Health and Physical Education Commons^™

The Physiology Of The Work: Chronic Stress, Allostatic Load, And Faculty Wellness In Counselor Education, Ajayla S. Evins

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselor educators embody multifaceted professional roles across teaching, supervision, research, leadership, and service, exerting a profound influence on the formation of counselors and the ongoing development of the profession (CACREP, 2024; Calley & Hawley, 2008). While wellness is recognized as a core professional value in counseling (ACA, 2014), research has focused almost exclusively on emotional and psychological dimensions, leaving the physiological consequences of chronic stress largely underexplored (Bovee, 2024; Faheem et al., 2025; Lewis et al., 2022). In neighboring fields, such as public health and medicine, chronic stress has been linked to dysregulation in cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, immune inflammatory, and metabolic …

Exploring The Physical Education Experiences Of Blind And Visually Impaired Hispanic Multilingual Learners In Integrated Settings, Sheyla G. Martinez-Rivera

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Although students with visual impairments (VI) are increasingly placed in integrated physical education (PE) classes (U.S. Department of Education, 2023), the embodied experiences of those who also identify as multilingual learners (MLs) and as Hispanics remain largely unexplored. This retrospective qualitative study examined how these students experience integrated PE during their K-12 education, focusing on how language and disability identities shaped their participation. Participants included seven Hispanic students, all MLs, and identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as blind or visually impaired. At the time of the study, participants were between 18 and 33 years old and …

Learning In Motion: How Small Groups Can Promote Self-Regulated Learning In Physical Therapy Students, Sara Mclaren

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a critical skill for success in rigorous graduate health professions programs, where students must independently manage complex academic demands. Despite its importance, limited research has examined SRL processes among Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students in the didactic phase of training. Guided by Zimmerman’s cyclical model of self-regulated learning, this study examined SRL behaviors among second-year DPT students and explored how small group learning contexts may influence engagement in SRL processes and academic performance.

This mixed-methods study included 39 DPT students enrolled in a physical therapy program at a public university in the southeastern United States. …

Understanding Motivations And Health Outcomes Of College-Aged Triathletes During Covid-19: A Mixed-Methods Study, Patrick Wilson, Eddie Hill, Justin Haegele, Xihe Zhu

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

A triathlon is a multi-sport event that consists of three simultaneous events: swimming, biking, and running. This sport has experienced significant growth in the past few decades, with colleges and universities now participating. This exploratory mixed-methods study examined the motivations and perceived health benefits of college triathletes during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the Means-Ends of Recreation Scale and the Perceived Health Outcomes of Recreation Scale (N = 29), as well as semi-structured interviews (N = 4). Results indicate no difference in motives or health outcomes between male and female survey respondents. The thematic analysis of open-ended interview questions highlighted lived …

Can We Talk? A Correspondence Study To Examine Responsiveness Of Physical Educators To Requests For A Phone Call From Parents Of Children With Disabilities, Sean Healy, Justin A. Haegele, Steven K. Holland

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) mandates that parental input be considered when making educational decisions for children with disabilities, including in physical education. However, parents of children with disabilities often report suboptimal communication experiences with physical educators. The purpose of the current study was to examine if the initiation of a parent–physical educator relationship is influenced by whether students have a disability or not. An online message correspondence study methodology was used to detect potential disparities in the responsiveness of a sample of 320 physical educators to electronic message requests for a phone call to discuss physical …

Epistemic Injustice In Physical Education And Sport: A Critical Disability Studies Perspective, Janine Coates, Justin A. Haegele, Anthony J. Maher, Maria Luiza Tanure Alves, Martin Giese, Sebastian Ruin, Lesley Sharpe

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

This paper examines epistemic injustice as a valuable epistemological lens for critical disability studies (CDS) researchers examining issues of equity and social justice in physical education (PE) and sport. Drawing on the work of Miranda Fricker, we examine the ways in which knowledge production related to PE and sport for disabled youth may perpetuate injustices through affording excess credibility to those in positions of power who may have no lived, embodied experience of disability. We argue that disabled young people are frequently marginalised in knowledge production about PE and sport, with non-disabled adults often afforded greater epistemic authority. Building on …

