The role of self-esteem on fear of childbirth and birth experience

OBJECTIVE

Fear of childbirth (FOC), also referred to as tokophobia, can have detrimental consequences for a woman's well-being during pregnancy and for their subjective birth experience. However, it is unknown what role self-esteem plays in the relationship between FOC and the experience of childbirth. This study investigates the relation between FOC and the birth experience, and the role of self-esteem in that relation.

METHODS

We studied 125 nulliparous and parous Finnish women from their third trimester of pregnancy to 4-8 weeks postpartum. Path analysis with MLR estimation was conducted using MPlus to predict the childbirth experience according to prior self-esteem and fear of childbirth as well as their interaction. Also, age and parity were included as predictors of the birth experience, as well as their interactions with self-esteem. FOC was measured with the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire - version A (W-DEQ-A), self-esteem with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and birthing experience with the Delivery Satisfaction Scale (DSS).

RESULTS

We found that self-esteem moderated the association between fear of childbirth and the subjective birth experience: the lower the self-esteem, the stronger the negative connection between FOC and the birth experience; and, reversely, the higher the self-esteem, the weaker the connection between FOC and the birth experience.

CONCLUSIONS

The results highlight intra-group differences between fearful women and contribute to theory formation. They can be used in clinical practice and when planning interventions to reduce negative birth experiences.

Environmental drivers of increased ecosystem respiration in a warming tundra

Arctic and alpine tundra ecosystems are large reservoirs of organic carbon1,2. Climate warming may stimulate ecosystem respiration and release carbon into the atmosphere3,4. The magnitude and persistency of this stimulation and the environmental mechanisms that drive its variation remain uncertain5-7. This hampers the accuracy of global land carbon-climate feedback projections7,8. Here we synthesize 136 datasets from 56 open-top chamber in situ warming experiments located at 28 arctic and alpine tundra sites which have been running for less than 1 year up to 25 years. We show that a mean rise of 1.4 °C [confidence interval (CI) 0.9-2.0 °C] in air and 0.4 °C [CI 0.2-0.7 °C] in soil temperature results in an increase in growing season ecosystem respiration by 30% [CI 22-38%] (n = 136). Our findings indicate that the stimulation of ecosystem respiration was due to increases in both plant-related and microbial respiration (n = 9) and continued for at least 25 years (n = 136). The magnitude of the warming effects on respiration was driven by variation in warming-induced changes in local soil conditions, that is, changes in total nitrogen concentration and pH and by context-dependent spatial variation in these conditions, in particular total nitrogen concentration and the carbon:nitrogen ratio. Tundra sites with stronger nitrogen limitations and sites in which warming had stimulated plant and microbial nutrient turnover seemed particularly sensitive in their respiration response to warming. The results highlight the importance of local soil conditions and warming-induced changes therein for future climatic impacts on respiration.

Longitudinal leisure-time physical activity profiles throughout adulthood and related characteristics: a 36-year follow-up study of the older Finnish Twin Cohort

BACKGROUND

Personalized interventions aiming to increase physical activity in individuals are effective. However, from a public health perspective, it would be important to stimulate physical activity in larger groups of people who share the vulnerability to be physically inactive throughout adulthood. To find these high-risk groups, we identified 36-year leisure-time physical activity profiles from young adulthood to late midlife in females and males. Moreover, we uncovered which anthropometric-, demographic-, lifestyle-, and health-related characteristics were associated with these physical activity profiles.

METHODS

We included 2,778 females and 1,938 males from the population-based older Finnish Twin Cohort Study, who responded to health and behavior surveys at the mean ages of 24, 30, 40 and 60. Latent profile analysis was used to identify longitudinal leisure-time physical activity profiles.

RESULTS

We found five longitudinal leisure-time physical activity profiles for both females and males. Females' profiles were: 1) Low increasing moderate (29%), 2) Moderate stable (23%), 3) Very low increasing low (20%), 4) Low stable (20%) and 5) High increasing high (9%). Males' profiles were: 1) Low increasing moderate (29%), 2) Low stable very low (26%), 3) Moderate decreasing low (21%), 4) High fluctuating high (17%) and 5) Very low stable (8%). In both females and males, lower leisure-time physical activity profiles were associated with lower education, higher body mass index, smoking, poorer perceived health, higher sedentary time, high blood pressure, and a higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, lower leisure-time physical activity was linked to a higher risk of depression in females.

CONCLUSIONS

We found several longitudinal leisure-time physical activity profiles with unique changes in both sexes. Fewer profiles in females than in males remained or became low physically active during the 36-year follow-up. We observed that lower education, higher body mass index, and more smoking already in young adulthood were associated with low leisure-time physical activity profiles. However, the fact that several longitudinal profiles demonstrated a change in their physical activity behavior over time implies the potential for public health interventions to improve leisure-time physical activity levels.

Process- and Product-Oriented Fundamental Movement Skills in Early Childhood as Predictors of Later Health-Related Fitness

INTRODUCTION

The skill domains of fundamental movement skills (FMS), emphasizing gross motor movements, including locomotor skills (LMS) and object control skills (OCS), along with process- and product-oriented measures of FMS, may predict cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscular fitness (MF) differently. This study investigates the longitudinal relationship from early childhood FMS, focusing on process-oriented LMS and OCS and product-oriented FMS, to CRF and MF in late childhood.

METHODS

The study involved 441 Finnish children (49.9% female, mean age at baseline 5.5 years) over a six-year period. FMS was evaluated using the Test of Gross Motor Development, third version (TGMD-3) for process-oriented LMS and OCS and, the Körperkoordinationstest Für Kinder (KTK) was used to evaluate the product-oriented FMS. CRF was assessed through the total number of laps completed in the 20-meter shuttle run test, while MF was measured via repetitions of curl-ups and push-ups. Employing a two-level cross-classified regression analysis and Cholesky decomposition, this study aimed to determine the contributions of product-oriented KTK and process-oriented LMS and OCS. Adjustments for variations in age, measurement intervals, and maturation were achieved through residualization. Additionally, gender and body mass index (BMI) were incorporated as covariates in the analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis revealed that process-oriented LMS (CRF: ΔR2 = 0.016, MF: ΔR2 = 0.014) significantly predicted later health-related fitness, while OCS did not. However, KTK exhibited a better ability to predict both CRF (ΔR2 = 0.092) and MF (ΔR2 = 0.032), overshadowing process-oriented measures.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the findings suggest that KTK, which potentially encompasses a broader spectrum of fitness elements along with FMS, more effectively predicts health-related fitness components than process-oriented FMS.

Stability in health behavior patterns in middle adulthood: a 19-year follow-up study

Objective: This study investigated subgroups of adults with particular health behavior patterns, their stability over 19 years, and the role of sociodemographic and personality characteristics in these.

Methods and Measures: Data on smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity were collected at ages 42, 50, and 61 in the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development (n = 205-302). Latent class, latent transition, and logistic regression analyses were used.

Results: Four similar classes of health behaviors were identified at each age. A class named low alcohol consumption (AC)-high physical activity (PA) included individuals with the lowest levels of alcohol consumption and the highest levels of physical activity, and a class named high AC-low PA vice versa. Classes between these extremes of alcohol consumption and physical activity levels were nonsmokers with the lowest proportion of smokers, and smokers vice versa. Although transitions emerged, class memberships were relatively stable. Women, those who were married, held a degree, had higher occupational status, and certain personality traits at age 42 were more likely to belong continuously to healthier classes compared to a stable membership in high AC-low PA.

Conclusion: Health behaviors exist in patterns, are relatively stable across adulthood, and associated with sociodemographic and personality characteristics.

