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Coach education notes the importance of effective transitions between life and sport, yet research evidence supporting coaches to make such transitions is lacking. The present study used a mixed-methods design to explore 41 highly qualified coaches’ perceptions of how responsibilities in life beyond sport spill over to coaching practice. Additionally, we examined coaches’ transitions between roles in life and sport and the implications for their health and coaching practice. Coaches completed questionnaires measuring perceived stress and emotion regulation, and a writing task about how roles outside of sport impacted their coaching practice. Linguistic analyses using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software revealed that coaches with lower levels of perceived stress expressed more positive emotions when writing about the influence of life commitments on their coaching practice. The findings also suggest that coaches’ perceptions of the coaching process can be both positively and negatively influenced by life commitments spilling over into sport. Further, coaches reported challenges with the process of undertaking micro role transitions and highlighted implications for their mental health, coaching effectiveness, and relationships in both sport and life. Integrating organizational and sport psychology research, we offer guidance to optimize coaches’ transitions between roles to promote health and optimal performance.

Strategic self-talk is a powerful mental skill that athletes can use to self-regulate the effects of pressure and enhance task performance. Multistates (MuSt) theory considers the combination of emotion- and action-centered self-regulation to be the most effective strategy to optimize athletes’ performance and subjective experience. The aim of this study was to test the tenets of MuSt theory on a pressurized performance task, involving male junior football players (N = 20, Mage = 18.6) competing at the elite level in Finland. The task tested the players’ passing abilities over six trials while they applied different self-talk strategies in attempts to improve passing performance. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of strategic self-talk as a form of self-regulation. Specifically, the combination of emotion- and action-centered cue words proved to be the optimal strategy for coping with the demands of the task. The study findings have relevant practical implications for players, coaches, and practitioners.

Introduction: Previous research has not explored features and behavior change techniques (BCTs) in physical activity (PA) promotion interventions among adolescents, including mobile health (mHealth) applications.

Purpose: This study aims to conduct a narrative literature review of adolescent PA promotion apps, examining their theoretical foundations, key BCTs, primary features, and their influence on PA adherence and maintenance. Methods: The review includes peer-reviewed studies published from 2012 to December 2024, employing qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Included studies examined healthy adolescents, focusing on PA app features and their relationship to PA promotion.

Results: A total of twenty-one studies were analyzed: ten reviews, eight qualitative studies, and three app quality assessments. Findings indicate that mHealth tools and wearable trackers yield variable impacts on PA engagement.

Conclusion: Future research must adopt higher methodological standards. Comparative studies on PA interventions require caution due to limitations such as insufficient research, inadequate compliance assessment tools, potential biases, and the absence of randomized controlled trials. The inconsistent outcomes from current intervention studies highlight the necessity for developing PA programs guided by intervention mapping or the Behavior Change Wheel, emphasizing high-quality methodologies tailored to specific target demographics.

In attempts to better understand factors that contribute to the initiation and continuation of exercise behavior, increasing research attention has focused on the pivotal role of affective responses to exercise. To further explore this topic, this study examined anticipated and remembered affective responses in a self-paced moderate-intensity running protocol with healthy adults. Participants (N = 25; 13 females; M_age = 29.2; SD = 4.34 years) performed two trials of 20 min running at a self-determined moderate intensity on a treadmill. The trials were performed 48 hr apart, and measures of anticipated affective response and remembered affect were collected prior to and after each trial. The findings indicated that participants generally anticipated a pleasant response to the moderate-intensity running activity. Anticipated affective responses recorded immediately prior to commencing running were lower than anticipated affect measured 24 hr in advance. Additionally, participants remembered their exerciserelated affect to be pleasant, although it fluctuated over time and declined during a period that extended to 48 hr postexercise. Mounting evidence suggests that training programs aiming to promote the sustainability of exercise behavior can benefit from considering temporal fluctuations of affective responses when developing exercise prescription, supervision, and maintenance.

Purpose: This study explores how children and adolescents perceive physical activity (PA) and PA apps. We aim to understand their perceptions, past experiences, and expectations of PA and PA apps.

Methods: Participants (N=39) aged 11-15 from five European countries: Netherlands (NL), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Spain (ES), and Sweden (SWE) participated in the study. They provided insight regarding Behaviour Chance Techniques (BCTs) that enhance app engagement.

Results: The results offer valuable insights for creating fun and engaging adolescent PA apps that meet diverse user preferences. They also provide invaluable guidance for designing PA apps that boost adolescents' enjoyment, fun, and engagement while considering a broad spectrum of user preferences. Key BCTs identified as significantly impacting app engagement included self-monitoring, rewards, feedback, social support, action planning, and reminders - preferences and suggestions varied by gender, age, and PA levels.

Conclusions: Findings in the present study inform the MOVE4FUN project that contributes to understanding how BCTs promote sustained PA in adolescents. It underscores the pivotal role of personalised app design and a supportive climate in fulfilling individual needs and intrinsic goals. These insights contribute significantly to developing educational tools that encourage regular PA and nurture the holistic development of physically educated citizens.

Recent reports on children and adolescents' physical activity indicate that approximately 80% do not meet the World Health Organisation's recommended levels of physical activity. Childhood is a critical period of development; as such, it is important to prioritize health promotion in this phase of one's life. Use of gamification in mobile apps has been shown to positively influence physical activity levels in children and adolescents. Inclusion of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) has been noted to increase the effect of health promoting interventions. Previous research highlights that children and adolescents find the BCTs of goal setting/planning, feedback, reward, self-monitoring, social comparison, and social support to be of interest. The aim of this study was to explore Swedish adolescents' experience with physical activity and apps with a focus on the influence of BCTs. Three focus group interviews were undertaken with a total of 18 participants (11-15 years of age). The data were explored using reflective thematic analysis. In addition to the BCTs identified in previous research, participants in the present study indicated they were positive about mobile apps providing instruction on how to perform a behaviour, demonstration of the behaviour, and the influence of removal of reward. Other attractive features of physical activities apps included developing a streak, competition, and provision of an adequate level of challenge. The present study contributes to a deeper understanding of how BCTs and other features can be implemented in physical activity apps, where individualization and renewal appear to be more important than the actual content features. These findings are important for future work to create interventions that increase the level of physical activity among adolescents both in Sweden and other countries.

