Melchor Gutiérrez

Implementation Fidelity of a Program Designed to Promote Personal and Social Responsibility Through Physical Education: A Comparative Case Study

Abstract The purpose of this qualitative comparative case study was to examine the implementation fidelity of a program designed to deliver the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model (Hellison, 2003) through physical education and its relationship with short-term outcomes for elementary school students. The research questions were: (a) was the program implemented with fidelity, and (b) did better fidelity yield better student outcomes. Thus, we conducted a study on the implementation process used by two teachers who delivered the same program in two physical education classes in two different elementary schools in Spain. Data sources included observations and interviews with teachers and nonparticipant observers. Findings indicated that fidelity of implementation in Case 1 was higher and most children in those classes acquired the first three of five TPSR responsibility levels. Implementation fidelity in Case 2 was weaker and achievement of responsibility goals was minimal (only the first of five levels) and less stable for those students. This study is the first to directly examine the connection between TPSR implementation fidelity and student outcomes.

Predicting life satisfaction of the Angolan elderly: A structural model

Satisfaction with life is of particular interest in the study of old age well-being because it has arisen as an important component of old age. A considerable amount of research has been done to explain life satisfaction in the elderly, and there is growing empirical evidence on best predictors of life satisfaction. This research evaluates the predictive power of some aging process variables, on Angolan elderly peoples life satisfaction, while including perceived health into the model. Data for this research come from a cross-sectional survey of elderly people living in the capital of Angola, Luanda. A total of 1003 Angolan elderly were surveyed on socio-demographic information, perceived health, active engagement, generativity, and life satisfaction. A Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes model was built to test variables’ predictive power on life satisfaction. The estimated theoretical model fitted the data well. The main predictors were those related to active engagement with others. Perceived health also had a significant and positive effect on life satisfaction. Several processes together may predict life satisfaction in the elderly population of Angola, and the variance accounted for it is large enough to be considered relevant. The key factor associated to life satisfaction seems to be active engagement with others.

Fortalezas, dificultades y aspectos susceptibles de mejora en la aplicación de un Programa de Responsabilidad Personal y Social en Educación Física. Una evaluación a partir de las percepciones de sus implementadores

Resumen Este artículo se centra en la implementation del Programa de Responsabilidad Personal y Social (PRPS) a través de las clases de Educación Física (EF) en cinco centros de Educación Primaria. Se ha realizado una utilization-focused evaluation dirigida a evaluar sus fortalezas, limitaciones y aspectos susceptibles de mejora. La obtención de datos se llevó a cabo mediante la realización de una doble entrevista semiestructurada y un grupo de discusión con los profesores que implementaron el PRPS. El trabajo concluye que los principales puntos fuertes del PRPS son su aplicabilidad al contexto escolar y la capacidad de promover su desarrollo profesional. Entre las limitaciones se señala la secuenciación temporal de su aplicación, las creencias de los alumnos respecto a la EF y sus dificultades para la reflexión y el diálogo. Por último, entre los aspectos susceptibles de mejora se hace alusión a la necesidad de implicar al conjunto de la comunidad educativa y al entorno familiar, así como la conveniencia de iniciar la aplicación del programa a edades más tempranas.

Motivación, comportamiento de los alumnos y rendimiento académico

Resumen En este trabajo se han analizado las relaciones entre el clima motivational, la motivación intrínseca, el comportamiento de los alumnos y su rendimiento académico en educación física. Para ello, 2189 adolescentes españoles de 13 a 17 años cumplimentaron cuestionarios sobre clima motivational de la clase, motivación intrínseca y disciplina. Sus profesores valoraron el comportamiento de los alumnos y su rendimiento académico. Un Modelo de Ecuaciones Estructurales ha mostrado que el clima de aprendizaje, el interés/diversión y el esfuerzo/importancia predicen la disciplina; el clima de comparación, la percepción de competencia y la tensión/presión predicen la indisciplina; el interés/diversión y el esfuerzo/importancia predicen el comportamiento en clase; y que el mejor predictor del rendimiento académico es la valoración que los profesores hacen del comportamiento de los alumnos. Se discuten los resultados en el marco de la teoría de metas de logro y en términos de aportación al proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de los adolescentes.

Predicting perceived health in Angolan elderly: The moderator effect of being oldest old

The objective of this study was to test the predicting effects of variables measuring social support, dependence/active perceptions, and generativity, on this facet of well-being when controlled for socio-demographic variables (age, gender, marital status, and institutionalization). The research tries to extend previous literature by assessing them in a multivariate context, studying differential effects of these variables in young old and oldest old, and offering evidence of the scarcely studied population of Angola. The sample was formed by 737 young old and 266 oldest old. It was built a hierarchical regression, in which, among the different predictors, interactions effects between age and the psychosocial factors were included. Results provide evidence of the qualitative different perceived health and well-being of the young old and oldest old. When predicting perceived health of the Angolan oldest old, psychosocial factors lose much of its importance, and age itself and the limitations that accompanied it seem to be the key point.