The identification environment matters: Students' social identification, perceived physical school environment, and anxiety - A cross-level interaction model

The social identity approach to health argues that well-being depends on the psychosocial circumstances of the groups to which individuals belong. However, little is known about how the average level of identification in the group - 'the identification environment' - buffers the negative health consequences of stressors. We used multilevel modelling to investigate whether identification environment in a school modified the association between the students' perceptions of the quality of their school's physical environment and their reported levels of anxiety. In two representative samples of Finnish school students (N = 678 schools/71,392 students; N = 704 schools/85,989 students), weak identification environment was related to increased anxiety. In addition, in schools where identification environment was weaker, the student level relationship between perceived physical environment and anxiety was stronger, and students were more anxious. Our results provide evidence that identification environment needs to be considered when we analyse how group membership affects well-being.

Can job crafting eLearning intervention boost job crafting and work engagement, and increase heart rate variability? Testing a health enhancement process

Applying job demands-resources theory, this quasiexperimental, three-wave study investigated whether work engagement can be increased via an eLearning intervention aiming to increase job crafting behavior. Furthermore, proposing a refinement to job demands-resources theory, that is, adding "a health enhancement process," this study also investigated whether through improvements in work engagement, the intervention would yield health-related benefits, utilizing an objective indicator of physical health (i.e., optimal functioning of autonomic nervous system activity indicated by increased heart rate variability [HRV]). The study was conducted among all the employees of a municipality (n = 69/experimental group, n = 45/control group), and the effects were assessed 2 weeks and 4 months after the intervention. Job crafting and work engagement were measured using an electronic questionnaire, and HRV using ambulatory monitoring period of two nights' sleep. Latent change score modeling revealed, as expected, that job crafting increased both immediately and delayed after the intervention. Furthermore, as hypothesized, the intervention increased work engagement via increased job crafting when measured immediately after the intervention, but there was no indirect delayed effect on work engagement. There were no indirect immediate or delayed effects on HRV. However, unexpectedly, HRV decreased among the control group after the intervention. Thus, an eLearning intervention based on the principles of job crafting is a promising tool to increase job crafting and consequently work engagement. Furthermore, the findings provide an initial indication that a job crafting eLearning intervention could have a buffering effect on autonomic nervous system activity and help to maintain its optimal functioning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Do the integrated theories of self-determination and planned behavior explain the change in active life engagement following a motivational counseling intervention among older people?

BACKGROUND

An integrated model based on self-determination and planned behavior theories has been used to explain physical activity and other health-related behaviors mainly among younger populations, not older adults. The present study aimed to conduct a secondary analysis to explore whether changes in theory-based constructs explain a change in activity level (including 17 activities in essential life areas) among 75- and 80-year-old individuals.

METHODS

Data came from the Promoting well-being through active aging (AGNES) study, a two-arm single-blinded randomized control trial, where participants in the intervention group (n = 101) received year-long individualized counseling between 2017-19 in Jyväskylä, Finland. Activity frequency was assessed using the University of Jyväskylä Active Aging Scale (UJACAS) activity sub-score, perceived autonomy support with the Health Climate Questionnaire, autonomous motivation with a sub-scale from the Self-Regulation Questionnaire, and attitude with three items. Subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention were each assessed with one item. Change in variables between baseline and the 12-month follow-up was specified via latent factors. Various structural equation models were tested to assess whether the basic or modified model, including additional paths from baseline variables to change factors, provided a better data fit.

RESULTS

In the modified integrated model, baseline attitude and change in attitude directly explained the change in activity frequency. Moreover, statistically significant indirect paths were observed from baseline autonomous motivation through baseline attitude, and from activity frequency through change in attitude to change in activity frequency.

CONCLUSIONS

The theoretical integrated model did not account for the change in active life engagement. The modified integrated model revealed significant change paths, highlighting autonomous motivation and attitudes as influential change constructs. For future intervention design, the modified integrated model appears useful in identifying behavior change pathways for older adults.

Developmental profiles of arithmetic fluency skills from grades 1 to 9 and their early identification

The aim of the present study was to examine the kinds of developmental profiles of arithmetic fluency skills that can be identified across Grades 1-9 (ages 7-16) in a large Finnish sample (n = 2,518). The study also examined whether membership in the developmental profiles could be predicted using a comprehensive set of kindergarten-age factors, including information on cognitive skills; motivational, parental, and home environment factors; and gender. Four profiles of arithmetic fluency skills development were identified using a factor mixture model: persistent arithmetic difficulties (12.23%), precocious onset (50.24%), delayed onset (36.96%), and precocious onset with a Grade 7 drop (.06%). The Cholesky models predicting membership in the three largest profiles suggested that overall, the strongest kindergarten-age predictors were cognitive skills (especially counting, number concepts, spatial relations, rapid automatized naming [RAN], phonological awareness, and letter knowledge), but motivational, parental, and home environment factors were also significant. Membership in the profile with precocious onset was predicted by most of the kindergarten-age measures, suggesting that the strengths in early skills, as well as motivational, parental, and home environment factors, are reflected in the advanced start in arithmetic development at school. The profiles with delayed onset and persistent difficulties were similar in most kindergarten-age measures but differed in task avoidance and four cognitive skills (letter knowledge, counting, number concepts, and RAN), suggesting that these factors predict differential development over the longer term. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A scalable school-based intervention to increase early adolescents' motor competence and health-related fitness

Schools are key settings for the promotion of students' physical activity, fitness, and motor competence. The purpose of our study was to investigate the efficacy of a 5-month-long intervention program that aimed to increase students' motor competence and health-related fitness during school days. We conducted a quasi-experimental study with 325 Finnish Grade 5 (Mage  = 11.26, SD = 0.33) students from five schools. Two schools were allocated to the intervention group and three schools to the control group. The intervention consisted of three components: (a) weekly 20 min session during regular PE lessons, (b) weekly 20 min session during recess, and (c) daily 5-minute-long classroom activity breaks. All activities were designed to systematically develop different elements of motor competence and fitness. The following assessments were conducted at baseline and 5-months: cardiorespiratory fitness levels were measured by 20-meter shuttle run test, muscular fitness by curl-up and push-up tests, and motor competence by 5-leaps and throwing-catching combination tests. We analyzed the data using a multi-group latent change score modeling. Results showed that students in the intervention group developed significantly better in 20-meter shuttle run test (β = 0.269, p = 0.000, 95% CI [0.141, 0.397]; +5.0 laps), push-up (β = 0.442, p = 0.000, 95% CI [0.267, 0.617]; +6.5 repetitions), curl-up (β = 0.353, p = 0.001, 95% CI [0.154, 0.552]; +7.8 repetitions), and throwing-catching combination tests (β = 0.195, p = 0.019, 95% CI [0.033, 0.356]; +1.1 repetitions) than students in the control group. The intervention program appeared to be feasible and effective in increasing students' cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, and object control skills. This indicates that guided school-based physical activity programs can be influential in promoting physical fitness and motor competence among early adolescent students.

Perceived motor competence in early childhood predicts perceived and actual motor competence in middle childhood

The study aims were to (1) identify perceived motor competence (PMC) and actual motor competence (AMC) profiles in children at two time points (early and middle childhood) 3 years apart, (2) explore transitions between the profiles from T1 to T2, and (3) investigate how PMC-AMC profiles at T1 differ in their mean values for AMC and PMC variables at T2. PMC was assessed by the pictorial scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for young children (PMSC). At T1, AMC was measured with Test of Gross Motor Development-third version (TGMD-3), and at T2, a shortened TGMD-3 was used. To identify the PMC-AMC profiles using latent profile analysis, the Mplus statistical package (version 8.7) was used. For aim 3, the Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars (BCH) method was used. There were 480 children (mean age 6.26 years, 51.9% boys) at T1, 647 children (mean age 8.76 years, 48.8% boys) at T2 (some children were too young to have the PMC assessment at T1), and 292 at both time points. For aim 1, three profiles were identified at each time point for each gender. Boys had two realistic profiles with medium and low levels of PMC-AMC, and an overestimation profile. Girls had a medium realistic profile, an overestimation, and an underestimation profile. The PMC-AMC profile in early childhood predicted the PMC-AMC profile (aim 2) and AMC and PMC variables (aim 3) in middle childhood, especially if a child had low PMC in early childhood. Children with low PMC in early childhood are at risk of low PMC and less AMC development in middle childhood.