Questioning Body-Normativity Dominance In Inclusive Physical Education: A Transgressive Analysis Through Bell Hooks' Perspectives, Maria Luiza Tanure Alves, Justin A. Haegele, Anthony Maher, Sebastian Ruin, Lesley Sharpe, Martina Giese, Janine Coates

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Grounded in Critical Disability Studies, this study examines how mechanisms of oppression are recurrently legitimized in relation to Disabled students in Physical Education (PE). Drawing on bell hooks’ perspective, this study explores recurring logics of domination, thereby deepening understandings of how oppression is produced and sustained in PE. Using a post-structuralist approach, we conducted qualitative interviews with nine PE teachers to examine the dominant beliefs and pedagogical practices that shape PE in relation to disability. Interview data were analyzed through interpretative discourse analysis, guided by Critical Disability Studies and informed by hooks’ critical insights on oppression. The findings suggest …

From Intention To Enactment: Action Planning And Habit Automaticity Distinguish Successful From Unsuccessful Intenders To Engage In Regular Leisure-Time Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity, Yaogang Han, Yubing Wang, Pan Li, Binn Zhang

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

University students often intend to exercise regularly but fail to translate intention into action. The present study tested which post-intentional processes distinguish successful from unsuccessful intenders in self-reported regular leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) enactment. Chinese undergraduates from 10 universities completed a three-wave survey administered at roughly two-week intervals. Habit automaticity was assessed at Wave 1, intention together with action planning and coping planning at Wave 2, and self-reported regular-exercise status at Wave 3. Because the dependent variable was assessed using a single stage-based self-report item, the findings should be interpreted as explaining self-reported regular-exercise status rather than objectively measured …

The Experiences Of Disabled People In Physical Education, Wesley J. Wilson (Editor), Justin A. Haegele (Editor)

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Books

Bringing together a set of first- person accounts of physical education from the perspectives of disabled children and adults, this book puts disabled people’s voices in the foreground.

The book provides a rich set of case study material that deepens our understanding of the experiences of disabled people and challenges students, researchers, and practitioners to reflect critically upon their own positionality. The first part of the book discusses the ways in which disability has been conceptualized, how the voices of disabled people have sometimes been marginalized, and how nondisability power has historically framed the narratives of disabled people in physical …

Newly Credentialed Athletic Trainers' Onboarding Process During The Transition To Practice, Ashley B. Thrasher, Stacy E. Walker, Julie M. Cavallario

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: As new athletic trainers (ATs) transition into their roles, some employers provide orientation and onboarding to assist with the transition to practice. Research in which authors outline the ideal onboarding process for new ATs transitioning to practice is lacking.

Objective: To examine the onboarding process for new ATs.

Design: Grounded theory.

Setting: College or university, secondary school, and hospital or clinic.

Patients or other participants: Seventeen newly credentialed, employed ATs who recently graduated from professional masters' programs (11 female, 6 male; 25.6 ± 2.2 years) and 12 employers (6 female, 6 male; years in role supervising new ATs: 8.5 …

Virtual Learning In Emergency Medicine Residency Programs, Ashley Rider, Laura Oh, Rahul Bhat, Michael Gottlieb, Bruce Lo, Ulemu Luhanga, Shayne Gue, Jason Laenngfeld, Sarah Greenberger, Jeffery Hill, Jonathan Heidt

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educational systems worldwide faced significant disruptions as in-person learning became unfeasible. In response, many institutions, including graduate medical education programs, swiftly transitioned to virtual learning platforms to adapt to these challenges. The rapid and unplanned pivot in learning format resulted in temporary negative impacts on residency training. Conversely, the experience of the rapid shift may have resulted in some long-term benefits while also preparing programs for future disruptions. This review aimed to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of virtual learning, potential mitigation strategies for the realized disadvantages, and potential areas of future research.

