Glenn S. Brassington’s research while affiliated with Stanford University and other places

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between a broad range of psychosocial variables and performance-limiting physical injuries in a sample of elite ballet dancers in order to identify potential factors that could be included in interventions to prevent and treat dance injuries. Participants were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires assessing psychological well-being and social support. Participants also participated in a structured interview designed to solicit information about dance-related injuries in the 10-month period preceding the study. Study was conducted at the workplace of a 60-member professional ballet company. The company is part of a large, government-funded state theatre in Germany. Participants were 30 female and 24 male (mean age: 26.59 years; SD: 6.2 years) ballet dancers, representing 20 countries. Participants were employed in the company for the 2000-2001 performance season and were not injured at the time of participation in the study. Participants were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires including: a demographics questionnaire, the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, the Social Support Appraisal Scale, the Profile of Mood States, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Percent of performance and rehearsal days missed due to injury was computed as follows: (number of days missed due to injury/scheduled days) X 100. To identify potential correlates of injuries, Pearson Product-moment Correlation Coefficients were computed between the injury variable and each of the psychosocial variables. Absence due to injury was significantly positively correlated with stress, sleep disturbances, daytime sleepiness, and negative mood states (i.e., tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion). However, absence due to injury was significantly negatively associated with social support. Future interventions designed to prevent and treat injuries in elite ballet dancers should include the assessment and treatment of psychological distress (i.e., perceived stress, negative mood states, sleep problems) as well as the enhancement of social support in their programs.

This paper addresses and compares the impact of organized, more intensive sports participation with lower intensity participation among high school student-athletes. Subjects included 770 high school students who reported being active in organized school sports. Mental health, physical health, and coping skills were assessed as indicated by factor scores derived from the Juvenile Wellness and Health Survey (JWHS-76). Results indicate that compared to students who were less active, competitive sports participation was associated with fewer mental health problems, fewer total risks, and fewer eating and dietary problems for both girls and boys. These results provide initial support for the association between youth participation in competitive sports and mental health.

To assess the reliability and discriminate validity of a new screening instrument for college student athletes. 518 Stanford University students completed the proposed instrument (College Health Related Information Survey-CHRIS-73), which was based on the Juvenile Wellness and Health Survey (JWHS-76) but re-designed to assess mental health domains relevant to college athletes. Factor analysis yielded four factors: mental health problems, eating problems, risk behaviors, and performance pressure. Factors were internally consistent, reasonably independent, and clearly discriminated between athletes and non-athletes, and males and females. This study supports the CHRIS-73 as a useful screen for assessing mental health problems among college student athletes.

Research in the physical activity promotion arena has focused on the application of theoretical perspectives aimed primarily at personal levels of understanding and analysis. The investigation of such theories has provided some insights related to potentially useful mediators of physical activity behavior. However, to continue to expand this field, new perspectives on personal-level theories, in addition to the exploration of more macro-level conceptual perspectives, are required. The purpose of this article is to: (1) briefly review the current strengths and limitations of the personal-level, physical activity-theory literature; and (2) introduce concepts and perspectives from other fields, including the social-ecology and urban-planning fields, of potential relevance to the physical activity arena. We provide an overview of potentially relevant theoretical perspectives aimed at different levels of understanding and analysis, from the personal level through the broader-scale meso- and macro-environmental perspectives. In addition, we suggest initial steps to take in developing a transdisciplinary paradigm encompassing all such levels of analysis and investigation. Given the scope of the physical inactivity epidemic facing the U.S. population currently and in the future, methods and approaches that integrate theory and concepts across a broader group of disciplines will be increasingly necessary.

Participation in regular physical activity is recognized as one of the most important health behaviors associated with the prevention of chronic disease and the promotion of health and well-being among the elderly. Although a number of cross-sectional studies have reported predictors of physical activity participation, few studies have assessed changes in intervention-related mediators associated with physical activity adherence in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to compare the relative abilities of cognitive mediating variables (i.e., self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancies/realizations) versus a social mediating variable (i.e., exercise-related social support) to examine mediators of a telephone-based, exercise-counseling intervention on exercise adherence during months 7 to 12 of an exercise intervention. Participants were 103 community-dwelling, healthy, sedentary, older adults (67 women and 36 men). Self-efficacy for exercise, outcome expectancies/realizations, and social support for exercise were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Participants received telephone-based exercise counseling to promote exercise adherence during the course of two 12-month exercise programs (i.e., aerobic/strength or flexibility exercises). Changes in cognitive mediators (i.e., self-efficacy and fitness outcome realizations) were associated with 7- to 12-month exercise adherence while exercise-related social support was not. Attention should be given to increasing confidence in the elderly to overcome barriers to exercise and achieve relevant fitness outcomes in exercise programs.