The associations of long-term physical activity in adulthood with later biological ageing and all-cause mortality - a prospective twin study

Objectives

The association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and a lower risk of mortality is susceptible to bias from multiple sources. We investigated the potential of biological ageing to mediate the association between long-term LTPA and mortality and whether the methods used to account for reverse causality affect the interpretation of this association.

Methods

Study participants were twins from the older Finnish Twin Cohort (n=22,750; 18-50 years at baseline). LTPA was assessed using questionnaires in 1975, 1981 and 1990. The mortality follow-up lasted until 2020 and biological ageing was assessed using epigenetic clocks in a subsample (n=1,153) with blood samples taken during the follow-up. Using latent profile analysis, we identified classes with distinct longitudinal LTPA patterns and studied differences in biological ageing between these classes. We employed survival models to examine differences in total, short-term and long-term all-cause mortality, and multilevel models for twin data to control for familial factors.

Results

We identified four classes of long-term LTPA: sedentary, moderately active, active and highly active. Although biological ageing was accelerated in sedentary and highly active classes, after adjusting for other lifestyle-related factors, the associations mainly attenuated. Physically active classes had a maximum 7% lower risk of total mortality over the sedentary class, but this association was consistent only in the short term and could largely be accounted for by familial factors. LTPA exhibited less favourable associations when prevalent diseases were exclusion criteria rather than covariate.

Conclusion

Being active may reflect a healthy phenotype instead of causally reducing mortality.

Literacy skills seem to fuel literacy enjoyment, rather than vice versa

Children who like to read and write tend to be better at it. This association is typically interpreted as enjoyment impacting engagement in literacy activities, which boosts literacy skills. We fitted direction-of-causation models to partial data of 3690 Finnish twins aged 12. Literacy skills were rated by the twins' teachers and literacy enjoyment by the twins themselves. A bivariate twin model showed substantial genetic influences on literacy skills (70%) and literacy enjoyment (35%). In both skills and enjoyment, shared-environmental influences explained about 20% in each. The best-fitting direction-of-causation model showed that skills impacted enjoyment, while the influence in the other direction was zero. The genetic influences on skills influenced enjoyment, likely via the skills→enjoyment path. This indicates an active gene-environment correlation: children with an aptitude for good literacy skills are more likely to enjoy reading and seek out literacy activities. To a lesser extent, it was also the shared-environmental influences on children's skills that propagated to influence children's literacy enjoyment. Environmental influences that foster children's literacy skills (e.g., families and schools), also foster children's love for reading and writing. These findings underline the importance of nurturing children's literacy skills. HIGHLIGHTS: It's known that how much children enjoy reading and writing and how good they are at it correlates ∼0.30, but causality remains unknown. We tested the direction of causation in 3690 twins aged 12. Literacy skills impacted literacy enjoyment, but not the other way around. Genetics influence children's literacy skills and how much they like and choose to read and write, indicating genetic niche picking.

Dynamic properties of successful plural leadership configuration: An exploratory process-study

Our article introduces an exploratory process study of successful plural leadership configuration in searching for alternative solutions to wicked problems. The study was executed within four educational organisations that solved challenging wicked problems arising from today’s changing contexts. We argue that plural leadership configuration is a dynamic process when people in diverse organisational positions, roles, and levels design profitable endeavours through their ideas and activities, bring about desirable outcomes within diverse conditions and outline the future. We searched for potential systemic patterns, characteristics, and structure within this dynamic process. To find these properties, we exploited the theoretical concept of an event that corresponds to organisational experiences in terms of people, ideas, activities, conditions, and outcomes. We presumed that the systemic properties could be found through events’ interaction that is proved to be dynamic. Consequently, we exploited dynamic system theories and studied chains of succeeding events and their agglomerations. As a result, we determined properties that were generalisable across the four organisations. The main results indicated that to find alternative solutions to wicked problems, a strong connection between activities and ideas was crucial. However, committed people were needed as moderators between them. Focusing only on conditions such as plans or new programmes, did not bring about successful solutions.

Meeting the WHO 24-h guidelines among 2-6-year-old children by family socioeconomic status before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a repeated cross-sectional study

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidelines for 24-h physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour and sleep for young children. Lower socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked to a lower likelihood of meeting these guidelines. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) raised concerns about young children's opportunities to meet the guidelines. The study focused on the prevalence of meeting the WHO's 24-h guidelines on screen time (ST), PA and sleep among 2-6-year-old children, in association with family SES, before COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, and during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 in Finland.

Methods

Data were collected at three timepoints by an online survey through day-care centres. Meeting the WHO 24-h guidelines was defined for each behaviour, from a parent-reported seven-day recall of a typical day on weekdays and weekend days and adapted to the national context. Children were considered to meet the ST guideline if they had maximum of 60 min of ST, the PA guideline if they had minimum of 60 min of outdoor PA, and the sleep guidelines if they had minimum of 11/10/9 h (2/3-5/6 years) of good or very good quality sleep. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the odds ratios of meeting the guidelines.

Results

The prevalence of meeting the ST guideline was highest before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. The PA guideline was most met during the strict pandemic restrictions in 2020. Children from higher SES families were more likely to meet the ST and sleep duration guidelines either on weekdays or weekends. The PA guideline was met more on weekdays by children whose parents had lower education levels at all timepoints. In 2020, sleep quality guideline was less likely met by children with parents with the highest education levels.

Conclusion

Higher SES may increase the odds of young children meeting the ST and sleep duration guidelines, but the results are more complex regarding PA and SES. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ST, outdoor PA, and sleep of young children varied by family SES, and further research is recommended to identify causality of these relationships.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s44167-022-00010-4.

Passing the test of motherhood? Self-esteem development and birth experience in the transition to motherhood: A longitudinal mixed methods study in Finland

AIMS

To investigate women's childbirth experiences and their relation to self-esteem development in the postpartum year.

DESIGN

A mixed methods study.

METHODS

Women (N = 125) completed survey questionnaires regarding their self-esteem and childbirth experiences at three time points in 2020-2021: third trimester of pregnancy (T1), 4-8 weeks postpartum (T2) and 1 year postpartum (T3). The survey results were analysed using qualitative thematic and quantitative path analyses with latent change factors. The open-ended answers of the women who demonstrated a change in self-esteem between T2 and T3 were then compared. The STROBE checklist was used as the reporting guideline.

RESULTS

The quantitatively measured childbirth experiences predicted statistically significantly and positively the changes in self-esteem in the following year. The women described their childbirth stories through three main themes: childbirth as a lived experience, childbirth as a relational event and childbirth as a medical event. On the basis of the thematic analysis, we propose that the relationship between childbirth experience and self-esteem development might only hold for women with extremely positive or negative childbirth experiences. There were mixed results for those women who had mixed experiences, indicating that other factors probably contributed to the changes in self-esteem.

CONCLUSION

Childbirth is a pivotal event that may have lasting effects on the mother's self-esteem after childbirth. Especially women with traumatic experiences deserve attention because they are at risk of the most negative consequences.

