Factor analysis of ordered categorical indicators in kinesiology is pervasive. However, some assumptions made regarding the indicators within methods commonly used in this research may increase analytic errors. Methods that relax these assumptions have been available for decades, but uptake has been slow. Therefore, the methodological focus of this tutorial was factor analysis of ordered categorical indicators. Self-efficacy has been one of the most important psychosocial constructs in physical activity research for decades. Unfortunately, sub-optimal practices in constructing self-efficacy scales in physical activity contexts are frequently observed and decrease validity for scores produced from responses to these instruments. Guidelines for constructing self-efficacy scales have been available for decades, but adherence remains inconsistent. Therefore, the substantive focus of this tutorial was measurement of self-efficacy in physical activity contexts. The synergy within this tutorial was factor analysis of simulated ordered categorical responses to self-efficacy indicators. Annotated files from Mplus and R are provided.

(1) Background: The performance of physical activity at a sufficient volume can result in improvements in fitness. Aerobic fitness is a particular aspect of fitness that has consistently been shown to be related to both cognitive performance and academic achievement. Cognitive performance, particularly executive function, is itself predictive of academic achievement. It has been hypothesized that the benefits of aerobic fitness for academic achievement are due to improvements in executive function. This study explores the mediating role of cognitive performance on the relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement in high-school-aged adolescents. (2) Methods: High school students (N = 283, 127 male, 156 females, mean age = 16.05 years, SD = 0.41) performed a shuttle run test to assess aerobic fitness and completed the Stroop Color, Stroop Word, and Stroop Color–Word tests to measure information processing and inhibition. They also completed the National Union Academic Achievement Assessment (NUAAA) as part of their high school requirements. (3) Results: Mediation analyses showed that inhibition (performance in the Stroop Color–Word test) fully mediated the relationship between aerobic fitness and both mathematics and Korean performance. (4) Conclusions: This cross-sectional investigation suggests an important mediating role of cognitive performance related to executive function in understanding the relationship between aerobic fitness and the academic achievement of high-school-aged adolescents. This suggests that enhancements in performance related to executive function, which are attributed to increases in aerobic fitness, could explain the observed benefits for academic attainment.

The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a summary of Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science (MPEES)-related activities in 2022. In 2022, original submissions (i.e., not counting revised manuscripts) decreased by ~21% as compared to 2021 when the number of original submissions was 464. However, the number of original submissions in 2022, 367, represented an increase of ~36% when compared to the average (~269) over the previous 5 years (2017–2021). Forty-nine countries were represented across the 367 original manuscripts submitted to MPEES in 2022. MPEES continues to welcome high-quality submissions from around the world in 2023. The seven sections of MPEES are (1) exercise science, (2) physical activity, (3) physical education pedagogy, (4) psychology, (5) research methodology and statistics, (6) sport management and administration, and (7) tutorial and teacher’s toolbox. The vast majority of manuscripts submitted to MPEES in 2022 were submitted to one of the four sections: exercise science or physical activity or research methodology and statistics or psychology. MPEES continues to welcome high-quality submissions within each of the seven sections that comprise the journal in 2023. Almost all the original manuscripts submitted to MPEES in 2022 received an initial decision by February 15, 2023 (i.e., 364 of the 367 manuscripts received). When an immediate decision (e.g., desk-rejection) was rendered by the editor-in-chief, it always (i.e., for 303 of 303 manuscripts) occurred within 10 days of receiving the manuscript. When a manuscript was assigned to a section editor by the editor-in-chief, it typically (i.e., for 57 of 61 manuscripts) received an initial decision within 90 days of receiving the manuscript. Nineteen countries were represented across reviewers for the original manuscripts sent out for external review by MPEES in 2022. We gratefully acknowledge, and list in the Appendix, the many scholars (N = 114) from around the world who served as a reviewer for MPEES in 2022. Volume 26 (i.e., the volume published in 2022) of MPEES published a total of 33 manuscripts. More than three-fourths of the published manuscripts were submitted to one of the three sections: exercise science or physical activity or research methodology and statistics. MPEES continues to strive for publishing high-quality manuscripts within each of the seven sections that comprise the journal in 2023. Sixteen countries were represented across the manuscripts published in Volume 26 of MPEES. MPEES continues to strive for publishing high-quality manuscripts written by one or more authors from around the world in 2023. The 2021 impact factor for MPEES was 1.98 representing a decrease of ~14% compared to 2020 when the journal’s impact factor was 2.30. However, the 2021 impact factor for MPEES represented an increase of ~16% when compared to 2019 impact factor for MPEES (i.e., the first year MPEES received an impact factor). The value of the 2021 impact factor placed MPEES in the third quartile (i.e., ranked #173 out of 270 journals) within the Education & Educational Research category of Clarivate Analytics. The 2022 impact factor for MPEES is expected to be released in ~June 2023.

Validity is a unitary concept that assesses the degree to which accrued evidence substantiates envisioned interpretations of test scores for particular planned uses (American Educational Research A...