Kinesiology Commons^™

The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Sleep, And Hallucinations In Adults With Charles Bonnet Syndrome, Jarrod Hollis, Rohit Narayan, Eldre W. Beukes, Rosie Lindsay, Aliyah Bharwani, Umair Mughal, Ikra Yaqoob, Justin A. Haegele, Scott Muriden, Peter M. Allen

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Physical activity levels, hallucination experiences, sleep quality, and perceived stress were assessed using a survey administered to 57 adults with a confirmed diagnosis of Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS). Physical activity demonstrated a significant negative correlation with hallucination severity (r = –0.335, p = 0.011, two-tailed). A significant negative correlation was also observed between physical activity and perceived stress (r = –0.497, p < 0.001, two-tailed). In contrast, no significant association was identified between hallucination frequency and sleep disruption or insomnia. These findings suggest that engaging in appropriate levels of physical activity may help reduce the severity of hallucinations and mitigate stress among individuals with CBS. The observation that higher levels of physical activity are associated with reduced hallucination burden may help the development of evidence-based management strategies for CBS. Additionally, the finding that physical activity was significantly related to hallucination severity, whereas sleep disruption was not, merits deeper exploration in future research.

A Qualitative Analysis Of Fitness Wearable Use And Embodiment, Lucas Brandt

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Wearable fitness technologies have become increasingly integrated into contemporary health and wellness culture, providing users with continuous access to physiological and behavioral data related to movement, sleep, stress, recovery, and overall health. Research has demonstrated that wearable devices can increase physical activity and support health behavior change (Ferguson et al., 2022; Koivisto & Hamari, 2019). Although less is known about how these technologies influence individuals’ lived experiences of their bodies. Understanding this relationship is particularly important given growing concerns regarding embodiment, self-surveillance, and the psychological effects of health-tracking technologies (Bergsland, 2017; Rapp, 2021). Drawing on theories of mind-body connection and …

Biomechanical Integrity Of The Female Pelvic Floor: A Comparison Of Military And Civilian Women, Vladimir Egorov, Peter Takacs, Vincent Lucente, Heather Van Raalte, Joy A. Greer, Noune Sarvazyan

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Introduction

The health of the pelvic floor depends on the integrity of its muscles, connective tissue, ligaments, and their innervation. The female pelvic floor may be more vulnerable to repetitive heavy loads in a military environment than the male pelvic floor because of anatomical and physiological differences. The study aim was to identify and explore possible differences in the female pelvic floor conditions between active military and civilian women with similar demographics.To identify and explore possible differences in the conditions of the female pelvic floor between active military women and civilian women with similar demographics.

Materials and Methods

Military active …

Effects Of Coaching Interventions On Burnout And Mental Health Outcomes Among Collegiate Athletes: A Meta-Analysis, Natalie Mitchell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This meta-analysis examined the effects of coaching interventions on burnout and mental health outcomes among collegiate athletes. Following PRISMA guidelines, literature published from 1980 onward was searched across SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and ProQuest Theses & Dissertations. Studies were included if they assessed burnout, psychological well-being, or related mental health outcomes in collegiate athletes and investigated a coaching intervention. Twelve interventional studies met the inclusion criteria. Across studies, coaching interventions varied in structure, duration, sport context, and cultural setting, with most emphasizing intrapersonal strategies and emotional or mental health outcomes. Meta-analytic results indicated small, non-significant effects favoring …

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation And Physical Activity Associate With Extracellular Vesicle Size And Cargo In A Community-Based Cohort Of Women, Yvonne Baumer, Elizabeth M. Aquino Peterson, Matthew R. Bavuso, Noel Miller, Cristhian A. Gutierrez-Huerta, Nithya P. Vijayakumar, Sam J. Neally, Kaveri Curlin, Valerie M. Mitchell, Billy S. Collins, Neelam R. Redekar, Subrata Paul, Anca D. Dobrian, Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

African American (AA) women face disproportionate cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk due to adverse social determinants of health (SDoH), including lower socioeconomic status (SES). Physical activity (PA) and plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) modulate CVD risk, but their relationships with SDoH remain unclear. This study examines associations between SDoH, PA, and plasma EVs in a Washington, DC-based cohort of at-risk AA women. Participants (N = 24, Age: 57 ± 12, BMI: 35 ± 6, ASCVD: 9 ± 5) joined the Step It Up Community-Engaged, Digital Health Physical Activity Intervention pilot study. EVs were isolated from fasting plasma samples. Multivariable regression, adjusted for …

24-H Circadian Rest-Activity Rhythms And Physical Frailty In Older Adults: A Biopsychosocial Perspective On Sex Differences And Social Capital, Jisu Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Physical frailty is a prevalent geriatric syndrome characterized by age-related decline across multiple physiological systems. Physical frailty is associated with an elevated risk of adverse health outcomes, including chronic disease progression and all-cause mortality, representing a significant and growing public health concern. Disrupted circadian rest-activity rhythms (RARs) are increasingly recognized as clinically meaningful markers of physical frailty in older adults. However, the extent to which biological sex and social determinants of health (SDoH), particularly social capital, contribute to or modify the associations between RARs and physical frailty remains underexplored.