Purpose: To examine associations between time perspective and health promotion behaviors of physical activity and weight management.

Design: Quantitative cross-sectional.

Setting: This study is part of the Betula project on aging, memory, and dementia in Northern Sweden.

Subjects: 417 older adults aged between 55 and 85 years.

Measures: Swedish-Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory; Physical Activity in the past year, past week, and in comparison with others of similar age; Weight Management = Body Mass Index (BMI; kg/m²).

Results: After controlling for age, sex, and years of education, hierarchical linear regression indicated a Balanced Time Perspective was significantly associated with more physical activity in the past year (P =.04), the past week (P <.001), and in comparison with others (P <.01). Past Negative time perspective was associated with less physical activity in the past year (P =.03), and in comparison with others (P =.03). Present Fatalistic was associated with less physical activity during the past week (P =.03), and in comparison with others (P =.01). Present Hedonistic was associated with more physical activity the past week (P =.03), and in comparison with others (P =.03). Past Negative was associated with higher BMI (P =.02), and Future Negative were associated with lower BMI (P =.01). Taken collectively, greater positivity and flexibility across time perspectives was associated with more physical activity, whereas negative oriented time perspectives related with less physical activity and poorer weight management.

Conclusion: Time perspective can be associated with health behaviors in older adults and have implications for health across the lifespan. Health promotion interventions may target older adults’ enjoyment of exercise and weight management in the present, rather than highlight potential negative health outcomes in the future. 

The aim of the study was to examine the influence of smartphone use on time perception during exercise. Twenty-four physically active participants (16 females, MVO2max = 43.0 ml/kg/min; 8 males, MVO2max = 56.9 ml/kg/min; Mage = 24.40, SD = 4.35) completed an experimental study comprised of randomized conditions alternating between cycling at a hard intensity and seated rest, whilst their smartphone was: a) used to view ‘Tik Tok’ videos; b) present but not viewed; or c) out of sight. In each condition participants were asked to verbally produce a target amount of time (i.e., 37s) during the trial and upon its completion estimate the duration of the trial (i.e., 330s). Repeated measures ANOVAs indicated smartphones significantly affected participants’ perception of time during and following intervals of cycling and rest. Bonferroni corrected post hoc tests showed that the time production during cycling viewing was significantly shorter when watching videos compared to when the phone was present but not viewed (Mdiff = −6.19, p = .012), 95% CI [−11.2, −1.17], as well as when the phone was out of sight (Mdiff = −4.65, p = .022), 95% CI, [−8.72, −.575]. Following each condition participants estimated the duration of the trial was less time than actual chronometric time, a significant effect of the smartphone conditions was observed F(2, 44) = 7.10, p = .002, ηp2 = .24, although not of physical activity F(1, 23) = 3.33, p = .08, ηp2 = .13. Participants were more accurate in estimating the duration of the trial when they viewed videos on their smartphone. The results of the present study suggest that viewing videos on a smartphone can induce participants to perceive time passing more quickly during exercise, and upon completion of the physical activity judge the duration of exercise to be less than reality.

Current research on physical activity among adolescents reveals that approximately 80% do not meet the recommended levels set by the World Health Organization. Recognizing childhood as a crucial developmental phase, it becomes imperative to prioritize health promotion during this period of the lifespan. Studies suggest that integrating gamification into mobile apps has a positive impact on adolescents’ physical activity levels. Furthermore, the incorporation of behavior change techniques (BCTs) has been recognized as a means to enhance the effectiveness of health-promoting interventions. Previous research indicates adolescents’ interest in BCTs such as goal setting/planning, feedback, reward, self-monitoring, social comparison, and social support. The objective of this particular study was to investigate the experiences of Swedish adolescents regarding physical activity and apps, with a specific focus on the influence of BCTs. The study involved three focus group interviews with a total of 18 participants aged 11–15 years. Data analysis was conducted using reflective thematic analysis. Participants in the study expressed positivity towards mobile apps that provide instructions, demonstrate behaviors, and explore the impact of removing rewards. Additionally, other appealing features of physical activity apps included the development of streaks, competition, and the provision of an appropriate level of challenge. This study significantly contributes to a deeper understanding of how BCTs and other features can be integrated into physical activity apps. It emphasizes that individualization and renewal may hold greater importance than the actual content features. These findings are pivotal for future efforts to develop interventions aimed at increasing physical activity levels among adolescents, not only in Sweden but also on a broader scale.

Objective: There are few methods that focus on therapists' experiences of supervision. To facilitate the development of psychologist students, a supervisee-centred supervision, based on deliberate practice, feedback informed treatment and self-compassion, was introduced.

Methods: This study examines six supervisees’ experiences of a supervisee-centred supervision. A semi- structured interview was used for the collection of the data, which identified two main themes: Learning and Development and five associated sub-themes: structure and purposesfulness, prerequisites, experience-based learning, therapeutic skills and personal development.

Conclusion: The experience- and feedback-based approach was perceived as efficient, structured and goal oriented. This created high-focused activity and participation, a strong group dynamic and a good alliance with the supervisors, providing a good climate for learning and development. Focusing on performance and feedback was perceived as a potential obstacle that could create stress and anxiety.