Attila Szabo (Ph.D., D.Sc.) completed his undergraduate and postgraduate education at Concordia University (BSc in Psychology and MSc in Biology) and the University of Montreal (Ph.D. in "Sciences de l'activité physique"), in Montreal, Canada. Subsequently, he moved to the UK where he served the sports science teaching- and research-teams at Nottingham Trent University, first as Senior Lecturer then as Reader for nearly nine years. In 2005, Attila moved to Budapest, Hungary, where he currently works as a Professor of Psychology at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University. He was a BASES accredited researcher in Sport
Released less than three months ago, ChatGPT became the center of attention of scholars around th... more Released less than three months ago, ChatGPT became the center of attention of scholars around the world. This artificial intelligence (AI) language model has over 100 million subscribers worldwide and generates many discussions concerning its accuracy, advantages, and threats to science and education. Its accuracy in law, linguistics, mathematics, and medicine has already been evaluated. Most results suggest that ChatGPT could generate a passing grade in these domains. Its performance in combined subjects or social sciences has yet to be tested. The large amount of information in this general area may yield more accurate performance. Still, specific subjects in the field, with controversial research findings, can lead to significant errors, which teachers and researchers could quickly spot. In this study, ChatGPT was tested on its accuracy on exercise addiction, a subject in sports sciences and psychology associated with more than 1,000 publications. ChatGPT gave several correct an...
Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity, 2020
Background: The aim of this work was to examine the extent to which cardiorespiratory fitness, b... more Background: The aim of this work was to examine the extent to which cardiorespiratory fitness, blood pressure, and optimism/pessimism predict adults’ satisfaction with life. Material and methods: Sixty-eight adults seeking cardiovascular health screening in a private clinic were tested. Participants’ blood pressure, optimism/pessimism, and satisfaction with life were recorded. The YMCA cycle ergometer test was used for estimating participants’ aerobic fitness (VO2 max). Based on 140/90 mm Hg blood pressure cut-off value, participants were classified into two groups. Results: A bootstrapped hierarchical multivariate regression analysis revealed that VO2 max, systolic blood pressure, optimism, and pessimism jointly accounted for 46% of the variance (R2 = 0.501, R2 adjusted = 0.462) in life satisfaction. Furthermore, a bootstrapped multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that Stage 2 hypertensives reported lower life satisfaction (p = 0.007) than the others with lower blood pr...
Most studies on acute stress stem from works conducted under artificial laboratory conditions. In... more Most studies on acute stress stem from works conducted under artificial laboratory conditions. Inducing stress for experimental scrutiny is problematic and can be unethical. In this study, a ‘research methods’ course’s curriculum included a demonstration study testing anxiety and heart rate responses to the midterm test. Fifty-four university students (35 males and 19 females) presented a research topic in-person (n = 14) or prerecorded while being present (n = 40). Students selected a test format they could change until the week before the midterm test. The measures were trait anxiety, test anxiety, state anxiety, heart rate (HR), the last two being measured before and after examination, and grades. All students manifested decreased state anxiety and increased HR from before to after the test. Females exhibited higher HR and state anxiety than males. Real-time presentations were associated with higher HRs but not higher state anxiety. Those who changed their planned presentation mo...
Placebo and nocebo effects could influence the perceived, actual, or both postural stabilities. T... more Placebo and nocebo effects could influence the perceived, actual, or both postural stabilities. Therefore, this experiment examined whether postural stability is susceptible to placebo and nocebo effects. Driven by expectations, these cognitions could influence the motor stability of people in physical rehabilitation and those with motion instability. We randomly assigned 78 participants to a placebo, nocebo, or control group. Then, we applied a sham sports cream with positive, negative, or neutral instructions about its impact on balance. Next, we tested postural stability with a modified version of the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction in Balance, including standard, proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular tests before and after the intervention. Further, we measured expected and perceived performance with visual analog scales and assessed trait anxiety, change in state anxiety, optimism, holistic thinking, persistence, and cooperation with questionnaires. The intervent...