Therefore, this dissertation summarizes the existing literature on age-related changes in …

Impact Of Tactical Breathing On Marksmanship And Cognitive Function After Anaerobic Fatigue In Law Enforcement Personnel, Jackson D. Gilleland

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Tactical breathing is commonly used in law enforcement training to regulate stress, yet limited evidence exists regarding its acute effectiveness following physical fatigue. Purpose: To examine whether a brief tactical breathing intervention improves shooting performance and heart rate variability (HRV) following anaerobic fatigue in law enforcement officers. Methods: Thirty-eight officers completed baseline HR/HRV and a shoot/no-shoot scenario, followed by a maximal 500-m row and post-fatigue shooting. Participants were assigned to either a control group or a tactical breathing group, which received brief instruction and coaching before post-testing. Results: No significant between-group differences were observed for A-zone accuracy, shot time, …

Examining Firefighter Perceptions Of Stress And Recovery Across A Shift And Engagement In Recovery Activities, Nathan T. Ebersole

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The occupational demands of firefighting, such as fire suppression and rescue tasks, working in hazardous conditions, inconsistent sleep patterns, and exposure to traumatic events, can lead to work-related injuries, burnout, and feelings of isolation. To date, there is limited research on the impact of a single work-shift on firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery and the recovery activities that may influence these perceptions. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a single work-shift on firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery status as well as the recovery activities firefighters choose to engage in. Forty-three firefighters across …

Joint Associations Of Meditation And Physical Activity With Depression And Anxiety Symptoms In Us Adults: Nhis 2022, Yubing Wang

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Objectives

Physical activity and meditation may each relate to mental health, but their joint associations in U.S. adults are unclear. We examined the separate and joint associations of any past-year meditation and meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines with depression and anxiety symptoms.

Method

We analyzed data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult file (n = 24,927). Exposures were meeting PA guidelines, any past-year meditation, and their four-level combination (Neither, PA only, Meditation only, Both). Outcomes were moderate-to-severe depressive and anxiety symptoms (PHQ-8/GAD-7 >= 10). Survey-weighted modified Poisson models estimated prevalence ratios (PRs), with interaction, sensitivity, and post …

Organized Sports-Based Interventions And Motor Outcomes In Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review, Kailash Ram, Maeren Hill, Caitlyn Stewart, Kaitlin P. Hardy Md, Sonia Khurana

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Aim

To evaluate the effectiveness of organized sports-based interventions on motor outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Method

Four databases were searched from inception to November 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials (NRCTs) reporting motor outcomes of organized sports-based interventions in children with ASD. Risk of bias was evaluated using ROB-2 (Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, Version Two) for RCTs and ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions) for NRCTs.

Results

Eleven studies (six RCTs, five NRCTs) were included and categorized as martial arts (n = 5), aquatic training (n = …

Injury To Insight: Exploring The Influence Of Media On Acl Rehabilitation Experiences Of Female Soccer Players, Chynna Ho-Young Cadogan, Jill Tracey

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Participation in soccer inherently carries a risk of injury, with female athletes facing a significantly higher susceptibility to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (Campbell et al., 2014; Le et al., 2025; Silvers-Granelli, 2021). The increasing participation in women’s soccer, coupled with the growing demand for its consumption through spectatorship, has contributed to a rise in ACL injuries, and increase in media coverage on this phenomenon (Parsons et al., 2021). Understanding how media narratives surrounding ACL injuries and recovery may influence rehabilitation experiences can educate coaches, mental performance consultants, athletic therapists, and female soccer players to better understand and navigate ACL …

Does Motor Skill Competence Influence Physical Activity Behavior? Focusing On Sport-Specific Skills, Yubing Wang, Yaogang Han, Pan Li, Bin Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The purpose of this study was to investigate the widely held belief that motor skill competence positively affects physical activity behavior (PA), considering the task-specific nature of motor skill competence and the context-specific nature of PA. Specifically, we examined the effects of students’ jump rope (JR) and basketball (BB) competence on their PA in six contexts. A total of 134 sixth grade students participated in this study. All variables were assessed using appropriate tools. A series of hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to address the research questions. Students’ JR competence did not significantly influence their PA in either JR-related or …

