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Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ., Volume 12, Issue 1 (January 2022) – 6 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Oral health is important for a child’s wellbeing and development, and dental caries is a serious global public health issue. On the other hand, sleeping status has attracted attention for its relationship with oral health. This multicentre, observational, cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between early childhood caries and sleeping status of both parents and children. As a result, sleep duration in children was independently associated with early childhood caries. Furthermore, children’s dental caries was associated with parental sleep problems. This study suggests the need for guidance and a change in lifestyle habits of parents to prevent dental caries in their children. Further studies should examine the effects of lifestyle modifications on oral health in children. View this paper

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16 pages, 428 KiB

Open AccessReview

Effects of Physical Activity, Exercise and Sport on Executive Function in Young People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review

by Felipe Montalva-Valenzuela, Oscar Andrades-Ramírez and Antonio Castillo-Paredes

Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2022, 12(1), 61-76; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe12010006 - 14 Jan 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 12141

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that negatively affects the inattention, disorganization, and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity in children and adolescents who suffer from it, included cases being reported that continue into adulthood. This disorder impairs social, academic, emotional, psychological, and health system functioning due to its high cost of treatment. The present systematic review aims to analyze the effects of physical activity, exercise, and sports on the executive function in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD through the scientific literature. The results show that the practice of physical activity, exercise, or sport produces improvements in executive function in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, mainly through aerobic exercise. A 20 min session of physical activity, sport, or exercise leads to improvements in executive functions in children and adolescents with ADHD. It can be concluded that the practice of physical activity, exercise, and sport generate improvements on executive functions in children and adolescents with ADHD, mainly through aerobic exercise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Human Health)

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11 pages, 790 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Psychometric Properties of the Emotional Exhaustion Scale (ECE) in Chilean Higher Education Students

by Jonathan Martínez-Líbano, María-Mercedes Yeomans and Juan-Carlos Oyanedel

Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2022, 12(1), 50-60; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe12010005 - 10 Jan 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 8409

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to estimate the psychometric properties of the Emotional Fatigue Scale (ECE) in a sample of 1308 Chilean university students and confirm the unifactorial structure of the scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out. The ECE assessment had an internal consistency of 0.893 (Cronbach’s Alpha). An exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation and a confirmatory analysis were performed, obtaining the factor that explains 52.3% of the variance. The results indicated that the ECE has adequate psychometric properties for use with higher education students in Chile. The ECE scale has good psychometric properties to be applied in the Chilean university context. Its usage may be very relevant to contribute to higher education institutions to emphasize students’ mental health and prevent possible severe pathologies in future professionals. It is suggested to use the ECE scale together with the EES-Int, which is the only interpretation table for this instrument. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Variables Related to Well-Being in Adolescence)

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8 pages, 633 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Accuracy of Body Mass Index and Obesity Status in Police Trainees

by Miloš Stojković, Katie M. Heinrich, Aleksandar Čvorović, Velimir Jeknić, Gianpiero Greco and Filip Kukić

Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2022, 12(1), 42-49; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe12010004 - 10 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4208

Abstract

The first aim of this study was to compare body mass index (BMI) (indirect method) classification with the body fat percent (PBF) (direct method) and to determine how BMI classifies subjects with different levels of skeletal muscle mass percent (PSMM). The second aim was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity status among police trainees (PTs). A total of 103 male PTs participated in this research: age = 21.46 ± 0.64 years, body mass (BM) = 75.97 ± 8.10 kg, body height (BH) = 174.07 ± 6.31 cm, BMI = 25.05 ± 2.12 kg/m². The InBody 370 multichannel bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) measured body composition. Study results indicated that muscular PTs could be misclassified as overweight and that PBF identified more subjects as obese. Namely, three PTs were obese according to BMI, while 13 were obese according to PBF. The information provided by this research could be used to help professionals understand the importance of measuring body composition, and the inaccuracies in BMI classification. In conclusion, whenever possible PSMM and PBF should replace the utilization of BMI to screen overweight and obesity in PTs. Agencies may think of using BIA as non-invasive, quick and inexpensive measurement tool. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Image Perception and Body Composition in Different Populations: The Role of Physical Education and Sport)