This note is a reply to Brevers et al.’s (2022) the commentary. We first explain that the comment... more This note is a reply to Brevers et al.’s (2022) the commentary. We first explain that the commentary's title is in discord with the theoretical implications of the Expanded Interactional Model of Exercise Addiction (EIMEA; Dinardi et al., 2021). Subsequently, we argue that in contrast to Brevers et al.’s arguments, exercise volume or intensive physical exercise is not even mentioned in the revised EIMEA. Most importantly, we point out that the commentary's reference to assessment scales of exercise addiction is irrelevant, because the EIMEA is intended for idiographic clinical cases rather than nomothetic research. Furthermore, we discuss how the ELMEA cannot account for secondary exercise addiction and motivational incentives due to its individual-specific orientation. Finally, we conclude our reply by highlighting that Brevers et al.’s commentary seems to revolve around nomothetic research assessing a certain level of ‘risk’ of exercise addiction, while the EIMEA accounts ...
Recent studies suggest that students fail to meet the international guidelines for physical activ... more Recent studies suggest that students fail to meet the international guidelines for physical activity. Therefore, an increased number of physical activity interventions attempt to change this trend. The current paper reviews the intervention studies which were based on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Three databases (PsycINFO, Medline, and SPORTDiscus) were scrutinized in the current review, which yielded 437 potential articles. Employing the recommended selection based on the population, intervention, comparators, and outcome (PICO), 14 articles could be included in the narrative analysis. The results showed that interventions based on the SDT were very heterogeneously operationalized in these studies. Despite different interventions, the results suggest that SDT-based interventions have the potential to increase students’ physical activity through both, autonomy and supportive environment. Teachers’ professional development in implementing SDT-based physical activity intervent...
Cross-national epidemiological research reveals that life satisfaction is related to blood pressu... more Cross-national epidemiological research reveals that life satisfaction is related to blood pressure status.While no studies have yet distinguished hypertensive and normotensive individuals in terms of life satisfaction, limited evidence suggests that the former might differ in optimism and pessimism from the latter. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to test the hypothesis that hypertensive adults differ in life satisfaction, optimism and pessimism from the non-hypertensives. Individuals presenting themselves for a voluntary cardiovascular screening test (N = 128) were asked to complete three questionnaires assessing their satisfaction with life, optimism and pessimism. Based on their blood pressure readings, using the commonly accepted cut-off value of 140/90 mm Hg, participants were categorized as hypertensives and non-hypertensives and were compared on the dependent measures. A bootstrappedmultivariate analysis of covariance, using gender, bodymass index, smoking sta...
Sexual violence against children in sports receives little research attention. The aim of this Pr... more Sexual violence against children in sports receives little research attention. The aim of this Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-based systematic literature review was to synthesize the up-to-date knowledge and identify the already known and the still unknown information in this area. The literature search yielded seven eligible studies for inclusion. Their key outcomes suggest that sexual violence against children in sports is prevalent. Girls are more often the victims than boys, but gender appears to mediate the disclosure. Minority groups are at higher risk for sexual violence, and athletes at higher levels of competition seem to be more vulnerable for grooming. While the coach is often seen as the perpetrator, new research suggests that peer-athletes may precede the coach. Disclosure is a problem, due to personal and interpersonal concerns, which deters scholastic research in this area. In the final section of the review, a "what we know&qu...
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
Smartphones are a medium for performing online activities, and one such activity could be the com... more Smartphones are a medium for performing online activities, and one such activity could be the compulsive online health information search — cyberchondria. This study aimed to test whether cyberchondria and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) positively predict smartphone addiction (SA), adjusted for age, gender, daily use duration, the reason for using smartphones, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The sample consisted of 471 adults (55.2% women) from the general population without chronic diseases (Mage = 38.67). Regression analysis showed that IU was a positive predictor of SA (β = .17, p < .001), as well as cyberchondria (β = .14, p < .001), which had a unique contribution to the explanation of SA, relative to IU. Other significant predictors were average daily smartphone use and entertainment use, the latter being the strongest predictor in the model. These results revealed cyberchondria as a unique predictor of SA.
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
Exercise addiction is a term used to describe dysfunctional exercise behavior characterized by th... more Exercise addiction is a term used to describe dysfunctional exercise behavior characterized by the classic symptoms of addictions, which eventually result in physical, psychological, or social harm to the affected individual. While well over 1000 peer-reviewed papers on problematic exercise have been published, very few studies have explored the conceptual differences between team-based and individual-based exercise, and no previous study has critically addressed this issue. The rationale for this distinction is that team-based exercise is typically organized and scheduled by others with little or no control over its timing by the individual team member. On the contrary, individual-based exercise can be self-scheduled. Consequently, more (total) control over its timing facilitates the satisfaction of craving-induced urges characterized by an addiction. It is posited that exercise addicts, in general, are “lone wolves” in the context of their addiction. Therefore, being addicted to e...
