Education Commons^™

Encouraging Exercise In Pregnancy Through A Video Education Tool: A Pilot Study, Danielle Lewis, Sahana Kukan, Sabrina Kolker

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 4: Issue 1, Article 17, 2023. Evidence-based guidelines recommend physical activity during pregnancy, however, most pregnant individuals fail to achieve the minimum recommended amount of physical activity. Uncertainty about the safety of physical activity is a common reason why pregnant individuals do not participate in regular physical activity. The purpose of this study was to develop an evidence-based educational video and evaluate its effectiveness at improving pregnant individuals’ attitudes regarding the safety of physical activity during pregnancy. Pregnant individuals attending their first prenatal appointment from an urban academic interprofessional teaching unit in Toronto, …

Diurnal Regulation Of Exercise-Induced Myocardial Signaling And Transcription, Charli Aguilar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Exercise is well known for its many benefits on the body and most notably the heart. Recent emphasis, and significant resources, have been dedicated to elucidating the molecular mechanisms through which exercise exerts its pluripotent beneficial effects on health and the prevention of disease. A continuous evolution in this field has sought to modulate and optimize exercise in various ways to maximize the benefits. In recent years, a growing appreciation for the impact of circadian rhythms has gained traction and their influence on many essential biological functions have been integrated into exercise physiology (i.e. - chrono-exercise), as well as …

Effects Of Birth Month On Talent Identification Participation And The Identification Process In Sports, Junjiro Kubo, Seidai Nishikawa, Yasunori Morioka, Hideyuki Arikawa, Keiichi Tamaki

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 2: Issue 1, Article 7, 2021. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of the birth month on Talent Identification (TI) participation and the identification process in sports. The subjects were 4th grade elementary school children (mean age, 9±5.8 years) who participated in the Talent Identification Project. The method of identification was two-stage. In the first stage, the 30 m sprint, standing broad jump, and medicine ball front throw (1 kg) were performed, and 99 boys and 97 girls with high overall scores were selected to participate in the second …

Comparison Of Physical Fitness Between Sport And Non-Sport Groups Among Elementary School Children, Junjiro Kubo, Saburo Nishimura, Takayuki Ogiwara

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

• We compared physical fitness factors between sport and non-sport groups of elementary school children in all grades. The subjects of this study were 1,079 1st- to 6th-grade male elementary school children. Their parents completed a questionnaire examining whether the child attended sports lessons as a regular after-school activity. Physical fitness was evaluated by a new physical fitness test recommended by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (4). The test consists of the following items: 1) Grip strength (kg); 2) Sit-ups (number completed in 30 sec); 4) Sitting front stretches (cm); 5) Side steps (number completed in …

College Student Depression: An Examination Of Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Gender And Sexual Orientation Diversity, And Help-Seeking Willingness, Sharon Jalene

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Depression is a serious illness characterized by persistent low mood, reduced cognitive capacity, and fatigue. Although treatable, depression is the leading cause of disability and ill-health worldwide and a significant contributor to suicide, the second leading cause of death for young Americans. In any given two-week period, 8.1% of adults in the United States had moderate to severe depression (2013-2016). The rate of depression for females was twice that of males and compared to the majority, sexual and gender minorities (SGM) were at a threefold risk. Furthermore, evidence suggests that depression incidence is three times higher in college students than …

Practice Variability Promotes An External Focus Of Attention And Enhances Motor Skill Learning, Lee-Kuen Chua, Maria Katrina Dimapilis, Takehiro Iwatsuki, Reza Abdollahipour, Rebecca Lewthwaite, Gabriele Wulf

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Variability in practice has been shown to enhance motor skill learning. Benefits of practice variability have been attributed to motor schema formation (variable versus constant practice), or more effortful information processing (random versus blocked practice). We hypothesized that, among other mechanisms, greater practice variability might promote an external focus of attention on the intended movement effect, while less variability would be more conducive to a less effective internal focus on body movements. In Experiment 1, the learning of a throwing task was enhanced by variable versus constant practice, and variable group participants reported focusing more on the distance to the …