Factorial Validity of the General Health Questionnaire 12 in an Angolan Sample

Most evidence available has found multidimensional solutions for the General Health Questionnaire’s (GHQ12) structure, contrary to the authors’ original one-factor solution. Recently, the study of method effects associated to negatively worded items has been included in the study of GHQ12’s factor structure, and the most common conclusion has been that the best-fitting structure is a single factor confounded by response bias. Current study analyzes the factor structure of the Portuguese version of the GHQ12. The sample consisted of 1,332 young Angolan adults. Previously-reported structures, including one-factor and multidimensional substantive ones, as well as bifactor structures, and models positing method effects among negatively worded items were tested via Confirmatory Factor Analyses. Results suggested that a three substantive factor solution adequately represented the scale’s underlying structure. The emerging factors were dysphoria, social dysfunction, and loss of confidence. Method effects did not play a clear role in explaining the multidimensionality observed in the factor structures tested for the GHQ12.

Socio-Demographic Variables and Successful Aging of the Angolan Elderly.

The proportion of elderly people is growing faster than any other age group. Amongst them, the group of oldest old is indeed the segment of the elderly population with the fastest growth rate. The increase in the proportion of elderly in the Angolan population makes research on this area badly needed. Within the theoretical framework of successful aging, the study aims to test for sociodemographic group differences in perceived health, life satisfaction, and social relations in Angolan elderly. The dependent variables are three of the components of what has been called successful aging. Data came from a cross-sectional survey of elderly people living in Luanda. 1003 Angolan elderly were surveyed on sociodemographic information, perceived health, life satisfaction, and social support. MANOVAs were calculated to test for mean differences in the dependent variables. Results permit to conclude that the factors associated with the largest differences on the Angolan elderlys quality of life and social relations were age (becoming oldest old) and institutionalization. The interactions of several factors with age pointed out that the oldest old were clearly a group in which the decreased quality of life due to becoming oldest old could not be compensated by other factors, as it was the case in the group of young old.

Contributions of Psychosocial Factors and Physical Activity to Successful Aging

The aim of this study was twofold: (a) To validate a successful aging model in a Spanish older adults sample, and (b) to predict successful aging from psychosocial factors and physical activity. Participants were 725 Spanish older people, of whom 478 were women and 247 men, aged between 55 and 100 years. Of these, 501 were physically active and 197 persons did not practice physical activity. The sample was collected in three areas: Sport centers, day centers and public areas of several Spanish towns. Factorial validity of the Successful Aging Inventory was studied by confirmatory factor analysis, and four multiple regressions to predict each of the dimensions of successful aging (functional performance, intrapsychic factors, gerotranscendence, and spirituality) were estimated. The model of successful aging in Spanish elderly through the Successful Aging Inventory was adequate. The four multiple regressions predicted highly successful aging, with effect sizes of: R2 = .037 for spirituality; .267 for functional performance; .531 for intrapsychic factors; and .356 for gerotrascendece. A main conclusion derived from the results is that older people who do exercise achieve better aging. Another point is that aspects of health and life satisfaction are directly related to better aging while social aspects influence indirectly.

Autocuidado: nueva evidencia sobre su medida en adultos mayores

INTRODUCTION A major challenge in todays society is getting older people, not only live longer, but to have a better life, and achieve successful aging. Self-care has been identified as relevant construct in its relation to physical, psychological, and social health. Therefore, this paper aims to provide first evidence of the psychometric properties of a scale to assess self-care in older people. MATERIAL AND METHODS The sample consisted of 443 people aged between 60 and 80years (M=66.11, SD=4.72), all of them currently participating in lifelong learning programs. There were 64.2% women, and most participants were married (73.7%). They were asked to complete the Self-Care for Older People Scale (SCOPS), the SF-8 Health Perception scale and, the Life Satisfaction scale (SWLS). Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, and scale correlations between self-care and variables from its nomological network. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The tested model provided an adequate fit to the data: χ2(23)=64.257 (P<.001); comparative fit index (CFI)=.936; Tucker Lewis Index (TLI) =.899; standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) =.070; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) =.064 (.046-.083), supporting the original structure of three factors: physical, social, and internal self-care. These factors also showed statistically significant correlations with two important variables of their nomological network, perceived health and life satisfaction.

Apoyo docente, compromiso académico y satisfacción del alumnado universitario

The aim of this paper is to analyze the infl uence of academic engagement on university students’ satisfaction with their faculty from teachers’ autonomy support. Scales of Autonomy Support, Academic Engagement and Satisfaction with the Faculty are administered to 870 Dominican university students (50.6% male and 49.4% female). Confi rmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling are carried out. The results refl ect the infl uence of teachers’ autonomy support on the satisfaction with the faculty mediated by academic engagement, as well as the direct effect of perception of teachers’ autonomy support on university students’ satisfaction with their educational center.