Team Building in an Exercise Class for the Elderly

Research suggests that humans and autonomous agents can be more effective when working together as a combined unit rather than as individual entities. However, most research has focused on autonomous agent design characteristics while ignoring the importance of social interactions and team dynamics. Two experiments examined how the perception of teamwork among human–human and human–autonomous agents and the application of team building interventions could enhance teamwork outcomes. Participants collaborated with either a human or an autonomous agent. In the first experiment, it was revealed that manipulating team structure by considering your human and autonomous partner as a teammate rather than a tool can increase affect and behavior, but does not benefit performance. In the second experiment, participants completed goal setting and role clarification (team building) with their teammate prior to task performance. Team building interventions led to significant improvements for all teamwork outcomes, including performance. Across both studies, participants communicated more substantially with human partners than they did with autonomous partners. Taken together, these findings suggest that social interactions between humans and autonomous teammates should be an important design consideration and that particular attention should be given to team building interventions to improve affect, behavior, and performance.

The purpose of this study was to develop and apply a team building program for a curling team through needs assessment. The participants in this study were 69 high-school, college, professional, and national curling athletes for the needs assessment, 4 sport psychologists and 2 curling experts for verifying the validity of the program, and 5 curling athletes of professional curling teams for the application of the team building program. The needs assessment data were analyzed by inductive content analysis. The team building program was developed based on the results of needs assessment, goal setting of the team building program, and a selection of activities for the team building program. The team building program was applied to five curling players for 7 sessions. Team cohesion, team efficacy, and effective communication were measured two times (i.e., pre and post) to examine the effects of team building intervention. The results of needs assessment indicated interpersonal relationship, communication, and performance were necessary factors for team building. Consequently, goals of the team building program were to improve communication and interpersonal relationships. Team building activities were selected through team building literature review and expert meetings. Secondly, the team building intervention had a positive influence on team cohesion, team efficacy, and communication. These results indicated that team building would positively contribute to team factors and team performance.

Team building and perceived effort in an exercise setting: Gender effects

BackgroundClinical interventions often need to be adapted from their original design when they are applied to new settings. There is a growing literature describing frameworks and approaches to deploying and documenting adaptations of evidence-based practices in healthcare. Still, intervention modifications are often limited in detail and justification, which may prevent rigorous evaluation of interventions and intervention adaptation effectiveness in new contexts. We describe our approach in a case study, combining two complementary intervention adaptation frameworks to modify CONNECT for Quality, a provider-facing team building and communication intervention designed to facilitate implementation of a new clinical program.MethodsThis process of intervention adaptation involved the use of the Planned Adaptation Framework and the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications, for systematically identifying key drivers, core and non-core components of interventions for documenting planned and unplanned changes to intervention design.ResultsThe CONNECT intervention’s original context and setting is first described and then compared with its new application. This lays the groundwork for the intentional modifications to intervention design, which are developed before intervention delivery to participating providers. The unpredictable nature of implementation in real-world practice required unplanned adaptations, which were also considered and documented. Attendance and participation rates were examined and qualitative assessment of reported participant experience supported the feasibility and acceptability of adaptations of the original CONNECT intervention in a new clinical context.ConclusionThis approach may serve as a useful guide for intervention implementation efforts applied in diverse clinical contexts and subsequent evaluations of intervention effectiveness.Trial registrationThe study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03300336) on September 28, 2017.

BackgroundWith rising numbers of elderly people living in nursing homes in Germany, the need for on-site primary care is increasing. A lack of primary care in nursing homes can lead to unnecessary hospitalization, higher mortality, and morbidity in the elderly. The project CoCare (“coordinated medical care”) has therefore implemented a complex health intervention in nursing homes, using inter alia, regular medical rounds, a shared patient medical record and medication checks, with the aim of improving the coordination of medical care. This study reports upon the results of a qualitative study assessing the perceived barriers and facilitators of the implementation of CoCare by stakeholders.MethodsFocus group interviews were held between October 2018 and November 2019 with nurses, general practitioners and GP’s assistants working or consulting in a participating nursing home. A semi-structured modular guideline was used to ask participants for their opinion on different aspects of CoCare and which barriers and facilitators they perceived. Focus groups were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsIn total, N = 11 focus group interviews with N = 74 participants were conducted. We found six themes describing barriers and facilitators in respect of the implementation of CoCare: understaffing, bureaucracy, complexity, structural barriers, financial compensation, communication and collaboration. Furthermore, participants described the incorporation of the intervention into standard care.ConclusionBarriers perceived by stakeholders are well known in the literature (e.g. understaffing and complexity). However, CoCare provides a good structure to overcome barriers and some barriers will dissolve after implementation into routine care (e.g. bureaucracy). In contrast, especially communication and collaboration were perceived as facilitators in CoCare, with the project being received as a team building intervention itself.Trial registrationWHO UTN: U1111–1196-6611; DRKS-ID: DRKS00012703 (Date of Registration in DRKS: 2017 Aug 23).