IMPACT

Perinatal services and policy makers must recognize the importance of childbirth experiences in women's well-being and improve their practices. Different cultural models of childbirth should be recognized and supported to facilitate good experiences and prevent traumatic ones.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Service users recruited in Finnish Child Health Centers responded to surveys that were used as data for this study.

The role of adolescent lifestyle habits in biological aging: A prospective twin study

Background:

Adolescence is a stage of fast growth and development. Exposures during puberty can have long-term effects on health in later life. This study aims to investigate the role of adolescent lifestyle in biological aging.

Methods:

The study participants originated from the longitudinal FinnTwin12 study (n = 5114). Adolescent lifestyle-related factors, including body mass index (BMI), leisure-time physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use, were based on self-reports and measured at ages 12, 14, and 17 years. For a subsample, blood-based DNA methylation (DNAm) was used to assess biological aging with six epigenetic aging measures in young adulthood (21–25 years, n = 824). A latent class analysis was conducted to identify patterns of lifestyle behaviors in adolescence, and differences between the subgroups in later biological aging were studied. Genetic and environmental influences on biological aging shared with lifestyle behavior patterns were estimated using quantitative genetic modeling.

Results:

We identified five subgroups of participants with different adolescent lifestyle behavior patterns. When DNAm GrimAge, DunedinPoAm, and DunedinPACE estimators were used, the class with the unhealthiest lifestyle and the class of participants with high BMI were biologically older than the classes with healthier lifestyle habits. The differences in lifestyle-related factors were maintained into young adulthood. Most of the variation in biological aging shared with adolescent lifestyle was explained by common genetic factors.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that an unhealthy lifestyle during pubertal years is associated with accelerated biological aging in young adulthood. Genetic pleiotropy may largely explain the observed associations.

Funding:

This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (213506, 265240, 263278, 312073 to J.K., 297908 to M.O. and 341750, 346509 to E.S.), EC FP5 GenomEUtwin (J.K.), National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (grant HL104125), EC MC ITN Project EPITRAIN (J.K. and M.O.), the University of Helsinki Research Funds (M.O.), Sigrid Juselius Foundation (J.K. and M.O.), Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation (6868), Juho Vainio Foundation (E.S.) and Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg foundation (E.S.).

For most animals, events that occur early in life can have a lasting impact on individuals’ health. In humans, adolescence is a particularly vulnerable time when rapid growth and development collide with growing independence and experimentation. An unhealthy lifestyle during this period of rapid cell growth can contribute to later health problems like heart disease, lung disease, and premature death. This is due partly to accelerated biological aging, where the body deteriorates faster than what would be expected for an individual’s chronological age.

One way to track the effects of lifestyle on biological aging is by measuring epigenetic changes. Epigenetic changes consist on adding or removing chemical ‘tags’ on genes. These tags can switch the genes on or off without changing their sequences. Scientists can measure certain epigenetic changes by measuring the levels of methylated DNA – DNA with a chemical ‘tag’ known as a methyl group – in blood samples. Several algorithms – known as ‘epigenetic clocks’ – are available that estimate how fast an individual is aging biologically based on DNA methylation.

Kankaanpää et al. show that unhealthy lifestyles during adolescence may lead to accelerated aging in early adulthood. For their analysis, Kankaanpää et al. used data on the levels of DNA methylation in blood samples from 824 twins between 21 and 25 years old. The twins were participants in the FinnTwin12 study and had completed a survey about their lifestyles at ages 12, 14, and 17.

Kankaanpää et al. classified individuals into five groups depending on their lifestyles. The first three groups, which included most of the twins, contained individuals that led relatively healthy lives. The fourth group contained individuals with a higher body mass index based on their height and weight. Finally, the last group included individuals with unhealthy lifestyles who binge drank, smoked and did not exercise.

After estimating the biological ages for all of the participants, Kankaanpää et al. found that both the individuals with higher body mass indices and those in the group with unhealthy lifestyles aged faster than those who reported healthier lifestyles. However, the results varied depending on which epigenetic clock Kankaanpää et al. used to measure biological aging: clocks that had been developed earlier showed fewer differences in aging between groups; while newer clocks consistently found that individuals in the higher body mass index and unhealthy groups were older. Kankaanpää et al. also showed that shared genetic factors explained both unhealthy lifestyles and accelerated biological aging.

The experiments performed by Kankaanpää et al. provide new insights into the vital role of an individual’s genetics in unhealthy lifestyles and cellular aging. These insights might help scientists identify at risk individuals early in life and try to prevent accelerated aging.

The role of gender and coaching styles in adolescent student-athletes’ motivational orientations in sport and school

Research indicates that the dominant discourses of gender are ingrained in dual career (DC) practices critically influencing athletes’ motivation to construct a DC pathway. While it is important to ensure that all athletes have an equal access to construct a DC pathway despite their gender, there is a gap in the literature examining the role that coaches play in gendering of athletes’ DC pathways. The present study longitudinally examined the gender differences in student-athletes’ motivational orientations in sport and academics throughout high school and the role of coaching style in these orientations. The gender differences in coaching styles in terms of student-athletes’ gender, coaches’ gender, and their interaction were also investigated. The sample consisted of 248 student-athletes from six upper secondary sport schools across Finland. The participants filled in questionnaires at the beginning of the first year and at the end of the third year of upper secondary sport school. The results showed that female student-athletes demonstrated higher levels of mastery orientation than males in both sport and school domains. Affective coaching style predicted male student-athletes’ mastery orientation in sport and both male and female student-athletes’ mastery orientation in school. Finally, female coaches were reported using more of an affective coaching style than male coaches. The results suggest that athletes benefit differently from an affective coaching style based on their gender and that it is beneficial to educate coaches how to use an affective coaching style with their DC athletes.

The self-reported stress and stressors in tram and long-haul truck drivers

Work stress may compromise professional drivers' health and driving capacity. Differences between driver groups in terms of on-duty stress are understudied. Therefore, we examined self-reported stress (Stockholm University Stress Scale) of shift-working tram and long-haul truck drivers (n = 75) across 2-3 weeks. Furthermore, stressors were self-reported retrospectively and categorised as related to the job, driving conditions, personal, or other causes. Stress levels were generally low, but moderate to high stress (≥6) was more frequently reported among the tram drivers. Stressors related to the job (54%) and driving conditions (19% of all shifts) were frequently reported among the tram and truck drivers, respectively. Moderate to high stress was associated with categorised stressors related to the job and other causes among the tram drivers, and all categorised stressors among the truck drivers. Altogether, self-reported stress and stressors differ by driver group, but the role of shift type is less significant.

The development of school and sports task values among adolescent athletes: The role of gender

Successfully integrating elite sports with education requires motivation to commit oneself to both domains. This study examines the development of and gender differences in adolescent athletes’ task values for school and sports across the upper secondary school years. A total of 391 adolescents (aged 15–16 at the beginning of the study) were followed four times during sports upper secondary school. The participating student athletes were recruited from six sports upper secondary schools in Finland, which offer equal competitive sport opportunities for both genders. The results showed that school- and sports- task values are strongly related to each other. Males valued school less than females at the beginning of upper secondary school, and this gender difference remained, and also strengthened across years. No gender differences in sports-related task values were found. The findings indicate that females may be more committed to integrating elite sports and education than males due to their higher valuing of school.