Managing User Conflicts In A Water Aerobics Program On Behalf Of A Veteran’S Group: A Short Case Study, Hadley Blankenship, Steven N. Waller Ph.D., Jason L. Scott

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This article captures an experience in conflict management that happened during the summer of 2024 as a recreational therapy intern with an adaptive sport and recreation organization located in the Southeastern United States. The backdrop to the case is that a recreational therapy intern worked with various special needs populations – mainly with paraplegic (adult and youth) athletes and veterans. In many organizations, user conflicts and poor communication regarding service provision and scheduling hinder the implementation of programs for special populations, such as veteran groups. In this case, a problem occurred with the scheduling of a water aerobics program for …

Curbing Fatal And Non-Fatal Drowning Deaths: An Effort To Reach Under-Resourced Children In Baltimore, Maryland, Ashton P. Christo, William D. Ramos

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning remains a significant public health problem in the United States, with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting approximately 4,000 drowning deaths annually. Children aged 1-4 face the highest risk, and African American children are disproportionately affected–7.6 times more likely to drown than white children (CDC, 2024). In a city on the East Coast that is predominantly African American, limited access to swimming lessons heightens the risk. To reduce drowning rates, a collaborative swimming program was established between a city high school and a public school enrichment program. The initiative provided essential water safety and swimming skills …

Diversity In Aquatics:4th Special Issue, Tiffany M. Quash Ph.D., Angela K. Beale-Tawfeeq, Steven N. Waller Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The theme of this special issue is “Building a Community of Champions.” The purpose of this theme is to highlight and promote a civic engagement perspective that engages, advocates, and supports communities of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) in addressing the national, regional, and local evolving health-related issue of drowning. Aquatic Settings have been a pivotal focal point of social justice, water safety, and public health, not only in the past but also in our present day (Beale-Tawfeeq, Quash, et al, 2023 and Waller and Bemiller, 2023). Diversity In Aquatics (DIA) strives to positively impact the field of aquatics …

If We Tear It Down, We Might Build You A New One: The Troublesome Use Of Eminent Domain And Urban Neighborhood Swimming Pools, Steven N. Waller Ph.D., James H. Bemiller

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Public swimming pools are a vital part of America’s recreation and sport culture since the early 1900’s. Municipal swimming pools were initially built to provide recreation and hygiene to urban communities, regardless of race or class. However, a complex history of segregation, civil unrest, suburbanization, and funding challenges has resulted in a significant decline in public pools, depriving many communities of vital recreational spaces. In many communities, options for sustaining the operation of swimming pools have resulted in pool closures. Unfortunately, once swimming pools close, especially those in aging neighborhoods in central city areas, they are seldom resurrected. They quickly …

Teaching Swimming To Children With Disabilities: A Qualitative Analysis Of Swim Instructorstea, Stephanie S. Garcia-Hidalgo, Martin E. Block

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

When teaching children with disabilities, swim instructors need to be able to assess the unique strengths and needs of each child to determine modifications needed to instruction, equipment, and the setting and then be flexible enough to make changes in real-time to ensure success for the child. Unfortunately, many swim instructors only work seasonally and have the occasional child with a disability, and as a result are likely to have limited training and experiences with children with disabilities. The purpose of this pilot qualitative study is to examine backgrounds, training, and experiences of six swim instructors who work with children …

Promising Practices For Increasing The Number Of Equity-Owed Lifeguards In Canada And The United States Of America, Sofia Pantano, Audrey R. Giles

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Currently a shortage of lifeguards exists in Canada and the United States (US) (Frommer, 2023; Santucci, 2024), and those who are working as lifeguards often do not reflect the diversity of the communities they serve (Martinez, 2020). Increasing the number of lifeguards from equity-owed groups is a potential way of increasing the lifeguard workforce and decreasing the shortage of workers in these important roles, as well as a moral imperative. In this paper I explore challenges to and promising practices aimed at increasing the representation of members equity-owed groups in lifeguarding. I begin with an overview of lifeguarding in Canada …

Adopting Stuart Hall’S “Race, The Floating Signifier” As A Conceptual Framework Within Aquatic Research And Education, Kurt J. Cordice

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

During his 1997 lecture at Goldsmiths College in London, Stuart Hall, renowned for his contributions to sociology and cultural studies, offered his argument that the concept of race functions as a Floating Signifier. In this essay, Stuart Hall’s Race, the Floating Signifier is presented as a strong conceptual framework to support more accurate and effective positioning of race as an important consideration within aquatic research and education. Evidence from a range of disciplines, including historical research, is presented to establish both the importance and challenge of race within aquatic research and education. This evidence is also used to demonstrate …