BackgroundType 2 Diabetes (T2D) is associated with increased risk of dementia. We aimed to determine the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) examining the efficacy of exercise on cognition and brain structure in people with T2D.MethodsA 6-month pilot parallel RCT of a progressive aerobic- and resistance-training program versus a gentle movement control group in people with T2D aged 50–75 years (n = 50) at the University of Tasmania, Australia. Assessors were blinded to group allocation. Brain volume (total, white matter, hippocampus), cortical thickness and white matter microstructure (fractional anisotrophy and mean diffusivity) were measured using magnetic resonance imaging, and cognition using a battery of neuropsychological tests. Study design was assessed by any changes (during the pilot or recommended) to the protocol, recruitment by numbers screened and time to enrol 50 participants; randomisation by similarity of characteristics in groups at baseline, adherence by exercise class attendance; safety by number and description of adverse events and retention by numbers withdrawn.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 66.2 (SD 4.9) years and 48% were women. There were no changes to the design during the study. A total of 114 people were screened for eligibility, with 50 participants with T2D enrolled over 8 months. Forty-seven participants (94%) completed the study (23 of 24 controls; 24 of 26 in the intervention group). Baseline characteristics were reasonably balanced between groups. Exercise class attendance was 79% for the intervention and 75% for the control group. There were 6 serious adverse events assessed as not or unlikely to be due to the intervention. Effect sizes for each outcome variable are provided.ConclusionThis study supports the feasibility of a large scale RCT to test the benefits of multi-modal exercise to prevent cognitive decline in people with T2D. Design changes to the future trial are provided.Trial registrationANZCTR 12614000222640; Registered 3/3/2014; First participant enrolled 26/6/2014, study screening commenced 1/9/2014; Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry.

Team or group cohesion is a multifaceted construct with a variety of definitions and measurement instruments. However, most of these measures are context and group-specific and/or time-consuming. There is no adaptable and economic measure of group cohesion in Germany. Therefore, the aim of this study was to validate the German version of the 6-item Perceived Cohesion Scale (PCS) in a sample of adult nurses in a German University Hospital. The German version of the PCS was generated according to existing guidelines. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess factor structure. Reliability was tested via internal consistency. To assess convergent and divergent validity, the authors applied the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), the Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease Patients (ENRICHD) Social Support Inventory (ESSI), the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4). The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a 2-factor structure. Psychometric properties of the German PCS prove satisfactory. Internal consistency was excellent for the whole scale (α = 0.95), as well as for both subscales: sense of belonging (SOB) (α = 0.94) and morale (MOR) (α = 0.93). Moderate to strong correlations with the subscales of COPSOQ (Kendall's Tau (τ) = 0.239 - 0.471) indicated very good convergent validity. Regarding divergent validity, the correlations of the PCS subscales and the PHQ-4 were low (τ = -0.109-[-0.143]), as were the correlations with ESSI (τ = 0.045-0.136). Correlations with ERI were low to moderate (τ = -0.181-0.283). The German version of the PCS showed good psychometric properties. Due to its economic and universal deployment, group cohesion can be measured in a variety of contexts and settings. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(4):421-32.

The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with participation of community-dwelling older Australians (≥65years) in the Exercise Right for Active Ageing program, consisting of 12 low- to moderate-intensity group exercise classes, delivered weekly, in person or online, by accredited exercise scientists and physiologists across Australia. Out of 6,949 participants recruited, 6,626 (95%) attended one or more classes and were included in the primary analysis, and 49% of participants attended all 12 classes. Factors associated with higher class attendance included participation in yoga/flexibility/mobility classes, attendance at a free trial class (adjusted incidence rate ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.05 [1.03, 1.08]), and attending online classes (1.19 [1.11, 1.26]). Factors associated with lower class attendance included state of residence, living in inner regional areas (0.95 [0.93, 0.98]), and having two or more comorbidities (0.97 [0.95, 0.99]). High class attendance suggests that the Exercise Right for Active Ageing program was well received by older Australians, particularly in states less impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns.

Structured social support may enhance the benefits of an exercise class for participants. This study examined the effects of an intergenerational exercise buddy program on participant well-being. A convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from Central Texas (N = 51): 34 were community-dwelling adults aged 65 and above, and 17 were university students aged 18-25 years. The study used a pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design and focus group interviews. Randomly selected 18 older-adult participants were paired with young-adult participants as an exercise buddy for each other to attend 8 weekly Tai Chi or Chair Yoga classes at a community center. Meanwhile, 16 older-adult participants formed a control group attending different exercise classes without young-adult buddies. The survey results show that, compared to the control group, the intervention group (n = 35) had significantly greater satisfaction with life (p < .09 ) and a more positive attitude towards aging (p < .01) after attending exercise classes with their buddies. In focus group interviews, the participants most frequently mentioned that commitment to their buddies as a key factor for class attendance. The participants typically perceived that their buddies were pleasant and did not judge or treat them based on their age. They stressed the positive effects of building relationships with all involved in the program, including the exercise instructors. Meanwhile, control-group participants wished that they, too, had buddies. Although the study should be replicated with a larger sample, its findings suggest that an intergenerational exercise program offers added benefits for participants.

