better define physical therapists' (PTs) knowledge, attitudes, and professional reported use of dietary supplements (DSs). METHODS: This study was approved by University of Colorado Investigational Review Board. A survey was developed and piloted to evaluate knowledge of supplement indications and serious ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Studies have identified strategies used in physical therapist education to recruit and retain students from minority groups. However, physical therapist education has evolved since these studies were published. The purpose of this study was to examine current practice in recruiting and retaining students from minority groups. SUBJECTS: ...