Asterios Patsiaouras

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between resilience levels and anxiety of volleyball players and to find possible differences that exist between the two genders. Participants included 195 volleyball players (37 male and 158 female), with the Self Evaluation Resilience test and the CSAI-2 test (Greek version) used as evaluation instruments. The data was analysed with SPSS 21.0 using Pearson’s r and t-test for independent samples. Results of Pearson’s r test showed positive intercorrelations between all the resilience variables and between resilience and self-confidence. The t-test showed statistically significant differences between male and female volleyball players in “forming relationships” and “self-efficacy” variables, with no other statistically significant differences observed for the rest of the resilience variables. Additionally, statistically significant differences were observed for “cognitive”, “somatic” anxiety and “self-confidence” between the two genders of volleyball players. Future research should further investigate the relationship between resilience and self-confidence and how it affects the resilience level of volleyball players.

Objectives: Physical activity in persons with schizophrenia is associated with improvement of physical health parameters, reductions in depression and anxiety and an increased social interaction and psychological well-being. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an exercise programme on improving mood profile of 30 patients with schizophrenia, separated in three groups (control group, experiment group A and experiment group B) of 10 individuals. Methods: Data from patients with schizophrenia collected using the instrument Profile of Mood States which was selected and administered prior, during and after application of the exercise programme. Repeated measures ANOVA and post hoc paired t-test were used to examine the short-term effect of the exercise programme prior and after the 1st, the 12th and the 24th training session between and within groups, respectively. The eight weeks duration of the exercise programme was conducted combining physical activity with behavioural treatment so as to promote exercise behaviour and minimise drop out risk.Results: Experiment group B participants as compared to those of the experiment group A and control group reported at the end of the exercise programme as felling more vigorous, less depressed and less confused leading to an improved total mood score. Conclusions: Physical activity interventions referring to schizophrenia patients that also incorporate behaviour strategies lead to an improved mood profile of patients with psychosis. © 2014 © 2014 International Society of Sport Psychology

Objectives: To cross-culturally adapt the VISA-P questionnaire for Greek-speaking patients and evaluate its psychometric properties.Background: The VISA-P was developed in the English language to evaluate patients with patellar tendinopathy. The validity and use of self-administered questionnaires in different language and cultural populations require a specific procedure in order to maintain their content validity.Methods: The VISA-P questionnaire was translated and cross-culturally adapted according to specific guidelines. The validity and reliability were tested in 61 healthy recreational athletes, 64 athletes at risk from different sports, 32 patellar tendinopathy patients and 30 patients with other knee injuries. Participants completed the questionnaire at baseline and after 15–17 days.Results: The questionnaire's face and content validity were judged as good by the expert committee, and the participants. Concurrent validity was almost perfect (ρ=−0.839, p<0.001). Also, factorial validity testing revealed a two-factor solution, which explained 85.6% of the total variance. A one-factor solution explained 80.8% of the variance when the other knee injury group was excluded. Known group validity was demonstrated by significant differences between patients compared with the asymptomatic groups (p<0.001). The VISA-P-GR exhibited very good test–retest reliability (ICC=0.818, p<0.001; 95% CI 0.758 to 0.864) and internal consistency since Cronbach's α analysis ranged from α=0.785 to 0.784 following a 15–17 days interval.Conclusions: The translated VISA-P-GR is a valid and reliable questionnaire and its psychometric properties are comparable with the original and adapted versions.

Tsimaras, VK, Giamouridou, GA, Kokaridas, DG, Sidiropoulou, MP, and Patsiaouras, AI. The effect of a traditional dance training program on dynamic balance of individuals with mental retardation. J Strength Cond Res 26(1): 192–198, 2012—The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of a Greek traditional dance training program on the dynamic balance of individuals with mental retardation (MR). A total of 17 individuals participated in this study. Ten individuals with mild or moderate MR and 7 individuals with mild or moderate MR who studied in special schools were assigned to intervention (MR-I) and control (MR-C) groups, respectively. Pretraining and posttraining exercise tests were performed to determine the dynamic balance ability. Dynamic balance ability was measured by means of a balance deck (Lafayette, Lafayette, IN, USA) in 30-, 45-, and 60-second intervals. The MR-I group underwent a 16-week Greek traditional dance training program at a frequency of 3 times per week and for a duration of 45 minutes per season. Posttraining results showed that the individuals with MR in the MR-I group improved during treatment, from their baseline scores on dynamic balance measurements (30 seconds: p < 0.01, 45 seconds: p < 0.05, 60 seconds: p < 0.05). The MR-C group did not show any improvement between the 2 measurements. In conclusion, individuals with MR may be able to improve their dynamic balance when performing a systematic and well-designed Greek traditional dance training program.

The purpose of this study was to examine the technical skills that emerged as statistically important for volleyball men teams’ progress into the qualification round, semi-final and final in the Beijing Olympic Games of 2008. Collection of data included the use of the statistical recording program Data Volley 2 Professional (2005) for games evaluated. Additional statistical analyses included the use of SPSS 15.0. Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test use revealed statistically significant differences among the teams concerning the “attack errors following bad receptions” factor. Additional statistical analyses using Mann - Whitney U test showed statistically important differences between the teams playing in each semi-final and the final with the qualification round teams regarding the “attack errors following bad receptions” factor. Statistically important differences were also noticed in the “attack after bad reception” between qualification round teams and teams playing in the final (Brazil-USA)

The purpose of the study was to determine the technical elements that could lead to a prediction to winning or losing a match by taking into account the differences of the technical elements recorded among the teams that participated in the Japan word volleyball championship (Pool B). The sample consisted of 6 national men’s teams who competed in the frames of world championship during the 2006 period. The recording was made by using the official statistical logistic package of the European Confederation (CEV). Additional statistical analysis of the results took place by using the SPSS 11 statistical package. Discriminant analysis was conducted to select which subset of the measured variables significantly contributed to the prediction of winning or losing a match. Results showed that “attack error”, “jump services point”, “quick ball error“, and “jump serves”, led to the prediction of the match outcome (winning or losing a match) whereas “attack after reception” and “quick ball attack” emerged as the decisive factors for team qualification.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of person-centered intervention on motivation for athletic performance. 74 volleyball players, 24 boys and 50 girls (M age = 13 yr., SD= 1.0), completed a motivation questionnaire, the Leistungs Motivations Test für Jugendlichen prior to and after an 8-mo. group treatment that included the application of Roger's person-centered method to the participants of the experimental group (1 boys' team n = 12; 1 girls' team n = 11), at a frequency of at least one session per week. In the control group (1 boys' team n = 12; 3 girls' teams n = 39), no particular method was used apart from the pedagogical methods that coaches selected. Results revealed a statistically significant decrease in boys' scores on desire for performance and success between the pre- and posttest measurements. No significant change in girls' scores was observed. Thus, the 8-mo. treatment using the person-centered method did not improve volleyball players' motivation for performance.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relation of verbal aggressiveness and state anxiety (somatic, cognitive, and self-confidence) in sports settings based on the ratings by volleyball coaches and their athletes. The sample consisted of volleyball athletes ( n = 208; 98 men and 110 women) and their coaches ( n = 20; 16 men and 4 women). Analysis showed that male volleyball players rated somatic anxiety higher and were more affected by the verbal aggressiveness of their coaches than female volleyball players. No mean differences were significant for male and female coaches on somatic or cognitive anxiety, self-confidence, or verbal aggressiveness. Also, correlation between subscale scores for male and female volleyball players and coaches was found. The correlations of verbal aggressiveness with self-confidence and anxiety were positive for these athletes, leading them to better behavior. This relationship needs further examination in sport settings.