Browsing by Author "Paskevich, David M."
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Item Open Access Affect and Mindfulness as Predictors of Change in Mood Disturbance, Stress Symptoms, and Quality of Life in a Community-Based Yoga Program for Cancer Survivors(Hindawi Limited, 2013) Ekkekakis, Panteleimon; Carlson, Linda E.; Mackenzie, Michael J.; Culos-Reed, S. Nicole; Paskevich, David M.Little attention has been paid to the psychological determinants by which benefits are accrued via yoga practice in cancer-related clinical settings. Using a longitudinal multilevel modeling approach, associations between affect, mindfulness, and patient-reported mental health outcomes, including mood disturbance, stress symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQL), were examined in an existing seven-week yoga program for cancer survivors. Participants (N = 66) were assessed before and after the yoga program and at three- and six-month follow-ups. Decreases in mood disturbance and stress symptoms and improvements in HRQL were observed upon program completion. Improvements in mood disturbance and stress symptoms were maintained at the three- and six-month follow-ups. HRQL exhibited further improvement at the three-month follow-up, which was maintained at the six-month follow-up. Improvements in measures of well-being were predicted by initial positive yoga beliefs and concurrently assessed affective and mindfulness predictor variables. Previous yoga experience, affect, mindfulness, and HRQL were related to yoga practice maintenance over the course of the study.Item Open Access Affect and Mindfulness as Predictors of Change in Mood Disturbance, Stress Symptoms, and Quality of Life in a Community-Based Yoga Program for Cancer Survivors(2013-05-23) Mackenzie, Michael J.; Carlson, Linda E.; Ekkekakis, Panteleimon; Paskevich, David M.; Culos-Reed, S. NicoleLittle attention has been paid to the psychological determinants by which benefits are accrued via yoga practice in cancer-related clinical settings. Using a longitudinal multilevel modeling approach, associations between affect, mindfulness, and patient-reported mental health outcomes, including mood disturbance, stress symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQL), were examined in an existing seven-week yoga program for cancer survivors. Participants were assessed before and after the yoga program and at three- and six-month follow-ups. Decreases in mood disturbance and stress symptoms and improvements in HRQL were observed upon program completion. Improvements in mood disturbance and stress symptoms were maintained at the three- and six-month follow-ups. HRQL exhibited further improvement at the three-month follow-up, which was maintained at the six-month follow-up. Improvements in measures of well-being were predicted by initial positive yoga beliefs and concurrently assessed affective and mindfulness predictor variables. Previous yoga experience, affect, mindfulness, and HRQL were related to yoga practice maintenance over the course of the study.Item Open Access Attitudes and Experiences of LGBTQI2S Inclusion in Figure Skating: The Role of Known Intergroup Contact(2019-08-13) Schnell, Andrew Jonathan; Bridel, William; Godley, Jenny; Paskevich, David M.; Din, Cari; Janoviček, NancyThe sport landscape has shifted in recent years in relation to LGBTQI2S inclusion by way of greater awareness through academic research and popular publications, increased numbers of publicly “out” athletes, and the development of ally organizations. In an effort to augment academic and practitioner knowledge, this research project explored contemporary attitudes of athletes, coaches, officials, and administrators toward LGBTQI2S persons in figure skating. An online survey with Likert-scale and open-ended questions was made available to current members of Skate Canada, the national governing body for figure skating in Canada. Intergroup contact theory and queer theory were utilized as the theoretical foundations through which to analyse and cogitate data generated from 106 responses. Results from the quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated (1) that attitudes toward LGBTQI2S inclusion in figure skating were mostly positive, albeit with some reservations stemming from concerns about the fair and equal participation of trans persons in sport; (2) that known intergroup contact was significantly connected to attitudes toward LGBTQI2S inclusion, particularly in relation to personal support and advocacy of these persons; (3) that individuals’ underlying (non)heteronormative assumptions regarding gender as essentialist or relativist contributed greatly to the conceptualization of trans inclusion in sport as either fair or unfair; and, (4) that respondents tended to phrase their support of LGBTQI2S persons as a desire or willingness to seek educational and/or advocacy opportunities regarding inclusive practices. The knowledge gained from this research will be used to invoke more inclusive practices within Canadian figure skating specifically, as well as sport more generally. Increased quantity and quality of intergroup contact with LGBTQI2S persons, and improved educational/environmental advocacy for inclusion in figure skating and sport more generally are recommended.Item Open Access Development of Content-Valid Technical Skill Assessment Instruments for Athletic Taping Skills(Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions, 2006) Butterwick, Dale J.; Paskevich, David M.; Lagumen, Niko