Appraisal in a Team Context: Perceptions of Cohesion Predict Competition Importance and Prospects for Coping.

In an effort to increase perceptions of cohesion among intercollegiate soccer players, a team-based mindfulness meditation program was undertaken. This team-building program was delivered by using a personal-disclosure mutual-sharing approach. A total of 31 female intercollegiate soccer players from two teams participated. Assigned to the intervention condition was a Canadian intercollegiate team (U Sports), while the control condition was an American intercollegiate team (NCAA, Division II). The participants completed a measure of cohesion (Group Environment Questionnaire) pre- and postintervention. Controlling for the preintervention scores, the 8-week team-based mindfulness meditation program resulted in significantly higher perceptions of social cohesion for the intervention group compared with the control group at postintervention. However, there were no significant differences in task cohesion between the intervention and control groups at postintervention. Using personal disclosure, mutual sharing seems a viable approach by which to deliver a team-based mindfulness meditation program to enhance a team’s social cohesion.

Introduction Epidemiological studies indicate a high prevalence of overweight in all economically developed countries of the world, its growth was registered everywhere by the beginning of the century. According to the World Health Organization, over 30 % of the world’s inhabitants have overweight, and therefore, WHO has recognized it as a new non-infectious «21st century epidemic». The aim of the study was to determine the twenty-year dynamics of the prevalence of overweight among young and mature women in the open population of the mid-urban city of Western Siberia. Material and methods. Simultaneous epidemiological studies were conducted on representative samples in 1996 and 2016 among women of 25–64 years old with the allocation of categories of young and mature age. Overweight was determined based on body mass index (BMI), with BMI ≥ 30.0 obesity was recorded, with BMI ≥ 25.0 – overweight. Results. Over 20 years of monitoring the open population of the mid-urbanized city of Western Siberia, a positive trend has been established to reduce the prevalence of overweight in the category of young women. In the age range in relation to the prevalence of BMI according to the first and second screenings in the open urban population, a negative trend has been established for an increase in the prevalence of obesity and overweight among young women during the transition from the third to the fourth decade of life. According to the first screening in an open urban population, a negative trend was found to increase the prevalence of obesity and overweight among mature women during the transition from the fifth to the sixth decade of life, according to the second screening in the same groups, to an increase in the prevalence of overweight. Conclusion. Changes in population health at certain time intervals, depending on socio-economic, environmental, and behavioral factors, in each time period and in each individual population require specific, epidemiologically-related preventive measures.

A Study of the Effectiveness of a Residential Enterprise School for PhD and Postdoctoral Researchers in North West England for Stimulating Entrepreneurship

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the study was to investigate the magnitude and structure of situation-specific owner emotions and behavioral reactions in problematic situations involving a dog. The following questions were addressed: 1. What is the magnitude of situation-specific owner emotions and reactions in a group of dog owners?, and 2. What is the structure of situation-specific owner emotions and reactions in a group of dog owners? In addition, the study considered whether these emotions and behavioral reactions differed between male and female owners. Fifty-five dog owners were presented with 16 descriptions of possible situations with a dog and were asked to record the degree to which they elicited 13 emotions (such as irritation, anger, sorrow, anxiety). They were further asked which disciplinary reactions, such as punishment, demanding compliance, they would use in each situation. Factor analysis of the emotions and behavioral reactions resulted in three emotional factors: anger/irritation, compassion/anxiety and compunction, and two behavioral factors: power assertion and encouraging behavior. Though most would modify behavior using power assertion, about 10% of the dog owners chose not to enforce compliance of the rules but would prevent further problems by using encouragement. Investigation of the male and female owners resulted in slightly different scores, especially for the group of the male owners. These results are related to the literature concerning child discipline in problematic situations.

COVID-19 pandemic restrictions ceased the opportunity for face-to-face group exercise classes with at risk populations, such as cancer patients, forcing an adaptation to online exercise programming. The purpose of this study was to compare the attendance rates and correlates of face-to-face exercise programming pre-COVID-19 to online programming delivered during the first year of pandemic restrictions. The sample was comprised from 1189 patient records between 2018 and 2021. Data analysis was based around the three primary research questions: (i) whether the volume of attendance in online exercise programming differed from the previous face-to-face programming; (ii) whether there were any differences in attendee demographics between online and face-to-face classes; and (iii) whether there were specific correlates of online attendance that can inform future exercise programming. Class attendance increased significantly when online exercise classes were introduced during the first year of the pandemic when compared to face-to-face attendance the prior years (p < .01). Multiple demographic findings were also observed including age, gender, and geographic differences. While COVID-19 has effected the ability to deliver face-to-face exercise programs for cancer patients, online programming has proved a promising delivery model with greater geographical reach. The approach, however, has gender and age differences in program attendance so targeted programming to reach specific cancer patient demographics may need attention. These results add to the continuing research in the area of online exercise and online programming strategies offering an effective option for cancer patients to achieve targeted exercise prescription.