Browsing by Author "Kenny, Sarah J."
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Item Open Access Community dance supports older adults’ successful aging, physical literacy, and embodiment: a case study(2022-07) Paglione, Vanessa; Kenny, Sarah J.; McDonough, Meghan H.; Din, Cari; Bridel, WilliamCommunity dance offers a physical, artistic, and social activity led by a dance artist, which encourages participation at any age or skill level. As Canada’s population ages, there is a need to understand programming which may be enjoyable and motivating to participate in and supports numerous aspects of older adults’ lives. Dancing has the potential to support many aspects of health, yet current literature focuses primarily on the physical health benefits of dancing. This thesis examined one specific dance class, striving to gain insight about the holistic benefits related to aging, experiences of physical activity, and embodiment that community dance may offer older adults. The first study included three semi-structured interviews with the dance instructor to explore their perspective on the impact participation in community dance class had on participants, and the pedagogical behaviors used to elicit those benefits when instructing the class. The second study included semi-structured interviews with five older adults to examine their experiences of participating in the community dance class. Collectively, interviews with both the instructor and dancers suggested dancing offered an opportunity for older adults to connect to their own embodiment. Social connection and music were perceived in both studies as essential to the dancing experience. Dance can support feelings of confidence when instructors intentionally strive for participants to experience success. The dance class also offered an opportunity for older adults to connect to their creativity and artistry. Artistry and creativity can positively contribute to one’s psychosocial experiences of physical activity and ability to connect with others. Overall, dancing offers a promising activity that supports older adults in numerous aspects of their lives. Policy that supports funding for and access to facilitates to offer community dance programming is needed.Item Embargo Experiences with social support among older adult women participating in gay square dancing(Elsevier, 2023-04) Beselt, L. Jayne; McDonough, Meghan H.; Walsh, Christine A.; Kenny, Sarah J.LGBTQI2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and two-spirit, etc.) individuals face unique challenges to physical activity participation, such as discrimination and exclusion. Square dance is a form of collaborative group dancing and while traditionally a heteronormative form of dance, gay square dance is typically open to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. Square dancing offers opportunities to belong to a community of others engaged in the same activity, which older adults often find satisfying. The aim of this research was to understand how older adults who identify as women experience social support in the context of participating in gay square dance and the role previous experiences of social exclusion play in influencing these experiences. Fourteen self-identified women (age range 55–79 years; n = 11 White, n = 1 Black, n = 2 Jewish) belonging to a gay square dance club participated. Participants self-identified as heterosexual (n = 7), lesbian (n = 3), pansexual (n = 1), bisexual (n = 1), or did not identify with existing terminology (n = 2). Interviews were conducted during a gay square-dancing festival and thematically analyzed. Findings highlighted that participants experienced acceptance which affirmed their sense of self and enabled their authentic selves. To foster a sense of belonging and close relationships, specific actions (e.g., demonstrative welcoming of newcomers, mutual support) were taken by other participants in the group. Physical touch is an inherent part of square dancing, which took on different meanings for participants and was overall perceived as safe. Inclusive groups like gay square dance clubs are an important and consistent means where older adult women can experience meaningful social relationships and interactions.Item Open Access Motivation and Social Factors Associated with Exercise Fidelity in a Basketball Neuromuscular Training Prevention Warm-up in Youth(2019-09-18) Befus, Kimberley Darlene; Emery, Carolyn A.; McDonough, Meghan H.; Pasanen, Kati; Kenny, Sarah J.; McCormack, Gavin R.Objective: To establish the reliability of an observational tool for the evaluation of exercise fidelity and to understand the influence of motivational and social factors, in the basketball context, on exercise fidelity to the SHRed Injuries Basketball Neuromuscular warm-up program in youth. Methods: First, an inter-rater reliability study for the evaluation of exercise fidelity by an expert and non-expert rater which consisting of two rounds of training, practice and exercise fidelity evaluation using video clips. Percent agreement and Bland Altman agreement were used to evaluate the reliability of ratings between an expert and non-expert rater. Second, a prospective cohort study in which 66 high school basketball players, participating in the 2018-2019 school basketball season, completed questionnaires which addressed the constructs of perceived autonomy support, quality of change-oriented feedback, motivation and perceived competence, in the basketball context. Approximately one-week later players were filmed completing the warm-up as part of their normal routine. Exercise fidelity was evaluated by the non-expert rater using the video clips. Conditional process analysis was used to analyse the purposed models. Results: An acceptable level of reliability was reached for the evaluation of exercise fidelity. Autonomy support was a direct