G.; Vallevand, Andrea L.C.; Lafave, Mark R.Item Open Access High-Performance Coaches Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Technology Adoption(2020-01-21) Jaswal, Ramandeep Singh; Katz, Larry; Jordan, Matthew J.; Paskevich, David M.Technological innovation has been shown to make meaningful impacts on many aspects of high-performance sport. Although the literature on technology adoption and implementation is vast, currently very little literature exists on the coach’s perspective in this regard. Further, when looking at Canadian high-performance coaches specifically, the results yield even less information. This investigation measured antecedents of technology adoption using validated forms. Further, this investigation explored the thematic categories of inter-organizational trust, subjective norms/social influence, and with regard to their relationship to technology adoption among Canadian high-performance coaches. Eleven coaches from both summer and winter National Sport Organizations (NSOs) were interviewed in a semi-structured format. Five thematic categories were identified (three from the literature and two from the thematic analysis). Results for inter-organization trust showed that these coaches valued being aware and informed of any planned changes, and educating coaches on technology adoption was essential in order to gain coaches’ participation. With respect to subjective norms and social influence, many of these high-performance coaches stated that they depended on mentor coaches or other coaches in the field to identify new technology. To this end, they also received support from other organizations and teams. Regarding technological proficiency, it was found that these coaches appreciated technology that specifically addressed their pain points and valued collaboration among various stakeholders in the Canadian sporting space concerning learning about technology and being educated on its use. The final two themes include how these coaches viewed the advantages of employing technology, and what challenges they faced when it comes to finding and using new technology.Item Open Access Impact of Bilateral Training on Overhand Throwing Performance: Speed, Accuracy, Technique, and Upper-body Kinematics(2021-01) Weisberg, Alanna Danielle; Katz, Larry; Lee, Hyun Suk; McDonough, Meghan H.; Paskevich, David M.Manuscript 1: The Sport Technology Research Lab developed an overhand throwing, eight task-component rubric designed to be used in multiple populations. This study assessed its inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. Three groups of raters, two individuals and one panel of three (consensus panel), assessed 480 video recorded overhand throws conducted by healthy adults. Individual raters assessed all videos twice with two weeks between the sessions. The consensus panel assessed all throws once. An ICC 2,k from aggregated data, independent t-tests, KR-20 and percentage agreements were conducted to assess reliability. Independent t-tests showed a significant difference between individual raters and the consensus panel, where the consensus panel scored performance significantly lower. KR-20 and percentage agreements demonstrated high reliability total scores, and moderate-high reliability for the eight task components. ICC 2,k showed high total reliability, suggesting the rubric is a reliable scale when evaluating the overhand throw in adults. However, inconsistencies in individual task components need to be addressed before the scale is used. Manuscript 2: The overhand throw is a complex whole-body motor skill that is fundamental to many sports and activities. The primary outcomes of the overhand throw are ball speed and accuracy. The momentum generated to complete the movement begins in the lower body and transfers through the trunk to the throwing arm. This study’s primary purpose was to evaluate the impact of the non-throwing arm on the ball speed during an overhand throw with both the dominant and non-dominant arms. Eighteen participants (age: 20.20±2.90 yrs., nine females) were divided into two intervention groups: a pulling group taught to engage the non-throwing arm through a pull towards the body, and a non-pulling group taught the overhand throw using a component-based physical education curriculum. Each participant completed 24 total throws, twelve for each side (dominant and non-dominant arm). Ball speed and kinematic data were collected using an eight-camera motion analysis system and were assessed using a pre-post study design. Throwing with both the dominant and non-dominant arms resulted in improvement in both training groups, but there was a much higher Cohen’s D effect size for increased ball velocity when the non-throwing arm was engaged.Item Open Access Investigating Post-sport Adjustment Experiences of Former Canadian Major Junior Hockey Players(2018-12-18) McCoy, Lauren K.; Arthur, Nancy Marie; Moules, Nancy Jean; Paskevich, David M.; Kerr, Gretchen; Dimitropoulos, GinaThis project explored the post-sport adjustment experiences of former Canadian major junior hockey (CHL) players in the years following their athletic retirement. This study was conducted using a qualitative, within-subjects, longitudinal research design to understand the manner by which elite CHL athletes make sense of their athletic retirement experiences across time. Four former CHL players participated in two semi-structured interviews; one occurred shortly after their athletic retirement and the next was conducted approximately 24 months