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14 pages, 322 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceived Safety of Learning Environment and Associated Anxiety Factors during COVID-19 in Ghana: Evidence from Physical Education Practical-Oriented Program

by Frank Quansah, John Elvis Hagan, Jr., Francis Sambah, James Boadu Frimpong, Francis Ankomah, Medina Srem-Sai, Munkaila Seibu, Richard Samuel Kwadwo Abieraba and Thomas Schack

Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2022, 12(1), 28-41; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe12010003 - 1 Jan 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4836

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the swift migration to alternate instructional delivery models and pedagogical practices in educational institutions. This study examined the perceived safety of the learning environment and associated anxiety factors among physical education students amidst COVID-19. Using a cross-sectional design, a sample of 638 students drawn purposively and conveniently from a public university in Ghana completed a self-developed questionnaire. Frequency counts, percentages, and ordered logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Findings of the study showed that students perceived the practical lesson environment as unsafe, with self-reported moderate to high levels of anxiety during their practical lessons. The ordered logistic regression results revealed that varied factors such as age, COVID-19 information platforms, certainty about personal safety, and adequacy of preparation to manage COVID-19 cases were associated with anxiety. The study concluded that an unsafe practical physical education learning environment increases the anxiety levels of students. Academic departments/units should provide periodic interventions (e.g., positive self-talk, mental rehearsal, cognitive restructuring) and counseling services for students amidst the ongoing pandemic to help moderate situational-specific anxiety. In addition, key to the management of students’ anxiety is the provision of a safe and supportive school environment, including the provision of adequate personal protective equipment for practical lessons by school authorities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Coping with Daily Stress and Related Educational and Psychosocial Factors)

17 pages, 1699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography Lessons

by Uwe Krause, Tine Béneker and Jan van Tartwijk

Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2022, 12(1), 11-27; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe12010002 - 30 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2917 | Correction

Abstract

Tasks are a powerful instrument for geography teachers, as they let students engage with the subject. To advance the cumulative learning of students, teachers have to make sure that students learn how to deal with complex and abstract knowledge structures. In the Netherlands, teachers face a dilemma when it comes to task setting: the intended curriculum aims for a considerable part at (parts of) higher order thinking, whereas the high-stakes exams have a clear focus on the use of thinking strategies. This paper explores the task setting and debriefing of Dutch geography teachers by analyzing twenty-three videotaped lessons in upper secondary education by using the Geography Task Categorization Framework. The results show that Dutch teachers mostly rely on textbooks when setting tasks. The focus lies on reproduction and the use of thinking strategies. Tasks aiming at (parts of) higher order thinking are barely used. Furthermore, teachers use tasks from previous high-stakes exams already used in an early stage of upper secondary education. In the debriefing of tasks, teachers move from simple and concrete to complex and abstract knowledge and vice versa. However, most of these movements aim at simplifying knowledge structures. In the observed lessons, curriculum aims at the level of (parts of) higher order thinking are not achieved. The evaluative rules as set by the high-stakes exams and the type of tasks offered by textbooks seem to be dominant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in the Teaching and Learning of Geography)

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10 pages, 670 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association between Insufficient Sleep and Dental Caries among Preschoolers in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Multicentre Study

by Masato Ogawa, Hiroto Ogi, Daisuke Nakamura, Teruo Nakamura and Kazuhiro P. Izawa

Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2022, 12(1), 1-10; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe12010001 - 30 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3835

Abstract

Recently, sleeping status has attracted attention for its relationship with oral health. In the present study, we have investigated the association between early childhood caries and sleeping status. A multicentre observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 332 preschoolers (aged 3–6 years) and their parents in Chitose, Japan. Dental caries and sleeping status were assessed in the children and the sleep quality and health literacy of the parents were also assessed. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used in order to investigate the effect of the sleeping status of the parents and their children on dental caries. Among the children, the prevalence of dental caries experience was 12.7%. The children without caries slept significantly longer and their parents had a better Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score than those with caries experience. The sleeping status and the numbers of caries in the children were significantly correlated. Health literacy was better in those without caries experience. Parents’ PSQI was significantly positively correlated with the numbers of caries in the children (r = 0.19, p = 0.0004). The children’s sleep durations, screen time, and parental smoking status were independently associated with early childhood caries. Poor sleeping status of children and their parents is related to dental caries among preschoolers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Research in Clinical and Health Contexts)

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