Associations between student-athletes' self-esteem and career adaptability across the high school years

The key challenges in sustainable elite sports concern young athletes´ holistic development. Consequently, preparation for dual careers has been recommended to enhance athletes' well-being and equip them for life after sports. The aim of this study was to examine the developmental associations between self-esteem and career adaptability among adolescent athletes across the high school years and investigate the role of gender in these developmental trajectories. A total of 391 student-athletes were followed up four times from the beginning of high school (T1) to its end (T4) using the Dual-Career Form of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale and the Self-Esteem Questionnaire. The results indicated that individual differences in student-athletes' self-esteem and career adaptability were relatively stable across the high school years and were thus modeled via the between-persons factors capturing differences between individuals across time. The results further showed that the overall levels of self-esteem and career adaptability were positively associated. Males showed higher overall levels of career adaptability and self-esteem than females. This study suggests that it is important to facilitate youth athletes' self-regulation resources by involving them in vocational developmental tasks. Further, gender differences should be considered when supporting student-athletes' development.

Developmental profiles of reading fluency and reading comprehension from grades 1 to 9 and their early identification

This study examined developmental profiles of reading fluency and reading comprehension in Grades 1 to 9 (ages 7 to 15) in a large Finnish sample (N = 2,518). In addition, early predictors of the profiles were analyzed with respect to kindergarten cognitive skills (phonological awareness, letter knowledge, rapid automized naming [RAN], number counting, word reading, vocabulary, and listening comprehension), parental factors (level of education, reading difficulties), and gender. Four different profiles of reading fluency and reading comprehension development were identified using latent profile analysis. These comprised one profile with persistent reading difficulties across the grades, one with early poor reading skills but with a resolving tendency, one with average reading skills, and one with good readers who started with very high reading fluency but scored average over time. Of the kindergarten measures, parental reading difficulties, being male, low paternal level of education, slow RAN, difficulty in reading easy words, and low scores in phonological skills, letter knowledge, number counting, and vocabulary predicted reading difficulties. The children belonging to the profile with the resolving tendency showed an increased rate of family risk and multiple cognitive deficits but managed to resolve their reading difficulties. Being female, and good number counting and vocabulary skills predicted a tendency to resolve early reading difficulties. The results confirm the previous findings on the early predictors of reading difficulties and add to the literature by identifying skills that predict resolving patterns. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Do epigenetic clocks provide explanations for sex differences in lifespan? A cross-sectional twin study

Background

The sex gap in life expectancy has been narrowing in Finland over the past 4–5 decades; however, on average, women still live longer than men. Epigenetic clocks are markers for biological aging which predict life span. In this study, we examined the mediating role of lifestyle factors on the association between sex and biological aging in younger and older adults.

Methods

Our sample consists of younger and older twins (21‒42 years, n = 1 477; 50‒76 years, n = 763) including 151 complete younger opposite-sex twin pairs (21‒30 years). Blood-based DNA methylation was used to compute epigenetic age acceleration by 4 epigenetic clocks as a measure of biological aging. Path modeling was used to study whether the association between sex and biological aging is mediated through lifestyle-related factors, that is, education, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, and physical activity.

Results

In comparison to women, men were biologically older and, in general, they had unhealthier life habits. The effect of sex on biological aging was partly mediated by body mass index and, in older twins, by smoking. Sex was directly associated with biological aging and the association was stronger in older twins.

Conclusions

Previously reported sex differences in life span are also evident in biological aging. Declining smoking prevalence among men is a plausible explanation for the narrowing of the difference in life expectancy between the sexes. Data generated by the epigenetic clocks may help in estimating the effects of lifestyle and environmental factors on aging and in predicting aging in future generations.

Development and validation of the Brief Parental Burnout Scale (BPBS)

Since parental burnout can have detrimental consequences for parents, couples, and children, easy-to-use, reliable, and valid practical tools for the early detection of parental burnout are required. We developed and validated a brief scale to identify burned-out parents and parents at burnout risk. In Study 1, we developed the 5-item Brief Parental Burnout scale (BPBs) based on the gold standard measure of parental burnout, the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). We applied Item Response Theory Graded Response Model (GRM) analyses on the data of 1,725 Finnish parents. Compared against the PBA total score, the five selected items showed both high sensitivity and specificity in screening parental burnout. As expected, burned-out parents and those at burnout risk according to the BPBs displayed higher depressive symptoms, lower self-esteem, and more frequent sleep disruptions than non-burned-out parents. In Study 2, we tested the sensitivity and specificity of the BPBs by using both the BPBs and the PBA as independent assessment tools in a sample of 1,088 Finnish parents. In Study 3, the high sensitivity and specificity of the BPBs found in Study 2 were replicated in an independent sample of 104 Belgian parents. We further demonstrated the concurrent validity of the BPBs test score interpretations by showing that burned-out parents, or those at burnout risk, reported higher child neglect and parental violence than non-burned-out parents. Because of its user-friendliness and the strong psychometric properties of its test score, the BPBs is a good candidate to use as a screening tool for parental burnout. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries

Positive mental health is central to adolescent well-being. The present study examines the prevalence of loneliness and positive mental health indicators (mental well-being and self-esteem) in four Nordic countries and associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and high self-esteem. This study is based on data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study which was conducted in 2018 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden. Participants were 5883 15-year-old boys and girls. To examine the associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and self-esteem, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied. In the comparison of Nordic countries, the prevalence of loneliness was highest among Finnish and Icelandic adolescents. High mental well-being and high self-esteem were most prevalent in Denmark and Sweden. In general, boys scored higher on positive mental health indicators and girls on loneliness. Loneliness was also a strong indicator of low mental well-being and low self-esteem in all Nordic countries. Loneliness is not only associated with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, but it is also a risk factor for adolescents' positive mental health. Positive mental health is important for healthy maturation and there is a need to develop initiatives to reduce adolescent loneliness and so support positive development.

Accumulation of sleep loss among shift-working truck drivers

Sleep loss is known to contribute to road traffic accidents. Professional drivers are vulnerable to curtailment of sleep due to long driving bouts and shift work. To fill in the gap in the literature related to the buildup of sleep loss in irregular shift systems, we recorded the sleep and working hours of 47 shift-working long-haul truck drivers during a two-week period. Sleep (time in bed) was verified by actigraphy and sleep logs. Sleepiness was measured using the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Individual sleep need was based on self-assessments. We examined the accumulated sleep versus self-reported sleep need across the study period, using midnights as points of observation, and the accumulated sleep loss within 72 h prior to shift end (sleep versus need, SVN₇₂). Across the study period, the drivers' sleep was close to their self-reported sleep need, but 45% of the drivers showed accumulated sleep loss of >6 h at least once. SVN₇₂ averaged -1.5 h and was 2.87 h shorter in connection with morning shifts compared to day or evening shifts. Night shifts showed no such difference. During days off, sleep exceeded sleep need by 1.13 h and was not dependent on the type of preceding work shift. SVN₇₂ showed small-to-medium negative associations with on-duty KSS even after accounting for sleep within the 24 h prior to the shift end. Our results show that long-haul truck drivers are exposed to severe levels of accumulated sleep loss while working irregular shifts, but they can catch up on their lost sleep, especially during days off.

Energy Drink Consumption Among Finnish Adolescents: Prevalence, Associated Background Factors, Individual Resources, and Family Factors

Objectives: Energy drink consumption among adolescents has become a notable global phenomenon, and has been associated with numerous negative health outcomes. In order to understand the popularity of energy drinks among adolescents, and to target interventions, it is important to identify the determinants underpinning consumption. Methods: The nationally representative data (cross-sectional) were drawn from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) surveys, conducted in 2014 and 2018, each comprising 13- and 15-year-old Finnish adolescents (n = 7405). Results: Weekly energy drink consumption increased among Finnish adolescents between 2014 (18.2%) and 2018 (24.4%), especially among girls. In 2018, boys typically consumed more than girls, and 15-year-olds more than 13-year-olds. Moreover, in 2018, weekly energy drink consumption was more prevalent among 15-year-old adolescents with a non-academic educational aspiration (46.0%) than among adolescents with an academic aspiration (18.3%). Gender (boys more than girls), older age (only in 2018), less parental monitoring, lower school achievement, and a lower level of health literacy explained around 28% of the variance in weekly energy drink consumption in both years. Conclusion: According to the findings, interventions to decrease the energy drink consumption, should be targeted at all adolescents, but especially at those with fewer individual resources. The interventions should also pay attention to family-level factors.