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Serbian Smartphone Application-Bas... more The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Serbian Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) and the original English version of the same scale administered to a Serbian-speaking sample. In Study 1, 599 participants completed Serbian SABAS, with 189 having both test and retest data. Results suggested good internal consistency (α = .81) and test–retest reliability (ICC = .795, p < .001, 95% CI [.731, .844], rtest-retest = .803) of the scale. Convergent validity of the SABAS was evaluated through correlations with the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), as well as with anxiety, depression, worry, duration, and purpose of smartphone use. Divergent validity of the SABAS was evaluated through comparing the correlations with entertainment and productive smartphone use. The modified CFA model showed an acceptable fit (χ2(8) = 25.53, p = .001, CFI = .961, TLI = .926, RMSEA = .096, SRMR = .042), confirming the unidimensionality of the SABAS. I...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
This cross-sectional study aimed to explore specific online behaviours and their association with... more This cross-sectional study aimed to explore specific online behaviours and their association with a range of underlying psychological and other behavioural factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight countries (Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Portugal, Japan, Hungary, and Brazil) participated in an international investigation involving 2223 participants (M = 33 years old; SD = 11), 70% of whom were females. Participants were surveyed for specific type of Internet use severity, appearance anxiety, self-compassion, and image and use of performance-enhancing drugs (IPEDs). Results were compared cross-culturally. The mean time spent online was 5 h (SD = ±3) of daily browsing during the pandemic. The most commonly performed activities included social networking, streaming, and general surfing. A strong association between these online behaviours and appearance anxiety, self-compassion, and IPEDs use was found after adjustment for possible confounders, with higher scores bein...
International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie, Jan 6, 2018
Increased research on passion in exercise calls for direct examination of possible moderating var... more Increased research on passion in exercise calls for direct examination of possible moderating variables, such as culture and gender, that could influence the interpretation of the research results. This study using a nation by gender between-participants design, examined differences in obsessive- and harmonious passion in Spanish and Hungarian physically active individuals. Participants (n = 1002) completed the Passion Scale, reported their gender, age and weekly hours of physical activity. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that the experiencing of physical activity-related obsessive- and harmonious passion differed between the 2 countries and Hungarian women scored significantly higher on harmonious and obsessive passion than Spanish women. However, Hungarian men only scored significantly higher on obsessive passion, but not harmonious passion compared to Spanish men. These results suggest that gender and cultural differences are likely to affect the interpretation and g...
ABSRACT Background and aims: Aquatic exercises are popular leisure activities worldwide, primaril... more ABSRACT Background and aims: Aquatic exercises are popular leisure activities worldwide, primarily among women. These activities are especially beneficial for aging people and individuals having difficulties performing land-based exercises. Their physical health benefits have already been documented in the academic literature, but research on their mental health effects is still non-existent. However, leisure exercises promoting mental health are advantageous in a fast-paced and often stressful world. Therefore, in this in-situ (natural life setting) field study, we examined the acute mental benefits of aquatic exercises in 30 voluntary consenting women having a mean age of 57.57 (SD = 12.67) years. Methods: Using a within-participants research design, the subjectively perceived feeling states and felt arousal, along with positive and negative affect, were recorded before and after exercise. Moreover, the personal expectancies regarding the expected feelings after exercise were assessed before the workout to determine the influence of anticipation effects. Results: The findings revealed that core affect and positive affect improved substantially from before to after exercise (p < .001), as confirmed by the large effect sizes (Cohen's d > 0.80). Negative affect decreased nonsignificantly (p = .062), but it was already low before exercise. Although expectancy scores were high before the exercise class, they did not correlate (p > .05) with the dependent measures' magnitude of changes (pre-class-post-class scores). Conclusions: These findings suggest that women who participate in an aquatic exercise class report experiencing significant positive changes in their feelings, demonstrating this popular exercise's acute mental health benefits. Although further controlled research is needed in this area, the current results have promising implications for middle-aged women's mental health preservation and promotion.
The purpose of this study was to compare coping skills, motivational profiles, and perceived moti... more The purpose of this study was to compare coping skills, motivational profiles, and perceived motivational climate in elite U18 male ice hockey (n=20) and soccer (n=23) players (n=14). The instruments used were the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire -2, the Sport Motivation Survey, and the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory -28. The questionnaires-based data revealed that both players could be considered taskoriented, exhibiting high levels of confidence, achievement motivation, concentration, and intrinsic motivation. The results also revealed that in contrast to ice-hockey players, soccer players demonstrated higher levels of important role perception, freedom from worry, and coachability, as well as more task orientation than ice-hockey players. However, ice hockey players demonstrated significantly higher perception of unequal recognition than soccer players. Consequently, coaches in different talent development programs need to emphasize the individuality and qu...