Supporting Social Justice In Physical Education Teacher Education Programs: A Qualitative Analysis Of Adapted Pe Teachers' Perspectives, Ann-Catherine Sullivan, Christianna Blanchard-Alworth, Cynthia K. Piletic, Linda Hilgenbrinck

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Despite attention to sociocultural issues in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE), the role of Adapted Physical Education (APE) teachers as social justice advocates remains underexplored. A primary responsibility of APE teachers is to provide specially designed instruction to students with disabilities (SWD), so they have access to the general physical education curriculum to make progress toward grade-level standards. This study presents a qualitative analysis of the perspectives of National Adapted Physical Education Teachers of the Year (APE TOYs) on advocating for social justice within PETE programs. A phenomenological approach with mixed-methods design was used. Findings emphasise the importance of fairness, …

Case-Based Learning And The Physical Education Of Disabled Students, Wesley J. Wilson, Paul H. Warner, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the editors provide background information about the case-based learning approach as it relates to preparing preservice physical educators, adapted physical educators, and special educators to work with disabled students. We also begin to frame the importance of elevating the voices and lived experiences of disabled students as they make meaning of and decide what is important in physical education. We conclude with an overview of the remaining chapters to better orient the reader to this edited text.

Our Methodology For Case-Based Learning And Strategies For Reader Engagement, Wesley J. Wilson, Paul H. Warner, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

In this chapter, we discuss in detail our application of case-based learning to this edited book. We take time to highlight some important differences in our approach in contrast to traditional case-based learning principles and resources and lay out our procedures for considering the content, format, and editing of this collection of stories. We also delve into our own reflexivity and positions of power as we consider our roles as editors in this project. Finally, we discuss tips for engaging with this book, while providing some general reflective questions for readers to consider while reviewing the authors’ stories about physical …

Our Reflections And Concluding Thoughts, Justin A. Haegele, Wesley J. Wilson

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the editors provide concluding thoughts and reflections about the process of constructing this case-based learning book, and encouragement for readers to further consider ways to reflect about the stories of the authors. We reiterate the five broad reflective prompts from Chapter 2 to guide this reflection. We also share concepts related to ableism, and examples of how ableism may look and how it may inform practice. We conclude with, again, encouraging authors to think about and reflect on the stories included throughout the book, and to be mindful of ways ableism may (or may not) influence this …

Empowering Students Is “Perfectly Normal:" The Case For 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 In Middle Schools, Caroline H. Peabody

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

In September of 2023, a middle school teacher wrote an open letter to the Lexington County, Virginia school board expressing outrage over the “graphic sexual content” included in the county middle school’s library. Swiftly following the letter, the school board removed two books from the county’s Lylburn Middle School library without due process and avowed to reconsider the guidelines for including books in the library. One of the two books in question was It’s Perfectly Normal, a non-fiction illustrated book intended to educate readers ten and up on sex, intercourse, and puberty. It’s Perfectly Normal and should be available …

Examining The Physical Activity Experiences Of Blind And Visually Impaired Women, Lindsay E. Ball

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Substantial research has indicated that blind and visually impaired adults often do not meet physical activity guidelines, and therefore, are not experiencing the numerous affordances of physical activity participation. However, those who report meeting physical activity guidelines express higher rates of health-related quality of life. Largely, the research examining the physical activity behaviors and perspectives of blind and visually impaired adults have been survey studies leaving a rich description of their physical activity experiences unexplored. The overall aim of this project was to engage with blind or visually impaired women to understand their experiences accessing and participating in physical activity, …

Co-Constructing Physical Education Resources And Recommendations With Blind Adults, M. Ally Keene

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Blind youth have reported unfavorable PE experiences, however, are optimistic that positive changes could be made. Despite recommendations to involve students in learning decisions, those made for teaching blind youth in PE have largely been constructed from nondisabled adults. This dissertation used a participatory research method and positioned blind people as research partners, amplifying their voices as knowers, collaborators, and researchers, to help construct resources and recommendations to disseminate to PE teachers. With that, the overall aim of this dissertation was to construct a product that provides PE teachers with useful and relevant resources and recommendations, in an attempt to …

Physical Educators’ Self-Efficacy To Teach Students With Disabilities Across Instructional Placements, Lindsey Ann Nowland

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Although there are several well used self-efficacy instruments designed to measure PE teachers’ self-efficacy to teach students with disabilities, limitations to these scales exits, such as a narrow focus on integrated instructional placements and an absence of theoretically relevant sources of self-efficacy information built within the scales. These limitations translate to a significant gap in the literature between measuring PE teachers’ self-efficacy and understanding how sources of self-efficacy information interact to shape PE teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, as well as understanding how different instructional placements may inform efficacy. This dissertation was structured in a two-manuscript approach. The purpose of the first …

Athletic Trainers' Perceptions Of Salary Negotiation Decision-Making During The Hiring Process, Julie M. Cavallario, Kim Detwiler, Leanne Jones, Indigo White, Cailee E. Welch

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: Appropriate salaries for athletic trainers (ATs) have been a contentious topic for decades. While professional advocacy efforts to increase ATs' salaries have gained traction, little is known about ATs' experiences with negotiation during the hiring process.

