ECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH14
Introduction: Dance is a widely celebrated artform and physical activity that provides the opportunity for physical, psychological, and social health at professional and community levels. There are multiple intersections between dance and sport from its integration into major sporting events such as Olympic opening ceremonies, pedagogical approaches and ensuring physically and psychologically safe environments that promote health and performance. When congruence is lacking between safeguarding and abuse prevention policy and its application into psychologically safe performance environments individuals face exposure to risks that negatively impact their health and wellbeing. This research explored safeguarding and abuse prevention in UK dance environments from organisational and dancer perspectives. Methods: A qualitative research design was employed to enable in-depth exploration of psychological safety in dance environments in UK Dance organisations. Following purposive sampling, online semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with organisation leaders (n =9) and mixed sample of dancers (n =17, 18+years, professional and vocational). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Results demonstrate the importance of considering both physical and psychological safety in the context of safeguarding and abuse prevention, with synergies between organisational leader and dancer perspectives. Organisational leaders highlighted there is a disparity between the implementing and understanding of safeguarding and abuse prevention between large and small organisations, and that specific guidance in the dance context was limited. A key priority that they raised was mental health and wellbeing. Dancers felt that teachers and peers played vital roles in creating safe and un-safe dance environments. Key elements of safe dance environments included: emotional support, sense of community, and knowledge of support structures. Conversely, power imbalance, emotional and physical abuse, and demand for perfection were key elements that created an unsafe dance environment. Discussion: There is a drive for the enhancement of safeguarding and abuse prevention policy that is meaningful and relevant to the UK Dance context across professional, pre-vocational and participatory levels. This research highlights the importance of congruence between available policy, its implementation, and the role of the performance environment in facilitating this to enable promotion of physical activity and wellbeing. Importantly, this also holds significance for considering the development and implementation of meaningful safeguarding and abuse prevention policy across a broad range of physical activity and sports.
Read CV Grace TidmarshECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH14
INTRODUCTION The role of enjoyment in the field of physical activity is a multidimensional aspect that significantly influences an individuals commitment to exercise. Defined as the perception of profound pleasure and happiness derived from success or satisfaction linked to specific activities, enjoyment encompasses a spectrum of emotions. Its importance in relation to physical activity and overall physical-psychological well-being cannot be overrated. Despite the well-established benefits of regular physical activity, a substantial portion of the population falls short of meeting recommended levels. METHODS This research explores the multifaceted factors influencing the perception of enjoyment in physical activity among the elderly, acknowledging their diversity and complexity. The widely recognized Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) was employed to assess enjoyment levels across various exercise contexts, highlighting variability attributed to factors such as age, gender, and type of exercise. Thirteen physically active and medically stable older individuals (aged 65 -75 years) who have been participating consistently and effectively in a physical activity group class for at least 10 years. Utilizing the PACES scale, participants enjoyment perceptions were evaluated within the framework of their sustained engagement in physical activity despite medical challenges. Comparisons with existing literature were made through a comprehensive review of research articles dated between 1991 and 2022, sourcing data from PubMed and Google Scholar databases. RESULTS The participants exhibited enjoyment scores ranging from a minimum of 75 to a maximum of 126 on the PACES (average 110.2; standard deviation 16.1; arbitrary units). This suggests a relatively high level of enjoyment among this demographic, despite individual differences. Comparing these findings with existing literature, broader age ranges were considered, adults or older adults scored between 70.91 and 115.6 with a standard deviation of 20.7. Additionally, gender differences emerged. Despite these variations, some studies indicated no significant gender disparities in enjoyment levels. Moreover, the type of exercise exerted a considerable impact on enjoyment experiences, with activities like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and dance garnering higher enjoyment scores (82.2 to 99.4) compared to activities like moderate-intensity continuous running (61 to 86). DISCUSSION Recognizing the determinants of enjoyment is paramount for fostering long-term adherence to physical activity among the elderly. In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of prioritizing enjoyment in physical activity promotion efforts among the elderly. By understanding and addressing the determinants of enjoyment, stakeholders can develop tailored interventions that not only enhance individual well-being but also contribute to the creation of healthier and more active communities in the long term.
Read CV Gabriella ScavuzzoECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH14
INTRODUCTION: Athletes are routinely exposed to different stressors that can potentially undermine their well-being and cause negative consequences such as sport performance decrements, burnout, and drop-out. Athlete burnout (AB) is a multidimensional syndrome characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion (PEE), sport devaluation (SD), and reduced sense of accomplishment (RSA). Numerous psychological factors are implicated in AB, nevertheless, the interplay between AB and individual psychological factors and sport-related situational variables remains unexplored. This study aims to investigate AB prevalence and severity in Italian elite athletes and explore the possible different impacts of distress, resilience, motivational orientation, and motivational climate on the three dimensions of AB. METHODS: A total of 107 elite athletes (Age: M=22.99, SD=4.06; Female: n=60) engaging in individual and team sports like basketball, rugby, volleyball, athletics, and fencing, and competing at regional, national, and international levels were recruited for the present study. Athletes completed a series of online questionnaires investigating resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10, CD-RISC-10), distress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21, DASS-21), motivational orientation and motivational climate (Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire, TEOSQ; Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire, PMCSQ), and burnout (Athlete Burnout Questionnaire, ABQ). RESULTS: According to the regression analyses, no socio-demographic characteristic (i.e., age, gender, years of experience) was implicated in AB. Nevertheless, the investigated psychological and situational variables showed different associations with the three dimensions of AB. Specifically, resilience, distress, motivational orientation, and motivational climate explained 15% of variance in PEE dimension of AB (p=0.011), with distress (b=0.028, p=0.003) and performance-oriented motivational climate (b=0.044, p=0.033) resulting as significant predictors. The same model explained 11% of variance in SD (p=0.056) with ego-oriented motivation (b=-0.261, p=0.007) resulting as the only significant predictor. Again, the model explained 20% of variance in RSA (p<0.001) with distress (b=0.021, p=0.01) and resilience (b=-0.027, p=0.013) resulting as significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health professionals together with coaches and athletes should be aware of the role that various psychological aspects and situational factors can have on the different dimensions of burnout, with the aim of developing and implementing strategies to manage distress, increase resilience and foster a positive sport environment where athletes can express their full athletic potential.
Read CV Alice ValdesaliciECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH14