Catherine M. Sabiston

Longitudinal Assessment of the Relationship Between Physical Self-Concept and Health-Related Behavior and Emotion in Adolescent Girls

This study investigated the changes in and the relationships among body mass index (BMI), global self-esteem, physical self-perceptions, social physique anxiety (SPA), physical activity, and dietary restraint in adolescent females over a 24-month period. Participants (N = 501) completed annual assessments in grade 9, 10, and 11. The results showed moderate covariance stability in all variables. There were several significant time effects (group mean change), with small increases in BMI, moderate decreases in physical activity, and very small changes over time in SPA and physical self-perceptions. Longitudinal analyses indicated that specific physical self-perceptions were important predictors of physical activity, dietary restraint and SPA; however, most of the variance was explained by previous year values. Evidence of bidirectional effects revealed that specific self-perceptions impact specific behaviors and SPA more so than the impact of behavior/emotion on self-perceptions. These results highlight the importance of understanding the physical self and its links to health-related behaviors and emotion in adolescents.

Social Physique Anxiety in Adolescence: An Exploration of Influences, Coping Strategies, and Health Behaviors.

This study explored adolescent females’ experiences of social physique anxiety (SPA) and related coping strategies. A final sample of 31 adolescent females ages 13 to 18 years discussed dealing with SPA during individual semistructured interviews. Resultant themes pertaining to the transactional experiences of SPA were coded using content analysis. There were 107 unique coping strategies reported, which were coded into 10 subthemes. The main coping categories included behavioral and cognitive avoidance, appearance management, diet, social support, physical activity, reappraisal, cognitive deflection and comparison to others, seeking sexual attention, and substance use. Informed by a stress and coping framework, it is evident that body-related thoughts and emotions are linked to various adolescent health behaviors.

Models of care for post-treatment follow-up of adult cancer survivors: a systematic review and quality appraisal of the evidence

PurposeThe impact of cancer and cancer treatment on the long-term health and quality of life of survivors is substantial, leading to questions about the most appropriate configuration of services and models of care for follow-up of post-primary treatment survivors.MethodsA systematic review and quality appraisal of the health literature for structure of services and models of follow-up care for post-treatment survivors was identified through a search of guideline sources and empirical databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and EBSCO from 1999 through December 2009.ResultsTen practice guidelines and nine randomized controlled trials comprised the evidence base for models of care for adult cancer survivors. Although the evidence base was rated as low quality, nurse-led and primary care physician models of follow-up care were equivalent for detecting recurrence. Consensus also suggests that cancer survivors may benefit from coordinated transition planning that includes the provision of survivorship care plans as part of standard care.ConclusionsRealignment of models of care is identified as a health system priority to meet the supportive care and surveillance needs of a burgeoning survivor population. Further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of models of care in a broader population of cancer survivors with differing needs and risks. While the evidence is limited, there is research that may be used to guide the configuration of health care services and planning.

The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory: an examination of the factor structure and invariance among breast cancer survivors

Objective: The present study tested the proposed five‐factor structure and invariance of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) in a sample of physically active breast cancer survivors.

Cohort Profile: The Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth Cohort

Departement de pediatrie, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Departement de medecine sociale et preventive, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l’Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Division of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada, Departement d’education physique, Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada, Departement de radiologie, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Office of Senior Medical Advisor, First Nations Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada, Vancouver, British-Columbia, Canada, Departement de kinesiologie, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Quebec, Canada, Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Quebec, Faculte de pharmacie, Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada and Institut national de sante publique du Quebec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Exploring the links between physical activity and posttraumatic growth in young adult cancer survivors.

Objective: Set within a posttraumatic growth (PTG) framework, the purpose of this investigation was to explore social support and enduring distress as predictors of psychological growth. The moderating role of physical activity was also examined.

Exploring Links to Unorganized and Organized Physical Activity during Adolescence: The Role of Gender, Socioeconomic Status, Weight Status, and Enjoyment of Physical Education.

Abstract There is limited research on participation context in studies of physical activity correlates during adolescence. Using an ecological approach, this study explored the association of gender, socioeconomic status (SES), weight status, and physical education enjoyment with participation in organized and unorganized physical activity contexts in a representative sample of Canadian adolescents. Drawing on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (Cycle 3), we conducted multiple logistic regression analyses to model the associations among the variables of interest. Girls participated less frequently in unorganized physical activities than boys (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] ranging from 0.57 to 0.65, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] range: 0.46–0.72 to 0.52–0.81). Adolescents in the middle and high SES categories participated more in organized physical activity than their peers in the low SES category (AOR = 1.40–1.87, CI = 1.06–1.84 to 1.41–2.47). Obese adolescents were generally less active than their overweight and normal weight counterparts, particularly in unorganized physical activity contexts (AOR = 0.63–0.66, CI = 0.43–0.92 to 0.44–0.99). Physical education enjoyment was consistently correlated with participation in organized and unorganized physical activity when all variables were considered (AOR = 1.58–3.98, CI = 1.22–2.05 to 3.14–5.03).

The Autonomy Over Smoking Scale

Our goal was to create an instrument that can be used to study how smokers lose autonomy over smoking and regain it after quitting. The Autonomy Over Smoking Scale was produced through a process involving item generation, focus-group evaluation, testing in adults to winnow items, field testing with adults and adolescents, and head-to-head comparisons with other measures. The final 12-item scale shows excellent reliability (alphas = .91-.97), with a one-factor solution explaining 59% of the variance in adults and 61%-74% of the variance in adolescents. Concurrent validity was supported by associations with age of smoking initiation, lifetime use, smoking frequency, daily cigarette consumption, history of failed cessation, Hooked on Nicotine Checklist scores, and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (4th ed., text rev.; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) nicotine dependence criteria. Potentially useful features of this new instrument include (a) it assesses tobacco withdrawal, cue-induced craving, and psychological dependence on cigarettes; (b) it measures symptom intensity; and (c) it asks about current symptoms only, so it could be administered to quitting smokers to track the resolution of symptoms.

Predicting changes in posttraumatic growth and subjective well‐being among breast cancer survivors: the role of social support and stress

Social support is theoretically expected to be positively associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) and subjective well‐being, and stress is expected to be positively associated with PTG and negatively associated with subjective well‐being among breast cancer (BC) survivors. However, empirical evidence is mixed, predominantly cross‐sectional, and few studies have examined the unique effects of these predictors on positive changes in psychological experiences post cancer diagnosis and systemic treatment. This study examined both general and BC‐specific social support and stress as predictors of change in PTG and subjective well‐being among BC survivors.

Prevalence and Correlates of Exergaming in Youth

OBJECTIVES: Less than 15% of children and adolescents participate regularly in physical activity (PA) and, with ever-increasing obesity, strategies to improve PA levels in youth are urgently needed. Exergaming offers a PA alternative that may be especially attractive in our increasingly technophilic society. However, there are no observational studies of exergaming in population-based samples of adolescents. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential sociodemographic, lifestyle, psychosocial, weight-related, and mental health correlates of exergaming as well as describe the type, timing, and intensity of exergaming in a population-based sample of adolescents. METHODS: Data on exergame use and potential sociodemographic, lifestyle, psychosocial, weight-related, and mental health correlates of exergaming were collected in mailed self-report questionnaires completed by 1241 grade 10 and 11 students from the Montreal area with a mean age of 16.8 years (SD = 0.05 years; 43% male) participating in the AdoQuest study. The independent correlates of exergaming were identified in multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: Nearly one-quarter (24%) of participants reported exergaming. Exergamers played 2 days per week on average, for ∼50 minutes each bout; 73% of exergamers played at a moderate or vigorous intensity. Exergamers were more likely than nonexergamers to be girls, to play nonactive video games, to watch ≥2 hours of television per day, to be stressed about weight, and to be nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS: Many adolescents exergame at intensity levels that could help them achieve current moderate-to-vigorous PA recommendations. Interventions that encourage exergaming may increase PA and decrease sedentary behavior in select youth subgroups, notably in girls.