Dampness and student-reported social climate: two multilevel mediation models

BACKGROUND

Little previous research has analysed the relationship between schools' indoor air problems and schools' social climate. In this study, we analysed a) whether observed mould and dampness in a school building relates to students' perceptions of school climate (i.e. teacher-student relationships and class spirit) and b) whether reported subjective indoor air quality (IAQ) at the school level mediates this relationship.

METHODS

The data analysed was created by merging two nationwide data sets: survey data from students, including information on subjective IAQ (N = 25,101 students), and data from schools, including information on mould and dampness in school buildings (N = 222). The data was analysed using multilevel mediational models.

RESULTS

After the background variables were adjusted, schools' observed mould and dampness was not significantly related to neither student-perceived teacher-student relationships nor class spirit. However, our mediational models showed that there were significant indirect effects from schools' observed mould and dampness to outcome variables via school-level subjective IAQ: a) in schools with mould and dampness, students reported significantly poorer subjective IAQ (standardised β = 0.34, p < 0.001) than in schools without; b) the worse the subjective IAQ at school level, the worse the student-reported teacher-student relationships (β = 0.31, p = 0.001) and class spirit (β = 0.25, p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Problems in a school's indoor environment may impair the school's social climate to the degree that such problems decrease the school's perceived IAQ.

Life-course leisure-time physical activity trajectories in relation to health-related behaviors in adulthood: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study

Background

Evidence on whether leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) facilitates individuals’ adoption of multiple healthy behaviors remains scarce. This study investigated the associations of diverse longitudinal LTPA trajectories from childhood to adulthood with diet, screen time, smoking, binge drinking, sleep difficulties, and sleep duration in adulthood.

Methods

Data were drawn from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Participants were aged 9–18 years (N = 3553; 51% females) in 1980 and 33–49 years at the latest follow-up in 2011. The LTPA trajectories were identified using a latent profile analysis. Differences in self-reported health-related behaviors across the LTPA trajectories were studied separately for women and men by using the Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars approach. Models were adjusted for age, body mass index, education level, marital status, total energy intake and previous corresponding behaviors.

Results

Persistently active, persistently low-active, decreasingly and increasingly active trajectories were identified in both genders and an additional inactive trajectory for women. After adjusting the models with the above-mentioned covariates, the inactive women had an unhealthier diet than the women in the other trajectories (p <  0.01; effect size (ES) > 0.50). The low-active men followed an unhealthier diet than the persistently and increasingly active men (p <  0.01; ES > 0.50). Compared to their inactive and low-active peers, smoking frequency was lower in the increasingly active women and men (p <  0.01; ES > 0.20) and persistently active men (p <  0.05; ES > 0.20). The increasingly active men reported lower screen time than the low-active (p <  0.001; ES > 0.50) and persistently active (p <  0.05; ES > 0.20) men. The increasingly and persistently active women reported fewer sleep difficulties than the inactive (p <  0.001; ES > 0.80) and low-active (p <  0.05; ES > 0.50 and > 0.80, respectively) women. Sleep duration and binge drinking were not associated with the LTPA trajectories in either gender, nor were sleep difficulties in men and screen time in women.

Conclusions

Not only persistently higher LTPA but also an increasing tendency to engage in LTPA after childhood/adolescence were associated with healthier diet and lower smoking frequency in both genders, having less sleep difficulties in women and lower screen time in increasingly active men. Inactivity and low activity were associated with the accumulation of several unhealthy behaviors in adulthood. Associations were stronger in women.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10554-w.

Employment trajectories until midlife associate with early social role investments and current work-related well-being

Applying social investment theory (SIT), we examined whether employment trajectories until midlife, with differential investments in education and employment, are associated with social investments during early life and with work-related well-being in midlife, with a special reference to potential differences between self-employment and paid work. In the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (n = 6496; 2963 men, 3533 women), life-history calendars from age 16-45 were used to determine the respondents' yearly employment statuses (student, full-time employee, part-time employee, self-employed, unemployed, on parental leave, on sabbatical leave or otherwise not working). Latent class analysis was used to identify the employment trajectories. The associations of these trajectories with indicators of social investments in early life (mother's attitude to financial self-reliance, father's socioeconomic status, own success at school) and work-related well-being at age 46 (job satisfaction, life satisfaction, absence of retirement thoughts, work engagement, work favoring attitude and perceived job control) were studied using regression models and analyses of variance, adjusting for life situation at age 46. We identified five employment trajectories for both genders: 1) traditional full-time, 2) highly educated, 3) self-employed, 4) delayed full-time and 5) floundering employees. In early life, a mother emphasizing self-reliance in earning one's living was associated with both highly educated and self-employed trajectories. A white-collar father and own success at school preceded a highly educated trajectory. A farmer family background preceded self-employed trajectory. At age 46, highly educated and self-employed trajectories were associated with highest well-being at work, while those floundering perceived their work most negatively. Men in the delayed full-time employment trajectory reported better well-being at age 46 than those constantly floundering. Overall, the macroeconomic employment rates were unevenly reflected in the five trajectories. Our findings support SIT by showing that the employment trajectories most favorable for work-related well-being in midlife are long rooted in social investments during early life and characterized by further social investments in employment, such as higher education and self-employment.

Is Autonomy Always Beneficial for Work Engagement? A Six-year Four-Wave Follow-Up Study

Work engagement is expected to result from job resources such as autonomy. However, previous results have yielded that the autonomy–work engagement relationship is not always particularly strong. Whereas previous longitudinal studies have examined this relationship as an average at a specific point in time, this study examined whether this relationship is different within individuals from one time to another over the years. Furthermore, experiences of work engagement are expected to affect how employees benefit from autonomy, but no studies have so far investigated whether the initial level of work engagement affects the autonomy–work engagement relationship. This study aimed to first identify the different kinds of longitudinal relationship patterns between autonomy and work engagement, and then to investigate whether the identified relationship patterns differ in terms of the initial mean level of work engagement. The four-wave study was conducted among Finnish managers (n = 329) over a period of six years. Multilevel regression mixture analysis identified five relationship patterns. Four of the patterns showed a positive predictive relationship between autonomy and work engagement. However, the relationship was statistically significant in only one of these patterns. Furthermore, when the initial mean level of work engagement was high, autonomy related more strongly to work engagement. However, an atypical pattern was identified that showed a negative association between autonomy and work engagement. In this pattern, the mean level of work engagement was low. Consequently, autonomy may not always enhance work engagement; sometimes this relationship may even be negative.

Students' school-level symptoms mediate the relationship between a school's observed moisture problems and students' subjective perceptions of indoor air quality

Moisture damage can influence the subjective assessment of indoor air quality (subjective IAQ) in various ways. We studied whether the frequency of symptoms reported across students at school level mediates the relationship between observed mold and dampness in a school building and students' subjective IAQ. To answer this research question, we tested a multilevel path model. The analyzed data were created by merging two nationwide data sets: (a) survey data from students, including information on subjective IAQ (N = 24,786 students); (b) data from schools, including information on mold and dampness in a school building (N = 222). After the background variables were adjusted, schools' observed mold and dampness were directly and significantly related to poor subjective IAQ (standardized beta (β)= 0.22, P = .002). In addition, in schools with mold and dampness, students reported significantly more symptoms (β = 0.22, P = .023) than in schools without; the higher the prevalence of symptoms at school level, the worse the students' subjective IAQ (β = 0.60, P < .001). This indirect path was significant (P = .023). In total, schools' observed mold and dampness and student-reported symptoms explained 52% of the between-school variance in subjective IAQ.