Building Swimming Skills In A Community Based Program For Black Youth: An Evaluation, Tyler Lennon Md, Mph, Ashley Hayes Mph, Leonardo Barrera Mph, Amy Hill Ms, Mph, Andy Miner, Michelle Macy Md, Ms

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Black youth in the United States disproportionately experience fatal drowning at rates up to five times higher than their white peers. Eliminating these inequities requires new approaches that address historical and structural barriers of learning to swim. The objective of this study was to evaluate the three-week long swimming component of a community-based discovery program to empower Black youth in Evanston, IL. Participants were Black youth ages 8-10 years enrolled in summer 2023 and 2024. Swim skills were assessed by instructors using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Water Competence (PSPWC). Caregiver surveys, collected post-intervention, also assessed perceived changes in swim …

An Innovative Approach Addressing Childhood Drowning: Making Use Of Collegiate Aquatic Facilities And Expertise, Gennette Cordova, Natasha Lloyd, Chezik Tsunoda

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The silent epidemic of childhood drowning, and the racial disparities associated with it require scalable and innovative approaches that both break cycles of exclusion and circumvent our societal tendency to overlook drowning as a matter in need of urgent resolution. No More Under, a Seattle-based water safety organization whose mission is to eradicate childhood drowning, has launched the Swim Safely Series. The series is a national program uniquely poised to overcome the various barriers associated with racial and socioeconomic drowning disparities by tapping into underutilized collegiate aquatic spaces and merging water safety with mentorship and social intervention.

An Examination Of The Experiences Of An African American Male Diver On A Power Four Swim Team: An Elite Interview, Steven N. Waller Ph.D., Tiffany M. Quash Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Despite the incremental increase in the number of Black people who are learning to swim, the number of Black divers has not kept pace. In the NCAA Database, swimmers and divers were not segmented; thus, they all appear in the category of “swimming” by race and sex. When viewing the 2024 Division I NCAA Demographics Database, 89 (.02%) of 4307 student-athletes participating in swimming were Black women. For men, the data is equally dismal, revealing that 81 (.03%) of 2,608 student-athletes who were identified as swimmers were Black. The purpose of this research note is to examine the developmental experiences …

Impression Motivations And Mental Health In Collegiate Athletes And Musicians: The Benefits Of Promoting Virtues, Mary L. Inman, Olufemi A. Oluyedun, Erin Moran, Brendyn Mroz, Madison Mccreery

Faculty Publications

This study identifies two key impression-management motivations that arise in public settings: promoting virtues and preventing harm to one’s image. We explored their impact on mental health—specifically, socially-based perfectionism and depressive symptoms. Drawing from regulatory-focus theory, we predicted promotion motivations would predict strong mental health, prevention motivations would predict poor mental health, and promotion motivations would buffer against the negative effects of prevention motivations. Collegiate athletes and musicians (N = 262) completed validated measures of impression motivation, perfectionism, and depressive symptoms. Results revealed that athletes reported lower levels of perfectionism and depressive symptoms than did musicians. Across both groups, …

P.L.A.Y. For All Pilot: Effects Of A Community-Based, Inclusive After-School Program On Physical Activity And Motor-Skill Outcomes, Allison R. Tsuchida, Karl-Richard Hennebach, Erin E. Centeio

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

After-school programs for physical activity (PA) can contribute to helping children and youth achieve the suggested 60 minutes a day of PA. Previous research also suggests that developing motor competency can positively impact long-term PA participation. Additionally, parent and peer support can help children and youth overcome barriers to PA participation. The primary purpose of this pilot research study was to determine the effects of an inclusive after-school program on PA levels and motor-skill outcomes for children with and without disabilities. A secondary purpose was to examine parental support for physical activity and children’s physical activity and motor skills. 38 …

Demographic Characteristics And Selected Personality Traits Of Women In Competitive Bodybuilding, Chloe A. Zeeuw

Master's Theses

This study investigated demographic characteristics and measures of personality (dimensions of performance perfectionism and five-factor model characteristics) in women in competitive bodybuilding between 18-25 years old. A total of 24 women completed an online survey which included a demographic questionnaire, the Five Factor Model Rating Form (FFMRF), and the Performance Perfectionism Scale for Sport (PPSS) inventories. Descriptive results for the FFMRF were Openness (18.17±3.12), Conscientiousness (25.58±3.33), Extraversion (19.96±3.46), Agreeableness (19.88±4.58), and Neuroticism (15.67±4.94), and for the PPS-S were Self-oriented performance perfectionism (20.96±3.53), Socially prescribed performance perfectionism (13.96±4.26), and Other-oriented performance perfectionism (10.54±4.23). Pearson’s correlation coefficients and Shapiro-Wilk tests revealed that …