Objective: To explore the reasons, influences, and factors influencing ATs' negotiation decisions.

Design: Qualitative study.

Setting: Individual video interviews.

Patients or other participants: 28 ATs who participated in a previous study and indicated a willingness to participate in the qualitative follow-up were interviewed (17 women, 10 men, 1 non-binary individual; age = 37.8±8.9 years; athletic training experience = 15.1±8.3 years). Of the 28 …

Athletic Trainers' Perceptions Of The Structure And Barriers To Online Continuing Education Clinical Documentation Models, Sara L. Nottingham, Tricia M. Kasamatsu, Julie M. Cavallario, Cailee E. Welch Bacon

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: Athletic trainers (ATs) appreciate the accessibility of web-based continuing education (CE) opportunities. ATs describe needing more CE opportunities related to clinical documentation, but the effectiveness of CE in this content area has not been studied.

Objective: Obtain ATs’ perceptions of their experiences accessing web-based CE specific to clinical documentation.

Design: Qualitative study.

Setting: Web-based audio interviews.

Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-nine ATs, averaging 36.2 ± 9.0 years of age, including 16 women and 13 men who represented 8 different clinical practice settings.

Data Collection and Analysis: Participants previously completed 1 of 2 web-based CE modules specific to clinical documentation, …

Athletic Trainer's Perceptions Of And Experiences With Professional Development Approaches For Enhancing Clinical Documentation, Sarah L. Nottingham, Tricia M. Kasamatsu, Julie M. Cavallario, Cailee E. Welch Bacon

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context

Little is known about how athletic trainers (ATs) learn clinical documentation, but previous studies have identified that ATs have a need for more educational resources specific to documentation.

Objective

To obtain ATs' perspectives on learning clinical documentation.

Design

Qualitative study.

Setting

Web-based audio interviews.

Patients or Other Participants

Twenty-nine ATs who completed 2 different continuing education (CE) clinical documentation modules. Participants averaged 36.2 ± 9.0 years of age and included 16 women and 13 men representing 21 US states and 8 clinical practice settings.

Data Collection and Analysis

Participants were recruited from a group of ATs who completed 1 …

The Associations Of Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior With Self-Rated Health In Chinese Children And Adolescents, Yahan Liang, Youzhi Ke, Yang Liu

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Objective

The study aimed to analyze the independent and joint associations of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) with self-rated health (SRH) among Chinese children and adolescents.

Methods

Cross-sectional data on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), school-based PA, extracurricular physical activity (EPA), screen time (ST), homework time, and SRH were assessed through a self-report questionnaire in the sample of 4227 Chinese children and adolescents aged 13.04 ± 2.62 years. Binary logistic regression was used to compare gender differences in PA, SB, and SRH among children and adolescents, and analyses were adjusted for age and ethnicity.

Results

In independent associations, boys …

Teachers' Perception On Physical Activity Promotion In Kindergarten Children In China: A Qualitative Study Connecting Social Ecological Model, Yahan Liang, Fangyuan Ju, Yueran Hao, Jia Yang, Yang Liu

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background

Globally, the majority of kindergarten-aged children face obesity issues and insufficient physical activity (PA) engagement. Regular PA participation can provide various health benefits, including obesity reduction, for kindergarten-aged children. However, limited studies have investigated the factors influencing kindergarten-aged children's PA engagement from the perspective of their teachers. This qualitative study aimed to identify factors that could help promote PA among kindergarten-aged children from teachers' perspectives, including facilitators, barriers, and teachers' recommendations.