later. Interviews were then analyzed in accordance with the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) method. Themes identified in each participant’s account were compared and contrasted across all participants to generate an in-depth portrayal that gave voice to participants’ athletic retirement and subsequent post-sport adjustment transitions. Results revealed that participants continued to have unresolved feelings about their athletic retirement and experienced conflicting emotions of both pride and embarrassment in relation to their athletic identity. Participants post-sport adjustment experiences focused on attempts to renegotiate self-worth and prove their worth off the ice. As the post-sport adjustment period progressed, participants described moving from avoidance-based coping strategies to increasing action-oriented coping strategies which facilitated feelings of control and autonomy. Recommendations for helping professionals are provided and highlight the need for person-centred and multi-level interventions to support athletic retirement transitions. Additional longitudinal research is required to further develop understanding of the ongoing effects of athletic retirement and elite athletes’ post-sport adjustment experiences across time.Item Open Access Neural Correlates of Performance and Neurofeedback Training in Ice Hockey Shooting(2018-04-30) Christie, Sommer; Werthner, Penny; Culos-Reed, Susan Nicole; Paskevich, David M.The purpose of this research was to investigate individual alpha peak frequency, event-related dynamics of brain oscillations, and the effect of neurofeedback training in the externally paced skill of ice hockey shooting. A review of literature and rationale for three stand-alone manuscripts are presented in chapter one. In chapter two, inter- and intra-individual variations in individual alpha peak frequency (IAPF) and ice hockey shooting performance were examined. No significant inter-individual variation between baseline IAPF and level of shooting performance or intra-individual pre- to post-shooting performance were found, suggesting that IAPF is a stable neurophysiological trait marker. In chapter three, event-related dynamics of brain oscillations in the externally paced skill of ice hockey shooting performance were explored. In contrast to research on closed skill sports, significant widespread ERS (or reduction of ERD) of theta, alpha, SMR and beta 1 bands was observed after the externally paced signal to shoot on net occurred. This finding is likely indicative of automaticity and reduced cognitive processing. Furthermore, widespread ERD occurred prior to the external cue, which is likely indicative of increased information processing. In chapter four, the effect of a sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) neurofeedback training (NFT) intervention on ice hockey shooting performance was investigated. The SMR-NFT participants demonstrated the ability to regulate SMR activity in the lab setting, but no significant changes in SMR power were observed during the actual ice hockey shooting performance. Ice hockey shooting performance was improved for all participants, yet the rate of improvement for the SMR-NFT group was significantly greater than the control. Finally, in chapter five overall findings and future recommendations are discussed.Item Open Access The Relationship Between Cohesion, Collective Efficacy, Communication and Performance Outcomes in Youth Team Sports(2019-09-20) Yasuda, Yuto; Paskevich, David M.; Dorsch, Kim D.; McDonough, Meghan H.; Sheehan, Dwayne PatrickOne of the foremost challenges for coaches and applied sport psychologists working with teams is enhancing group functioning to maximize team performance. Group dynamics theorists and practitioners have consistently highlighted the importance of a number of group variables (communication, cohesion, and collective efficacy) which are positively associated with team success, and as a result could be a target for group interventions. To develop more effective interventions when working with sports teams, the relationships between communication, cohesion, collective efficacy and performance outcome should be examined. Thus, the purpose of this research is to examine the relationships between communication, cohesion, collective efficacy, and performance outcome in competitive youth sport soccer teams. The participants were competitive youth soccer players in Calgary Minor Soccer Association in Calgary, Canada. A cross-sectional study conducted at the end of a season measured communication, cohesion, collective efficacy, and performance outcome. Based on structural equation modelling, communication was marginally significant and positively related to cohesion. Also, cohesion was positively related to collective efficacy, which in turn, led to higher performance outcome. Also, communication was negatively related to performance outcome. Cohesion had an indirect effect on performance outcome. Therefore, the model proposed in this study was partially verified. That is, communication (behaviour in a team), team cohesion, situation-specific team confidence, and performance outcome were linearly related. Also, it is possible that the strong relationship between communication and performance outcome was due to multicollinearity. For team building interventions to enhance performance in team sports, communication should be considered with caution as communication was positively related to cohesion, but negatively related to performance outcome.