Released less than three months ago, ChatGPT became the center of attention of scholars around th... more Released less than three months ago, ChatGPT became the center of attention of scholars around the world. This artificial intelligence (AI) language model has over 100 million subscribers worldwide and generates many discussions concerning its accuracy, advantages, and threats to science and education. Its accuracy in law, linguistics, mathematics, and medicine has already been evaluated. Most results suggest that ChatGPT could generate a passing grade in these domains. Its performance in combined subjects or social sciences has yet to be tested. The large amount of information in this general area may yield more accurate performance. Still, specific subjects in the field, with controversial research findings, can lead to significant errors, which teachers and researchers could quickly spot. In this study, ChatGPT was tested on its accuracy on exercise addiction, a subject in sports sciences and psychology associated with more than 1,000 publications. ChatGPT gave several correct an...
Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity, 2020
Background: The aim of this work was to examine the extent to which cardiorespiratory fitness, b... more Background: The aim of this work was to examine the extent to which cardiorespiratory fitness, blood pressure, and optimism/pessimism predict adults’ satisfaction with life. Material and methods: Sixty-eight adults seeking cardiovascular health screening in a private clinic were tested. Participants’ blood pressure, optimism/pessimism, and satisfaction with life were recorded. The YMCA cycle ergometer test was used for estimating participants’ aerobic fitness (VO2 max). Based on 140/90 mm Hg blood pressure cut-off value, participants were classified into two groups. Results: A bootstrapped hierarchical multivariate regression analysis revealed that VO2 max, systolic blood pressure, optimism, and pessimism jointly accounted for 46% of the variance (R2 = 0.501, R2 adjusted = 0.462) in life satisfaction. Furthermore, a bootstrapped multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that Stage 2 hypertensives reported lower life satisfaction (p = 0.007) than the others with lower blood pr...
Most studies on acute stress stem from works conducted under artificial laboratory conditions. In... more Most studies on acute stress stem from works conducted under artificial laboratory conditions. Inducing stress for experimental scrutiny is problematic and can be unethical. In this study, a ‘research methods’ course’s curriculum included a demonstration study testing anxiety and heart rate responses to the midterm test. Fifty-four university students (35 males and 19 females) presented a research topic in-person (n = 14) or prerecorded while being present (n = 40). Students selected a test format they could change until the week before the midterm test. The measures were trait anxiety, test anxiety, state anxiety, heart rate (HR), the last two being measured before and after examination, and grades. All students manifested decreased state anxiety and increased HR from before to after the test. Females exhibited higher HR and state anxiety than males. Real-time presentations were associated with higher HRs but not higher state anxiety. Those who changed their planned presentation mo...
Placebo and nocebo effects could influence the perceived, actual, or both postural stabilities. T... more Placebo and nocebo effects could influence the perceived, actual, or both postural stabilities. Therefore, this experiment examined whether postural stability is susceptible to placebo and nocebo effects. Driven by expectations, these cognitions could influence the motor stability of people in physical rehabilitation and those with motion instability. We randomly assigned 78 participants to a placebo, nocebo, or control group. Then, we applied a sham sports cream with positive, negative, or neutral instructions about its impact on balance. Next, we tested postural stability with a modified version of the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction in Balance, including standard, proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular tests before and after the intervention. Further, we measured expected and perceived performance with visual analog scales and assessed trait anxiety, change in state anxiety, optimism, holistic thinking, persistence, and cooperation with questionnaires. The intervent...
This note is a reply to Brevers et al.’s (2022) the commentary. We first explain that the comment... more This note is a reply to Brevers et al.’s (2022) the commentary. We first explain that the commentary's title is in discord with the theoretical implications of the Expanded Interactional Model of Exercise Addiction (EIMEA; Dinardi et al., 2021). Subsequently, we argue that in contrast to Brevers et al.’s arguments, exercise volume or intensive physical exercise is not even mentioned in the revised EIMEA. Most importantly, we point out that the commentary's reference to assessment scales of exercise addiction is irrelevant, because the EIMEA is intended for idiographic clinical cases rather than nomothetic research. Furthermore, we discuss how the ELMEA cannot account for secondary exercise addiction and motivational incentives due to its individual-specific orientation. Finally, we conclude our reply by highlighting that Brevers et al.’s commentary seems to revolve around nomothetic research assessing a certain level of ‘risk’ of exercise addiction, while the EIMEA accounts ...
