Other Kinesiology Commons^™

The Nature Of Informal Roles In Interdependent Sport Teams, Jeemin Kim

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The degree to which athletes understand and execute their formal role responsibilities (i.e., prescribed by coaches) is important for individual and group functioning (Eys, Schinke, Surya, & Benson, 2014). Recent literature suggested that informal roles can emerge within sport teams more naturally without coaches’ explicit assignments (e.g., team comedians, distracters), and have significant influences on team functioning (Cope, Eys, Beauchamp, Schinke, & Bosselut, 2011). This doctoral dissertation examined the nature of informal roles within interdependent sport teams, focusing on their antecedents and outcomes. Three separate projects were conducted. Project One examined athletes’ personality in the big five dimensions (McCrae & …

A Qualitative Investigation Into The Influence Of A Mental Health Physical Activity Intervention On University Students, Heather M. Tunks

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Objective

Among the university student population, mental illnesses are highly prevalent. Adults aged 20-30 years have the highest rates of mood and anxiety disorders than any other age group, with approximately 12.0% diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and 7.0 to 9.0% experiencing clinical depression (Nunes et al., 2014; Pedrelli, Nyer, Yeung, Zulauf, & Wilens, 2015). Reducing or preventing the effects of mental illness among this population may have lifelong implications including improvements in coping and management of mental illness throughout the lifespan(Jaworska, DeSomma, Fonseka, Heck, & MacQueen, 2016). This research examines the lived experiences of volunteers and participants in a …

Fall Reading Week: Exploring The Effects On Student Well-Being, Roobina Medhizadah

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Mental health is a concerning issue in post-secondary institutions across Ontario. Post-secondary students are challenged with many stressors such as time management and living independently for the first time (Wagner & Rhee, 2013). In an attempt to help students, maintain or improve their mental health, universities across Ontario have implemented fall reading week, a mid-semester break (Poole et al., 2017). Previous studies (Cramer & Pschibul, 2017; Poole et al., 2017) provided mixed results in whether fall reading week positively influences student mental health and well-being. To date, few studies have explored the influence of fall reading week on student health …

Exploring Psychological Readiness To Return To Sport After Injury, Scott Donald

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Athletes are often cleared to return to sport with little emphasis on psychological readiness in relation to physical readiness. This is important because athletes who are not psychologically ready to return to sport (RTS), despite being physically cleared, may lack motivation to compete and lack confidence in their abilities (Podlog, Banham, Wadey, & Hannon, 2015), drop out of sport, fear re-injury (Ardern et al., 2014), worry about future performance (Podlog & Eklund, 2006), experience anxiety and feel depressed (Tracey, 2003) or incur further injury (McCullough et al., 2012). Remarkably, there is no definition of psychological readiness consistently used in the …

Spinal Motor Neuron Excitability During Fatigue, Nathalie Cecire

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fatigue during sustained or repeated muscular contractions can be from contractile failure within the muscle or reduced excitability in the supraspinal and spinal motor neurons. However, spinal motor neurons can also compensate for fatigue. We speculate that one way the spinal motor neuron compensates for fatigue is through an increase in excitability via the activation of persistent inward currents (PIC). In other conditions where there is a reduction in descending drive, such as during spinal cord injury and aging, there are adaptions of the spinal motor neurons to have elevated PIC amplitudes or towards a greater prevalence of PIC, respectively. …

Exploring The Relationship Between Group Cohesion And Compassion In Varsity Athletes, Theo Chu

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Compassion is a prosocial behaviour characterized by kindness and a non-judgmental attitude to reduce one’s suffering. Typically, it is thought of as a behaviour we express outwardly to others, but compassion can also be directed internally toward ourselves. This is known as self-compassion. The benefits of having compassion for other people have been largely studied in employment settings and everyday life behaviours. Moreover, research has shown self-compassion is also related to many positive outcomes. Compared to compassion for others, self-compassion has been studied in sport, however it is still in its infancy. Although research has demonstrated the importance of both …

Sedentary Behaviour, Physical Activity, And Mobile Apps Among University Students, Emily E. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Prolonged sedentary behaviour (SB) poses health risks independent of physical activity (PA) levels (Owen et al., 2010). University students in particular are at risk of engaging in prolonged SB due to the demands of school. Due to the pervasiveness of smartphones, and ability of mobile applications (apps) to target SB (Bond et al., 2014), apps may be used to encourage less SB in this population. Apps for PA have been coded for behaviour change techniques (BCTs) (Conroy et al., 2014; Middelweerd et al., 2014; Yang et al., 2015), however, apps for SB have yet to be assessed for BCTs.

The …

The Bigger Picture: Piecing Together The Experiences Of Family Members Living With High-Functioning Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lauren Thomson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of family members living with a child with ASD. The specific research questions that were addressed included: 1. How is a family member affected by having a child with ASD in the family unit; and 2. How does living with a child with ASD affect family functioning? The theoretical orientation of phenomenology was used to guide this research and to allow the “voice” of family members of children with ASD to be heard. The purpose of phenomenology is to distill individuals’ experiences with a phenomenon down to an “essence” of …

Dancing With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mixed Methods Investigation, Nicole Reinders

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in children today, affecting an estimated 1 in 150 to 1 in 160 children in Canada (Health Canada, 2013). Children with ASD have reduced communication skills as well as restrictive and repetitive behaviours and interests (APA, 2014). Unfortunately there are few recreational activities available for the autistic population. Past research has shown dance/movement therapy to be beneficial for children on the spectrum, but there is a dearth of literature regarding recreational dance. Dance is a form of physical activity that fosters skill development, provides social opportunities, and can be …

An Exploratory Examination Of Families Engaged In An Adventure Running Kids Program, Heather Isnor

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Academics and practitioners have only just begun to delve into the health benefits of outdoor activities in the last few years. In general, the forested settings of these activities have been documented to decrease stress levels, increase recovery rates from disease, and lessen the symptoms of mental illnesses (Kuo & Faber Taylor, 2004). It is believed that the natural environment acts as a setting where humans can engage in physical activity, aesthetic experiences, and social interactions that, in turn, release stress and lead to improved well-being (Bird, 2012). Currently, however, children are experiencing limited exposure to nature and which has …

The Lived Experiences Of Adult Siblings Of Individuals With Asd, Brianne Redquest

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are the most prevalent neurological and severe developmental disorder affecting 1 in 88 Canadians, reflecting a 78% increase over the last 6 years (Autism Speaks Canada, 2013). ASD is a lifelong disorder which requires a tremendous amount of support and caregiving from family members. As a result, siblings may have unique experiences associated with having a sibling with ASD. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of adult siblings of individuals with ASD. The study employed a qualitative methodology, more specifically phenomenology (Patton, 2002). One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with …

Quantifying Cognitive Function In Concussed Athletes Before And After Acute Exercise Using A Choice Reaction Time Task, Stephanie A. Ramautar M.Sc., Michael E. Cinelli Ph.D.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Following a concussion, cognitive deficits have been shown to last longer than symptom resolution. Currently clinicians rely heavily on symptom emergence following the fundamental exercises of the return to play (RTP) protocol, which may leave athletes at risk of returning to play too early if cognitive deficits have not been detected. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of exercise on choice reaction time (CRT) both at rest and following an acute exercise in 3 populations: non-concussed (NC), recently concussed (RC), and post-concussion syndrome (PCS) individuals. A CRT task in the form of an iPad application measured …