Paula Ivan

Dr. Paula Ivan

Spiru Haret University, 030045, Bucharest, Romania;
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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22 January 2022 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ACAdin-Marian Cojocaru
Adin-Marian Cojocaru
MCMarilena Cojocaru
Marilena Cojocaru
Anca JianuAnca Jianu
Anca Jianu
Rocsana Tonis Bucea - ManeaRocsana Tonis Bucea - Manea
Rocsana Tonis Bucea - Manea
DPDan Gheorghe Păun
Dan Gheorghe Păun
PIPaula Ivan
Paula Ivan
The context of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused educational institutions and sports clubs to change their management strategy. Due to the modernization of computer technology, physical education and sports (PES) teachers decided to include this technology in their teaching activity to help students and athletes to acquire PES-specific transversal skills and digital skills, and also to increase the attractiveness of the lessons. The present research aims at assessing the challenges and opportunities of technology and adopting an Agile Management style to improve the teaching, learning, and practice of PES. Therefore, a survey was conducted on PES teachers and trainers, as they have a clear perspective on the field and their views are therefore very important and relevant to our study, even if they do not have solutions for all the challenges facing them. They were asked to share their professional opinions regarding the implementation of digital methods and applications on the sportive results of performance sportsmen, athletes, and students. The survey, conducted on 144 respondents, contained mostly multiple-choice questions rated on a Likert scale and open-ended questions allowing respondents to offer solutions and express their opinion freely. This article demonstrates the positive influence of Agile Management in the choice and implementation of technology dedicated to PES.

30 January 2026 in Behavioral Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Mehmet KARAMehmet KARA
Mehmet KARA
MGMurat Genç
Murat Genç
Laurentiu-Gabriel TalaghirLaurentiu-Gabriel Talaghir
Laurentiu-Gabriel Talaghir
CBCristina Corina Benţea
Cristina Corina Benţea
Bogdan Sorin OlaruBogdan Sorin Olaru
Bogdan Sorin Olaru
PIPaula Ivan
Paula Ivan
Effective decision-making is critical in high-performance sports like football and is heavily influenced by cognitive processes. This study applies Beck’s Cognitive Theory to investigate the mechanisms through which automatic thoughts impact decision-making in young footballers, and how psychological support might alter this relationship. The primary objective was to test a model where dysfunctional attitudes mediate this process, and sports psychologist support acts as a moderator. A correlational survey was conducted with 636 actively licensed footballers (18–30 years old) from Turkey. Data were collected using the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ), the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), and the Scale of Effective Decision-Making in Sport (SEDMS). A moderated mediation model was employed to analyze the direct, indirect, and conditional effects of the variables. The findings revealed that dysfunctional attitudes partially mediated the negative relationship between automatic thoughts and effective decision-making (indirect effect = −0.043, 95% CI [−0.077, −0.012]), accounting for 16.8% of the total effect. Furthermore, sports psychologist support significantly moderated the direct pathway between automatic thoughts and decision-making (interaction β = 0.312, p = 0.002). Simple slope analysis showed that the detrimental impact of automatic thoughts on decision-making was substantially weaker for athletes who had received psychological support (β = −0.142) compared to those who had not (β = −0.353). Automatic thoughts impair footballers’ decision-making, a process that is significantly explained by the activation of underlying dysfunctional attitudes. Professional psychological support serves as a critical cognitive buffer, enhancing athletes’ cognitive resilience against these negative thought patterns. The findings provide an evidence-based justification for integrating sport psychologists into athletic programs to foster better on-field performance.