Sleep and sleepiness in shift-working tram drivers

Driver sleepiness contributes to traffic accidents. However, sleepiness in urban public transport remains an understudied subject. To fill this gap, we examined the sleepiness, sleep, and on-duty sleepiness countermeasures (SCMs) in 23 tram drivers working morning, day, and evening shifts for three weeks. Sleepiness was measured using Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Nocturnal total sleep time (TST) was measured with wrist actigraphy. SCMs and naps were self-reported with a smartphone application. Caffeine and napping were considered effective SCMs. Severe sleepiness (KSS ≥ 7) was observed in 22% of shifts with no differences between shift types. Rest breaks were associated with slight reductions in sleepiness. TST between days off averaged 7 h but was 1 h 33 min and 38 min shorter prior to morning and day shifts, respectively. The use of effective SCMs showed little variance between shift types. These results highlight the need for fatigue management in non-night-working tram drivers.

Validity of the Finnish version of the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA)

The aim of the present study was to validate the Finnish version of the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA) using data from 1,688 Finnish parents (91% mothers) living in Finland with at least one child living at home. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the theoretical four-factor structure of the PBA - emotional exhaustion in one's parental role, contrast with previous parental self, feelings of being fed up with one's parental role, and emotional distancing from one's children. Internal consistency for the total scale was excellent (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.90) and for the subscales from acceptable (alpha ≥ 0.70) to excellent. The results further demonstrated strict factorial invariance of PBA across genders and educational status groups. Finally, the PBA and its four subscales correlated as expected with the three criteria variables (depressive symptoms, sleep disruptions, and self-esteem), the latent factors of all three criteria variables being still clearly unique and separate constructions from parental burnout factors.

Physical activity, use of alcohol and smoking in middle-aged and aging men. A longitudinal study among Finnish male former athletes and controls

It is not known whether decrease in physical activity (PA) is associated with binge drinking among former athletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reciprocal associations between PA and use of alcohol among former athletes and controls at four time points. Furthermore, we examined whether there were longitudinal latent profiles related to use of alcohol, smoking and PA during the follow-up. Finnish male former elite athletes (n = 1633) and matched controls (n = 1099) questionnaire-reported their PA, alcohol consumption and smoking at four time points in 1985, 1995, 2001 and 2008. Former athletes were more physically active and smoked less than controls, but in all profiles smoking decreased during the follow-up. Former athletes consumed alcohol significantly more compared to controls in 1985, especially if their athletic career had ended suddenly by sports injury. At other time points, no differences were seen. Five latent profiles were found, and there were significant differences between former athletes and controls in the probabilities to belong to four of them. PA decreased in four of five profiles, while alcohol consumption decreased or increased in some profiles. But PA did not predict later alcohol consumption at any time point. Cross-lagged path model indicated that the mutual associations of alcohol use and PA were weak at most. Although risk of excessive alcohol consumption may increase in individuals, whose athletic career has ended suddenly by sports injury, overall PA and alcohol affected each other's development only modestly among former athletes and controls during the 23-year follow-up.

Longitudinal Stability of Reading Difficulties: Examining the Effects of Measurement Error, Cut-Offs, and Buffer Zones in Identification

This study examined the stability of reading difficulties (RD) from grades 2 to 6 and focused on the effects of measurement error and cut-off selection in the identification of RD and its stability with the use of simulations. It addressed methodological limitations of prior studies by (a) applying a model-based simulation analysis to examine the effects of measurement error and cut-offs in the identification of RD, (b) analyzing a non-English and larger sample, and (c) examining RD in both reading fluency and reading comprehension. Reading fluency and reading comprehension of 1,432 Finnish-speaking children were assessed in grades 2 and 6. In addition to the use of single cut-off points on observed data, we used a simulation approach based on an estimated structural equation model (SEM) in order to examine the effect of measurement error on RD identification stability. We also examined the effect of single cut-offs by using a simulation-based buffer zone. Our results showed that measurement error affects the identification of RD over time. The use of a simulation-based buffer zone could control both the effects of measurement error and the arbitrariness of single cut-offs and lead to more accurate classification into RD groups, especially for those with scores close to the cut-offs. However, even after controlling for measurement error and using buffer zones, RD was not stable over time for all children, but both resolving and late-emerging groups existed. The findings suggest that reading development needs to be followed closely beyond the early grades and that reading instruction should be planned according to individual needs at specific time points. There is a clear need for further consideration of the mechanisms underlying the stability and instability of RD.

Associations of Leisure-Time Physical Activity Trajectories with Fruit and Vegetable Consumption from Childhood to Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

A physically active lifestyle and a diet rich in vegetables and fruits have a central role in promoting health. This study examined the associations between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) trajectories and fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) from childhood to middle age. The data were drawn from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study with six age cohorts. Participants were 9 to 18 years (n = 3536; 51% females) at baseline in 1980 and 33 to 48 years at the last follow-up in 2011. LTPA and FVC were self-reported. LTPA trajectories were identified using latent profile analyses, after which the mean differences in FVC across the trajectories were studied. Active, low-active, decreasingly and increasingly active trajectories were identified for both genders. An additional trajectory describing inactivity was identified for females. Those who were persistently active or increased their LTPA had higher FVC at many ages when compared to their inactive or low-active counterparts (p < 0.05). In females prior to age 42 and in males prior to age 24, FVC was higher at many ages in those with decreasing activity than in their inactive or low-active counterparts (p < 0.05). The development of LTPA and FVC from childhood to middle age seem to occur in tandem.

The Psychobiosocial States (PBS-S) Scale

Abstract. This study examined the factor structure and reliability of the Psychobiosocial States (PBS-S) scale in the assessment of situational performance-related experiences. We administered the scale to 483 Finnish athletes before a practice session to assess the intensity and perceived impact of their performance-related feeling states. The hypothesized two-factor structure indicating functional effects (10 items) and dysfunctional effects (10 items) toward performance was examined via exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Regarding the intensity and perceived impact dimensions of reported states, ESEM and CFA showed a good fit for a two-factor solution of a 14-item PBS-S scale (seven functional and seven dysfunctional items). For both intensity and impact ratings, core state functional modalities were bodily, cognitive, and volitional, while core state dysfunctional modalities were volitional, operational, and anxiety. Findings support the use of a 14-item PBS-S scale to measure a range of preperformance states.

Predictors of Participation and Autonomy in People With Multiple Sclerosis

IMPORTANCE

Because multiple sclerosis (MS) affects many life areas, it is important to know how participation and autonomy are associated with the perceived impact of MS on everyday life.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate how perceived quality of life, disease impact, gender, and disease severity predict participation and autonomy in people with MS.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study in which structural equation modeling was used to evaluate relationships between measured variables.

SETTINGS

Outpatient clinics in three areas and one inpatient rehabilitation center in Finland.

PARTICIPANTS

Convenience sample of 194 people with MS.

OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Participants completed the Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA), the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief measure (WHOQOL-BREF), and the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29). The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was administered by a neurologist.