Navigating Transportation Barriers: Older Adults’ Familiarity With New Mobility Options And Perceptions Toward Autonomous Vehicles In Arkansas, Arna Nishita Nithila, Suman Kumar Mitra, Michelle Gray, Alishia Juanelle Ferguson, Jennifer D. Webb

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The objective of this study is to analyze older adults’ familiarity with new transportation options (ride-hailing services, bike-share services, and shared e-scooter services) and their perception towards autonomous vehicles (fully autonomous cars), as well as how transportation barriers influence their familiarity and perceptions, in Arkansas, a predominantly rural state. Data from 775 older adults aged 60 years or older were collected between October 2021 and October 2022. To fulfill the study objective, the study used Latent Class Cluster Analysis to segment older adults into classes based on their familiarity with new transportation options and their perceptions of autonomous vehicles. The …

Addressing Head Injuries In High School Football: An Assessment Of Best Practices And Challenges In The Area Of Concussions As Held By New Mexico Activities Association High School Varsity Football Head Coaches And Athletic Directors, Alonzo Maestas

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Youth sports participation in the United States offers children and adolescents opportunities for physical activity, skill development, social interaction, and personal achievement. However, with sports comes the risk of injury, including concussions. Concussions can have serious long-term consequences such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). In response to the risks of concussions, New Mexico enacted a concussion law, NM Stat 22-13-31. In addition to this law, the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) and National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS) have also given guidance on how to manage concussions.

However, there is a gap in the literature concerning concussion education, best …

Evaluation Of Physical, Mental, And Mechanical Aspects Of An Extreme Military Training Event: A Continuous Monitoring Approach, Tirthankar Chatterjee, Debojyoti Bhattacharyya, Roshani Meena

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

Soldiers receive extensive training at extremes of environments and simulated terrains to improve their battle efficiency. A study was designed to evaluate the actual cost of a military physical efficiency test consisting of several physically engaging activities to quantify physiological, mechanical, and subjective demands. Sixteen Indian soldiers participated in a military training session consisting of events such as a 5-km run, 4-m vertical rope climbing, a 2.75-m jump, a 60-m dash, and a 9-m horizontal rope climbing with 6.5 kg of equipment in a hot dry environment. Their physiological status was monitored continuously. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load …

Differences In Children’S Food And Beverage Consumption Between School And Summer: Three-Year Findings From The What’S Up (Undermining Prevention) With Summer Observational Cohort Study, Michael Beets Med, Mph, Phd, Sarah Burkart, Christopher D. Pfledderer, Elizabeth L. Adams Phd, Robert Weaver Med, Phd, Bridget Armstrong, Keith Brazendale, Xuanxuan Zhu, Alexander Mclain, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy Ph.D., Rd, Russell R. Pate, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Amanda Fairchild, Brian Saelens, Hannah Parker, Amy L. Yaroch, Emily Eglitis, Anthony J. Holmes

Faculty Publications

Background

Summer vacation is a time when youth gain excessive weight. A key driver of unhealthy weight gain is poor dietary quality. The absence of consistent structure (e.g., school), is hypothesized to be one of the reasons for lower diet quality during summer. This study examined differences in school and summer dietary quality among a diverse cohort of children across three years. We also examined the impact of attending structured programs on children’s diets.

Methods

Parents of 1,032 children (age 5–14 years, 48% girls) completed a time use diary each day for 14-days during school (April/May) and again in summer …

Blood Flow Occlusion Superimposed On Low-Volume, Low-Intensity Knee Extensions Does Not Evoke Hypoalgesia: A Pilot Study, Sophie-Jayne Morgan, Jenny Zhang, Neil Lemay, Neda Khaledi, Saied J. Aboodarda

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 6: Issue 1, Article 9, 2025. Exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) is a transient decrease in pain perception that can be observed following various tasks, including low-intensity and high-intensity exercise. The application of blood flow occlusion (BFO) can help enhance exercise adaptations while being able to exercise at a low intensity, which has important implications for clinical and rehabilitative settings. Through descending inhibitory pathways, BFO-induced pain can potentially alleviate exercise-induced pain. This study aimed to assess whether the superimposition of BFO – and its associated augmented perceived responses – during low-intensity, low-volume resistance exercise could …