Mcnair Research Journal - Summer 2015, Kelly Abuali, Starr Bailey, Krystal Courtney D. Belmonte, Brittaney Benson-Townsend, Jennifer Bolick, Mihaela A. Ciulei, Ashley Crisp, Daniel N. Erosa, Richard V. Foster, Gisele Braga Goertz, Michael A. Langhardt, Kara Osborne, Julienne Jochel Paraiso, Shawn M. Rosen, Bella V. Smith, Jeevake Attapattu, Ernesto H. Bedoy, Michael G. Curtis, Wanda Inthavong, Marielle Leo, Primrose Martin, Tamieka Meadows, Rosa Perez, Jessica Recarey, Shea Silver, Linda Tompkins

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program

Table of Contents

Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Statements:

Dr. Neal J. Smatresk, UNLV President

Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President of Student Affairs

Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach

Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach

McNair Scholars Institute Staff

The Percussionist Bodybuilder: Optimizing Performance Through Exercise And Nutrition, Anthony Joseph Merlino

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Do preventive therapies have the potential to help avoid common injuries among percussionists? This document investigates physiological therapy and nutrition in relation to percussion performance. My interest in this subject matter is derived from my personal experiences with injuries related to the performance of percussion. Although I have studied and played percussion professionally for more than a decade, I was unaware of certain methods of rehabilitation that were available to me prior to my injuries. As I learned about the rehabilitation process through first hand experience, I discovered that my injuries were very common among percussionists. This raised the question: …

Additive Effects Of An External Focus And Enhanced Expectancy In Learning A Motor Skill, Luigi Antonio Pascua

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An external focus of attention in has been shown to produce better performance in practice and retention of a motor skill when compared to an internal focus or control conditions in which no attentional focus cues are given to the learner (for a review, see Wulf, 2012). Enhancing learner expectancy (e.g., via positive feedback) has also been shown to improve learning (e.g., Lewthwaite & Wulf, 2010). This study sought to investigate whether combining the positive effects of an external focus of attention with an enhanced learner expectancy (through positive social-comparative feedback) would enhance learning relative to either variable alone or …

Development And Implementation Of A Video-Based Activity Preference Assessment For Children With Autism And Their Parents, Lena Sankovich

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Development and Implementation of a Video-Based Physical Activity Preference Assessment for Children with Autism and Their Parents

Individuals with autism often lack the necessary motivation to engage in physical activity. In addition, due to the characteristics defining autism, such as deficits in social skills, motor coordination, and behavior, individuals with autism are less likely to participate in physical activity with their peers than individuals without autism. Additionally, poor motor functioning, sedentary lifestyle, lack of information and lack of access to physical activity may be barriers to physical activity for individuals with developmental disabilities. These barriers, in addition to the characteristics …

Effects Of Controlling Versus Autonomy-Supportive Language On Learning A Novel Motor Skill And Cortisol Release, Andrew Mcmahon Hooyman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to compare how different types of instruction effect the learning of a novel motor skill and how salivary cortisol correlates to learning differences. Participants (N = 44), average age 22.3 years (standard deviation 2.37), were randomly assigned to an autonomy-supportive, controlling-language or neutral language group which was manipulated via instructional video. Saliva was collected before and after each session, and questionnaires were given after pitching was completed during each day. Results showed that there was a significant difference among groups in throwing accuracy on performance and retention. Questionnaire results also showed significant group differences …

School Program Planning To Increase Active Transport To School, Brenda Aguilar

McNair Poster Presentations

Studies have shown that active transport is known to increase physical activity of children, decrease traffic congestion and the production of greenhouse gasses. This study examines active transport to school (ATS) [walking, biking, or other self-powered wheels to school] among elementary students. Through the Nevada Moves Day program an increase proportion of elementary students who use ATS was expected.

This study was done at two elementary schools, one being the intervention school that participated in the Nevada Moves Day, and a control school, which did not participate. Data was collected over a three week period. Students using active transport and …

Effects Of Environment On Children's Motor Scores, Eligibility Status, And Administration Times, Derrick Mittelstadt, Abigail Parker, Kirsten Pickett, Heather Temkin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Best practices for assessing developmental skills in young children focus on naturalistic observation in everyday settings, but the effects of environment on test scores, eligibility status and administration time have not been explored. The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-Second Edition (PDMS-2) was administered to 34 children aged 18 to 59 months in natural and pull-out settings. PDMS-2 total, gross, and fine motor quotient (TMQ, GMQ, and FMQ) scores were significantly lower in the natural environment (p’s≤.014). Based on our results, more children would qualify for services when tested in natural environments using TMQ and GMQ scores. It also took significantly longer …