Recent studies suggest that students fail to meet the international guidelines for physical activ... more Recent studies suggest that students fail to meet the international guidelines for physical activity. Therefore, an increased number of physical activity interventions attempt to change this trend. The current paper reviews the intervention studies which were based on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Three databases (PsycINFO, Medline, and SPORTDiscus) were scrutinized in the current review, which yielded 437 potential articles. Employing the recommended selection based on the population, intervention, comparators, and outcome (PICO), 14 articles could be included in the narrative analysis. The results showed that interventions based on the SDT were very heterogeneously operationalized in these studies. Despite different interventions, the results suggest that SDT-based interventions have the potential to increase students’ physical activity through both, autonomy and supportive environment. Teachers’ professional development in implementing SDT-based physical activity intervent...
Cross-national epidemiological research reveals that life satisfaction is related to blood pressu... more Cross-national epidemiological research reveals that life satisfaction is related to blood pressure status.While no studies have yet distinguished hypertensive and normotensive individuals in terms of life satisfaction, limited evidence suggests that the former might differ in optimism and pessimism from the latter. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to test the hypothesis that hypertensive adults differ in life satisfaction, optimism and pessimism from the non-hypertensives. Individuals presenting themselves for a voluntary cardiovascular screening test (N = 128) were asked to complete three questionnaires assessing their satisfaction with life, optimism and pessimism. Based on their blood pressure readings, using the commonly accepted cut-off value of 140/90 mm Hg, participants were categorized as hypertensives and non-hypertensives and were compared on the dependent measures. A bootstrappedmultivariate analysis of covariance, using gender, bodymass index, smoking sta...
Sexual violence against children in sports receives little research attention. The aim of this Pr... more Sexual violence against children in sports receives little research attention. The aim of this Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-based systematic literature review was to synthesize the up-to-date knowledge and identify the already known and the still unknown information in this area. The literature search yielded seven eligible studies for inclusion. Their key outcomes suggest that sexual violence against children in sports is prevalent. Girls are more often the victims than boys, but gender appears to mediate the disclosure. Minority groups are at higher risk for sexual violence, and athletes at higher levels of competition seem to be more vulnerable for grooming. While the coach is often seen as the perpetrator, new research suggests that peer-athletes may precede the coach. Disclosure is a problem, due to personal and interpersonal concerns, which deters scholastic research in this area. In the final section of the review, a "what we know&qu...
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
Smartphones are a medium for performing online activities, and one such activity could be the com... more Smartphones are a medium for performing online activities, and one such activity could be the compulsive online health information search — cyberchondria. This study aimed to test whether cyberchondria and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) positively predict smartphone addiction (SA), adjusted for age, gender, daily use duration, the reason for using smartphones, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The sample consisted of 471 adults (55.2% women) from the general population without chronic diseases (Mage = 38.67). Regression analysis showed that IU was a positive predictor of SA (β = .17, p < .001), as well as cyberchondria (β = .14, p < .001), which had a unique contribution to the explanation of SA, relative to IU. Other significant predictors were average daily smartphone use and entertainment use, the latter being the strongest predictor in the model. These results revealed cyberchondria as a unique predictor of SA.
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
Exercise addiction is a term used to describe dysfunctional exercise behavior characterized by th... more Exercise addiction is a term used to describe dysfunctional exercise behavior characterized by the classic symptoms of addictions, which eventually result in physical, psychological, or social harm to the affected individual. While well over 1000 peer-reviewed papers on problematic exercise have been published, very few studies have explored the conceptual differences between team-based and individual-based exercise, and no previous study has critically addressed this issue. The rationale for this distinction is that team-based exercise is typically organized and scheduled by others with little or no control over its timing by the individual team member. On the contrary, individual-based exercise can be self-scheduled. Consequently, more (total) control over its timing facilitates the satisfaction of craving-induced urges characterized by an addiction. It is posited that exercise addicts, in general, are “lone wolves” in the context of their addiction. Therefore, being addicted to e...