RESULTS

The final model showed good fit to the data. All the goodness-of-fit indexes except χ² supported the model, χ²(30, N = 194) = 46.729, p < .026; comparative fit index = .983; Tucker-Lewis index = .969; root mean square error of approximation = .054; standardized root mean square residual = .039. Quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) and the impact of multiple sclerosis (MSIS-29) were the main predictors of participation and autonomy. Disease severity influenced only the IPA Autonomy Indoors domain. Gender was not associated with participation and autonomy.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

Experiences of participation and autonomy appear to be closely associated with perceived quality of life and impact of the disease. Findings support the importance of assessing participation and autonomy and planning interventions using this information.

WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS

The IPA appears to be an appropriate measure for assessing participation and autonomy and planning occupational therapy interventions for people with MS. In particular, environmental factors affecting participation and autonomy should be considered when planning interventions to promote participation and autonomy.

Objectively assessed vigorous physical activity and motor coordination are associated in 11-year old children

This cross-sectional study examined the associations between gender, sports club (SC) participation, physical activity (PA), motor coordination (MQ) and object control skill (TC). 11 year-old children (n = 477) wore accelerometers during seven consecutive days for the analysis of moderate PA (MPA) and vigorous PA (VPA). To detect motor competence (MC), children's motor coordination was measured using the KTK (MQ), and object control skill with throw-and-catch task (TC). Sports club (SC) status was obtained by a questionnaire. Boys had higher levels of MPA (F = 50.45, P<0.001) and VPA (F = 11.13, P = 0.001), and were better in TC (F = 39.83, P < 0.001) than girls. SC participants outperformed non-participants in MPA (F = 5.45, P = 0.020) and VPA (F = 11.71, P = 0.001), MQ (F = 31.56, P < 0.001), and TC (F = 15.60, P < 0.001). Moreover, better TC was associated with higher MPA (β = 0.88, t = 2.16, P = 0.031), and higher MQ was associated with higher VPA (β = 0.21, t = 3.87, P < 0.001). The association between PA and MC was found showing that different intensities of PA were associated with different aspects of MC. SC participation may be one important factor promoting PA and MC in children. Therefore, all children, especially girls, should be encouraged to participate in various practices to ensure the development of adequate level of motor competence to be physically active.

The role of resilience in student-athletes' sport and school burnout and dropout: A longitudinal person-oriented study

Although it has been shown that student-athletes who pursue upper secondary school alongside with an athletic career may be prone to sport and school burnout, the concrete life changes resulting from burning out, such as dropping out of sport or school, have not been investigated. Moreover, it is unknown why some student-athletes do not burnout. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether there are different kinds of profiles-based on the level and development of sport and school burnout symptoms across upper secondary school-that can be identified among student-athletes and how resilience and the likelihood of dropping out from sport or school differ between the profiles. The sample consisted of 491 (49% females) Finnish student-athletes who filled in questionnaires four times during the three years of upper secondary school. The data were analyzed by using growth mixture modeling. Three burnout profiles were identified: (a) Average profile, (b) Increased burnout profile, and (c) Non-risk profile. The profiles differed significantly in terms of student-athletes' resilience and the likelihood of dropping out, as those in the Increased burnout group symptoms were less resilient and more likely to dropout from sport than those in the other two groups. Furthermore, those in the Non-risk profile were more resilient than athletes in the other two groups. The results can be used in teaching student-athletes resilience-related skills which can prevent them from burning out and dropping out from sport and school.

Leisure Reading (But Not Any Kind) and Reading Comprehension Support Each Other-A Longitudinal Study Across Grades 1 and 9

This study examines associations between leisure reading and reading skills in data of 2,525 students followed from age 7 to 16. As a step further from traditional cross-lagged analysis, a random intercept cross-lagged panel model was used to identify within-person associations of leisure reading (books, magazines, newspapers, and digital reading), reading fluency, and reading comprehension. In Grades 1-3 poorer comprehension and fluency predicted less leisure reading. In later grades more frequent leisure reading, particularly of books, predicted better reading comprehension. Negative associations were found between digital reading and reading skills. The findings specify earlier findings of correlations between individuals by showing that reading comprehension improvement, in particular, is predicted by within-individual increases in book reading.

Psychometric properties of the Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10) and problematic gaming behavior among Finnish vocational school students

This study was conducted to investigate the psychometric properties of the Finnish version of the Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10), identify the proportion displaying problematic gaming behavior (PGB) among Finnish vocational school students, and characterize the relationships between sociodemographic factors and gaming characteristics predicting PGB in this population. This cross-sectional study involving 773 students (mean age 17.5 years). Socio-demographic and gaming behavior characteristics were established using a web-based survey. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that the IGDT-10 test has appropriate psychometric properties. The proportion of students exhibiting PGB based on the DSM-5 cut-off threshold was 1.3%. Regression analysis showed that male gender, preference for gaming on a personal computer, gaming time, poor self-perceived health status, and a preference for the solo and multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBA) game genres related positively to PGB scores. These findings demonstrate the appropriateness of the IGDT-10 test for the assessment of problematic gaming among adults, and support further research on PGB in Finland.

Coach-Created Motivational Climate and Athletes' Adaptation to Psychological Stress: Temporal Motivation-Emotion Interplay

This two-wave study investigated the temporal interplay between motivation and the intensity and reported impact of athletes’ emotions in training settings. In total, 217 athletes completed self-report measures of motivational climate, motivation regulations, emotional states (i.e., pleasant states, anger, and anxiety) experienced before practice at two time points during a 3-month period. Latent change score modeling revealed significantly negative paths from task-involving climate at time 1 to the latent change in the intensity of dysfunctional anxiety and anger, and significantly positive paths from ego-involving climate at time 1 to the latent change in dysfunctional anger (i.e., intensity and reported impact). The paths from controlled motivation at time 1 to the latent change in the intensity of dysfunctional anxiety and vice versa were significantly positive. The path from controlled motivation at time 1 to the latent change in the intensity of functional anger was significantly positive, but not vice versa. In addition, the paths from dysfunctional anger (i.e., intensity and reported impact) at time 1 to the latent change in motivation regulations were significant, but not vice versa. Overall, evidence provided suggested that the temporal interplay of motivation and emotions is contingent on the specific emotions. The findings highlight the role of coach-created motivational climate and the importance of identifying high levels of controlled motivation to help athletes better adapt to psychological stress.

Distinct trajectories of physical activity and related factors during the life course in the general population: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

In recent years, researchers have begun applying a trajectory approach to identify homogeneous subgroups of physical activity (PA) in heterogeneous populations. This study systematically reviewed the articles identifying longitudinal PA trajectory classes and the related factors (e.g., determinants, predictors, and outcomes) in the general population during different life phases.

METHODS

The included studies used finite mixture models for identifying trajectories of PA, exercise, or sport participation. Three electronic databases, PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, and CINAHL, were searched from the year 2000 to 13 February 2018. The study was conducted according to the PRISMA recommendations.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven articles were included and organized into three age group: youngest (eleven articles), middle (eight articles), and oldest (eight articles). The youngest group consisted mainly of youth, the middle group of adults and the oldest group of late middle-aged and older adults. Most commonly, three or four trajectory classes were reported. Several trajectories describing a decline in PA were reported, especially in the youngest group, whereas trajectories of consistently increasing PA were observed in the middle and oldest group. While the proportion of persistently physically inactive individuals increased with age, the proportion was relatively high at all ages. Generally, male gender, being Caucasian, non-smoking, having low television viewing time, higher socioeconomic status, no chronic illnesses, and family support for PA were associated either with persistent or increasing PA.

CONCLUSIONS

The reviewed articles identified various PA subgroups, indicating that finite mixture modeling can yield new information on the complexity of PA behavior compared to studying population mean PA level only. The studies also provided novel information how different factors relate to changes in PA during life course. The recognition of the PA subgroups and their determinants is important for the more precise targeting of PA promotion and PA interventions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018088120 .