Methods

Fifteen kindergarten teachers (age range: 28-50 years; mean age: 38.53 years) with teaching experience ranging from 2 to 31 years (mean: 16.27 years) were recruited from Shanghai …

Comprendiendo La Discapacidad Y El Capacitismo: Implicaciones Para La Investigación Y La Práctica En Educación Física En América Del Sur, Fabian Arroyo-Rojas, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Este artículo ofrece una discusión crítica sobre diversas interpretaciones dominantes de la discapacidad, predominantemente construidas y desarrolladas desde los puntos de vista del Norte Global. Además, se profundiza en la noción de capacitismo como un concepto definitorio que influye y es influenciado por la comprensión de la discapacidad. Dentro de este discurso, se discute sobre la aplicabilidad, críticas e implicaciones de estas perspectivas y conceptos en el Sur Global, con un enfoque particular en la educación física sudamericana. Se espera fomentar el pensamiento y el avance académico sobre la discapacidad en los contextos del Sur Global, contribuyendo al análisis crítico …

A Reflection Of Experiences Of Adults With Type 1 Diabetes In Integrated Physical Education Classes, Kalleigh West

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of type 1 diabetics in integrated physical education classes. In this study, we interviewed young type 1 diabetic adults and asked them to reflect on their school-based physical education experiences. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach was adopted to guide data collection, analysis, and interpretation for this retrospective study. Eight participants (ages 19 to 32) were enrolled in this study, and semi-structured interviews focused on their physical education experiences acted as the primary data. Transcribed interview data were analyzed using an IPA approach. Three interrelated themes emerged …

Age-Related Differences In Motor Performance, Jessica Anne Prebor

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this work was to study the age effects on average performance and variability of movement responses in children, young adults, and older adults across multiple motor tasks. Optimal motor performance is observed in healthy young adults with declines observed at either end of the lifespan. This pattern has been represented as a U-shaped/inverted U-shaped curve. Little is known about if this pattern persists in chewing dynamics. While chewing has been found to improve aspects of attention, a cognitive function, research is limited on the relationship between chewing and other motor tasks.

The first aim of this research …

Teaching Social Determinants Of Health In Physical Therapist Professional Education Programs: Exploring Curricular Approaches And Examining An Assessment Tool, Emily Jordan Hawkins

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

There is a growing emphasis and need for physical therapists (PTs) to serve not only as clinicians but also as advocates to pursue health equity. Clinical practice for preventing and rehabilitating injuries and promoting physical activity will not eliminate health disparities resulting from the social determinants of health (SDH). Leaders in the field of physical therapy have charged physical therapist professional education programs to teach future PTs to address SDH, however, as of August 2023, the Standards and Required Elements for Accreditation of Physical Therapist Education Programs does not specifically require curricular content regarding SDH. The purposes of this dissertation …

Athletic Trainers' Perceptions Of And Experiences With Unlearning In Clinical And Educational Practice, Alicia M. Pike Lacy, Julie M. Cavallario, Kenneth C. Lam, Cailee E. Welch Bacon

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context

Unlearning is a critical component of evidence-based practice, yet research related to its role in athletic training practice is limited.

Objective

To explore athletic trainers’ (ATs’) perceptions of and experiences with unlearning.

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

Online survey with open-ended questions.

Patients or other participants

Seven hundred fifteen of 6925 ATs accessed the survey (access rate = 10.3%) with 640 ATs completing it (completion rate = 94%).

Main Outcome Measure(s)

We distributed a survey consisting of 8 to 10 demographic questions, 1 Likert-scale item on familiarity with unlearning, and 4 to 5 open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics summarize demographic information. Open-ended …

Creating A Primary Care Track In Prelicensure Nursing Education, Janice E. Hawkins, Lynn L. Wiles, Jamela Martin, Beth Tremblay, Karen Higgins, Ingrid Mahoney

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: RNs practicing in primary care (PC) increase access to health care and contribute to better patient outcomes and cost savings, yet undergraduate nursing education traditionally focuses on disease-oriented care. This article describes a curricular track for infusing PC prelicensure programs.

METHOD: PC content is threaded across four semesters with targeted assignments and clinical experiences. Providing clinical immersion experiences with practicing RNs as preceptors in community and PC settings is a key component of this initiative.

RESULTS: Student feedback has been favorable. Students stated they gained insight to the role of RNs in PC through class assignments and clinical rotations. …