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Serbian Smartphone Application-Bas... more The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Serbian Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) and the original English version of the same scale administered to a Serbian-speaking sample. In Study 1, 599 participants completed Serbian SABAS, with 189 having both test and retest data. Results suggested good internal consistency (α = .81) and test–retest reliability (ICC = .795, p < .001, 95% CI [.731, .844], rtest-retest = .803) of the scale. Convergent validity of the SABAS was evaluated through correlations with the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), as well as with anxiety, depression, worry, duration, and purpose of smartphone use. Divergent validity of the SABAS was evaluated through comparing the correlations with entertainment and productive smartphone use. The modified CFA model showed an acceptable fit (χ2(8) = 25.53, p = .001, CFI = .961, TLI = .926, RMSEA = .096, SRMR = .042), confirming the unidimensionality of the SABAS. I...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
This cross-sectional study aimed to explore specific online behaviours and their association with... more This cross-sectional study aimed to explore specific online behaviours and their association with a range of underlying psychological and other behavioural factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight countries (Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Portugal, Japan, Hungary, and Brazil) participated in an international investigation involving 2223 participants (M = 33 years old; SD = 11), 70% of whom were females. Participants were surveyed for specific type of Internet use severity, appearance anxiety, self-compassion, and image and use of performance-enhancing drugs (IPEDs). Results were compared cross-culturally. The mean time spent online was 5 h (SD = ±3) of daily browsing during the pandemic. The most commonly performed activities included social networking, streaming, and general surfing. A strong association between these online behaviours and appearance anxiety, self-compassion, and IPEDs use was found after adjustment for possible confounders, with higher scores bein...
International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie, Jan 6, 2018
Increased research on passion in exercise calls for direct examination of possible moderating var... more Increased research on passion in exercise calls for direct examination of possible moderating variables, such as culture and gender, that could influence the interpretation of the research results. This study using a nation by gender between-participants design, examined differences in obsessive- and harmonious passion in Spanish and Hungarian physically active individuals. Participants (n = 1002) completed the Passion Scale, reported their gender, age and weekly hours of physical activity. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that the experiencing of physical activity-related obsessive- and harmonious passion differed between the 2 countries and Hungarian women scored significantly higher on harmonious and obsessive passion than Spanish women. However, Hungarian men only scored significantly higher on obsessive passion, but not harmonious passion compared to Spanish men. These results suggest that gender and cultural differences are likely to affect the interpretation and g...
ABSRACT Background and aims: Aquatic exercises are popular leisure activities worldwide, primaril... more ABSRACT Background and aims: Aquatic exercises are popular leisure activities worldwide, primarily among women. These activities are especially beneficial for aging people and individuals having difficulties performing land-based exercises. Their physical health benefits have already been documented in the academic literature, but research on their mental health effects is still non-existent. However, leisure exercises promoting mental health are advantageous in a fast-paced and often stressful world. Therefore, in this in-situ (natural life setting) field study, we examined the acute mental benefits of aquatic exercises in 30 voluntary consenting women having a mean age of 57.57 (SD = 12.67) years. Methods: Using a within-participants research design, the subjectively perceived feeling states and felt arousal, along with positive and negative affect, were recorded before and after exercise. Moreover, the personal expectancies regarding the expected feelings after exercise were assessed before the workout to determine the influence of anticipation effects. Results: The findings revealed that core affect and positive affect improved substantially from before to after exercise (p < .001), as confirmed by the large effect sizes (Cohen's d > 0.80). Negative affect decreased nonsignificantly (p = .062), but it was already low before exercise. Although expectancy scores were high before the exercise class, they did not correlate (p > .05) with the dependent measures' magnitude of changes (pre-class-post-class scores). Conclusions: These findings suggest that women who participate in an aquatic exercise class report experiencing significant positive changes in their feelings, demonstrating this popular exercise's acute mental health benefits. Although further controlled research is needed in this area, the current results have promising implications for middle-aged women's mental health preservation and promotion.
The purpose of this study was to compare coping skills, motivational profiles, and perceived moti... more The purpose of this study was to compare coping skills, motivational profiles, and perceived motivational climate in elite U18 male ice hockey (n=20) and soccer (n=23) players (n=14). The instruments used were the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire -2, the Sport Motivation Survey, and the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory -28. The questionnaires-based data revealed that both players could be considered taskoriented, exhibiting high levels of confidence, achievement motivation, concentration, and intrinsic motivation. The results also revealed that in contrast to ice-hockey players, soccer players demonstrated higher levels of important role perception, freedom from worry, and coachability, as well as more task orientation than ice-hockey players. However, ice hockey players demonstrated significantly higher perception of unequal recognition than soccer players. Consequently, coaches in different talent development programs need to emphasize the individuality and qu...
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Papers by Attila Szabo