Although telephone and mail are often used to promote physical activity adoption, their ability to produce long-term maintenance is unclear. In this study, 140 men and women aged 50-65 years received 1 year of telephone counseling to adopt higher (i.e., more vigorous) versus lower intensity (i.e., moderate) exercise. After 1 year, participants were rerandomized to a 2nd year of contact via (a) telephone and mail or (b) predominantly mail. Participants who were prescribed higher intensity exercise and received predominantly mail had better exercise adherence during the maintenance year than those who received telephone and mail. Both strategies were similarly effective in promoting maintenance in the lower intensity condition. Results suggest that after successful adoption of physical activity with the help of telephone counseling, less intensive interventions are successful for physical activity maintenance in older adults.

Although telephone and mail are often used to promote physical activity adoption, their ability to produce long-term maintenance is unclear. In this study, 140 men and women aged 50–65 years received 1 year of telephone counseling to adopt higher (i.e., more vigorous) versus lower intensity (i.e., moderate) exercise. After 1 year, participants were rerandomized to a 2nd year of contact via (a) telephone and mail or (b) predominantly mail. Participants who were prescribed higher intensity exercise and received predominantly mail had better exercise adherence during the maintenance year than those who received telephone and mail. Both strategies were similarly effective in promoting maintenance in the lower intensity condition. Results suggest that after successful adoption of physical activity with the help of telephone counseling, less intensive interventions are successful for physical activity maintenance in older adults.

The purpose of this study was to determine if reported nighttime sleep problems and daytime sleepiness were associated with reported falling during the previous 12 months in a representatively sampled older adult population. Random-digit dial telephone survey. Representatively sampled older adult population living in northern California. Participants were 971 women and 555 men, aged 64 to 99 years. Twenty-minute telephone interview adapted from the National Health Interview Survey. Two hundred and eighty-four participants reported falling during the previous 12 months (19% of the sample). Significantly more women fell than men (20% and 14%, respectively, P < .001). The following variables were significant risk factors for falling in univariate analyses: female gender, being unmarried, living alone, income less than $15,000 per year, difficulty walking, having more than one chronic medical condition, history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis, sensory impairment, psychological difficulties, and nighttime sleep problems. All of the nighttime sleep problem variables remained significant risk factors for falling after controlling for other risk factors for falling. The results provide support for an independent association between reported sleep problems and falls in an older population. One of the implications of these data is that behavioral research focusing on the effectiveness of insomnia treatment in old age should not only examine typical sleep-related outcomes (e.g., total time asleep, number of awakenings) but also the occurrence of falls as well.

Associations between psychological functioning and natural killer cell activity (NKA) were examined in 23 older (62.2 ± 7.5 years) family caregivers randomized to a moderate intensity four-month exercise program or to a wait-list control condition. At baseline, although NKA was related to anger-control (r = -.42; trend p < .06) and anger-out (r = .50; p < .03), it was not related to depression, anxiety, perceived stress, or caregiver burden. After controlling for baseline NKA, changes in anger-control explained 14 percent of the variance in NKA four months later. Decreases in anger-control predicted increases in NKA. Group assignment (exercise vs control) was unrelated to changes in NKA over the four-month period; however, the study was not powered to detect this effect. These results are consistent with reported relationships of anger expression with other physiological measures, and extend the importance of anger expression to immune functioning in older family caregivers.

Physical activity interventions are most effective when they are tailored to individual preferences. This study examined preferences for exercising on one's own with some instruction vs. in a class in 1,820 middle- aged and 1,485 older adults. Overall, 69% of middle-aged and 67% of older adults preferred to exercise on their own with some instruction rather than in an exercise class. The study identified subgroups - 5 of middle-aged and 6 of older adults - whose preferences for exercising on their own with some instruction ranged from 33-85%. Less educated women younger than 56, healthy women 65-71, and older men reporting higher stress levels were most likely to prefer classes. All other men and most women preferred exercising on their own. The identification of these subgroups enables us to tailor exercise recommendations to the preferences of middle-aged and older adults, with increased rates of physical activity adoption and maintenance a likely result.