negative predictor and an indirect positive predictor, via autonomous motivation, of exercise fidelity. Autonomous motivation was a positive predictor of exercise fidelity. Self-determined motivation and quality of change-oriented feedback were not found to be significant predictors of exercise fidelity. Conclusions: Autonomy support and autonomous motivation may play a role in player adherence to an injury prevention warm-up program.Item Open Access Prospective Associations Between Older Adults' Social Connections and Trajectories of Change in Physical Activity and Psychological Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic(2024-09-19) Lavallée, Niana; McDonough, Meghan H.; Kenny, Sarah J.; Zimmer, Chantelle; Culos-Reed, Nicole; Campbell, TavisSocial connections show promising evidence for increasing physical activity participation and improving psychological well-being among older adults. However, there is limited longitudinal examinations of associations between different social connection constructs and changes in physical activity and psychological well-being, particularly across periods of rapid change. The purpose of this thesis was to prospectively examine associations between baseline values of social connections and trajectories of change in physical activity and psychological well-being among adults 55 years of age and older. Data was collected over a 6-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic. A single dataset was used for both studies in this thesis. The first study examined associations between seven social connection constructs and trajectories of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and light-intensity physical activity during a period in the COVID-19 pandemic when access to community-based programs was restricted and then restored to follow public health requirements. Six monthly surveys were administered between October 2021 and May 2022 (N = 890). Hypotheses were tested using latent growth curve modelling. Injunctive and descriptive norms did not significantly change over time. Social network and relatedness had a negative linear change whereas social support amount and quality had a positive linear change. Social participation and light-intensity physical activity changed quadratically, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity demonstrated linear and quadratic change over time. Social network negatively predicted the positive quadratic curve of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and descriptive norms positively predicted the quadratic curve of light-intensity physical activity. The second study investigated associations between seven social connection constructs and trajectories of change in stress, negative affect, and positive affect among an older adult sample. Latent growth curve modelling indicated stress and negative affect declined linearly, while positive affect followed a positive quadratic change. Descriptive norms negatively predicted the change in stress, whereas social participation positively predicted the change in negative affect and negatively predicted the change in positive affect. Together findings from these studies provide insights into the nature of these relationships and suggests levels of social connections may make older adults resilient to factors that change their physical activity and psychological well-being.Item Open Access STICK ITT - Study to Increase Current Knowledge of Injuries in Trampoline and Tumbling(2021-01-28) Downie, Sheila; Kenny, Sarah J.; Emery, Carolyn A.; Schneider, Kathryn J.; Doyle-Baker, Patricia K.; van Wyk, NadineObjectives: To examine incidence rates, severity, characteristics, mechanism and potential risk factors for injury in competitive Trampoline and Tumbling (T&T) athletes ages 8 to 25 years. Methods: Competitive T&T athletes were recruited from across Canada to complete an online questionnaire (e.g., demographics, one-year injury history, injury type and location). Injury was defined as an injury that kept the athlete from T&T training and/or competing for more than one day and/or required medical attention. Univariate Poisson regression analyses were used to estimate incidence rates (IR) and incidence rate ratios (IRR), controlling for cluster by club and offset by exposure hour. Differences in rates were estimated across level of competition (sub-elite/elite), sex (male/female), age (years), T&T experience (years) and exposure (training/competition hours). Descriptive statistics (medians, ranges, proportions, 95% confidence intervals) for athlete demographics and injury characteristics are reported. Results: A total of 132 athletes [89 female; median age=14 (range 10-24 years), 43 males; median age 15 (range 9-24)] from 25 clubs completed the survey with 65% reporting at least one T&T related injury in the previous year. A total of 135 injuries were reported (IR 2.01/1000 exposure hours 95%CI 1.69-2.39). The median time-loss was 30 days (range 0-482) and 125/135 (92.5%) of the injured athletes sought medical attention. The injury rate for elite athletes was 115 injuries/100 athletes/year (95% CI 89.4-143.1) and 92 injuries/100 athletes (95%CI 70.8-116.6) for sub-elite. The most common injury locations were the ankle [28% (24/135)] and head/face [18% (24/135)]. Ligament sprains [22% (30/135)] and concussion [17% (23/135)] were the most common injury type. Females reported significantly higher rate of injury than males [IRR 1.49 (95%CI 1.12-1.92)]. Conclusion: This study examined injury incidence in terms of exposure and found females were at greater rate of injury over their male counterparts. Athletes experience ankle, head (concussion) and overuse type injuries as they engage in competitive T&T. Additional prospective research is needed to inform the development of effective injury prevention strategies among these high-risk young athletes.