To investigate the association between gestational weight gain, maternal age and lifestyle habits (e.g., physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption) during pregnancy, with Body Mass Index of the offspring at the age of 8. Α random sample of 5,125 children was extracted from a national database and matched with their mothers. With the use of a standardised questionnaire, telephone interviews were carried out for the collection of information like: maternal age at pregnancy, gestational weight gain (GWG), exercise levels, smoking and alcohol consumption. The Body Mass Index (BMI) status of the offspring at the age of 8 was calculated from data retrieved from the national database (e.g., height and weight). The odds for being overweight/obese at the age of 8 for 1 kg GWG, for smoking, and for mild exercise during pregnancy compared to sedentary was 1.01 (95%CI: 1.00, 1.02), 1.23 (95%CI: 1.03, 1.47) and 0.77 (95%CI: 0.65, 0.91), respectively. Further analysis revealed that offspring of women who exceeded the Institute of Medicine (IOM) maternal weight gain recommendations were at an increased risk of obesity (OR: 1.45; 95%CI, 1.26, 1.67) compared with offspring of women with GWG within the recommended range. Maternal age and alcohol consumption were not associated with the outcome (p > 0.05). GWG, physical activity and smoking status during pregnancy were significantly associated with obesity for the offspring at the age of 8. Health care professionals should strongly advise women to not smoke and to perform moderate exercise during pregnancy to prevent obesity in the offspring in later life.

Participation in organized sport is widely encouraged for youth development, yet positive outcomes are not guaranteed. Parents play a pivotal role in shaping young athletes’ experiences, requiring emotional support, interpersonal skills, and self-regulation. This study examines the meanings parents attribute to their children’s sports participation and how young athletes construct their experiences under parental and coaching influences. An interpretive phenomenological methodology involved semi-structured interviews with coaches, focus groups with parents, and open-ended questionnaires to young athletes. Seventeen players (M = 11.2 years, SD = 0.59), nineteen parents (M = 47.6 years, SD = 3.61), and two coaches from the same football club volunteered to participate in the study. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure a homogeneous experience. The findings reveal that parental involvement balances support and pressure, while trust-building between parents and coaches significantly impacts the athletes’ experiences. The evolving role of technology and the importance of social dynamics within teams also emerged as critical factors. Intrinsic motivation, fostering emotional bonding through the sport, and adopting a developmental rather than purely competitive framework were emphasized factors identified as supporting positive youth sport experiences. These findings offer insights into how interconnected relationships among parents, coaches, and athletes influence children’s sports engagement and development.

Within physical education, teachers with high levels of teaching self-efficacy demonstrate positive attitudes toward their profession, adopt innovative instructional strategies, and create engaging learning environments. Supervised practicum plays a crucial role in preparing preservice teachers for professional integration. This study aimed to examine the impact of practicum experiences on preservice physical education teachers’ self-efficacy, particularly in relation to instructional strategies, classroom management, and student engagement. Participants were sixty preservice physical education teachers, from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. The Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale was used to assess self-efficacy levels, while semi-structured interviews with thirteen participants provided qualitative insights. A mixed-methods approach was used for data analysis. Quantitative findings indicated no statistically significant main effects for questionnaire factors or interactions between time and gender. However, qualitative findings highlighted practicum as a dynamic and transformative experience. Key themes included student engagement, teaching flexibility, student development, emotional intelligence, and perceived changes in teachers’ self-efficacy. Participants reported that their prior coaching experience positively influenced their instructional design and organization. Beyond enhancing teaching effectiveness, practicum reshaped preservice teachers’ perceptions of their professional roles, underscoring its broader impact on teacher development. Future research should explore how different practicum structures and mentoring approaches influence preservice teachers' long-term professional growth and self-efficacy development.

Teaching physical education (PE) involves adopting contemporary instructional models and teaching methods. Especially at an undergraduate level, the teachers’ participation in professional communities can support their self-efficacy in adopting context-specific instructional models, leading to an improvement in student learning. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of preservice PE teachers’ participation in a professional development (PD) program designed according to the principles of the community of inquiry (CoI) on their self-efficacy in teaching physical education using instructional models. Twenty-three preservice PE teachers (male = 11, female = 12) at the University of Athens, Greece, participated during the 2022–2023 spring semester in a PD program specifically designed according to the CoI principles to support them in the use of PE curriculum models in a secondary school practicum. A pre-post convergent mixed methodology was used, with quantitative (Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale, OSTES) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) data evaluating the changes in the participants’ self-efficacy in the use of instructional models. Results showed that even though the program was evaluated as effective in terms of supporting the participants’ knowledge and skills on the use of the models, there were no statistically significant changes in their OSTES self-efficacy indices. Given the complexity of PE teaching and the latent structure of the self-efficacy trait, a longer duration of similar PD programs is suggested.

Background Burnout is a psychological syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Although extensively studied across various occupational settings, limited attention has been given to its occurrence among basketball referees. Referees hold a dual role as impartial decision-makers and mediators in high-pressure, emotionally charged environments. Objective This study aims to map and synthesize the existing literature on the antecedents and consequences of burnout among basketball referees. Methods A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. A comprehensive search was performed across seven electronic databases: Scopus, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, ERIC, PROQUEST, SPONET, and ORIA. Eligible studies were published in English or Spanish and specifically examined burnout in basketball referees, with no restrictions on year of publication. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. All included studies employed cross-sectional, quantitative designs and utilized either standardized questionnaires or custom-designed measurement tools. Conclusion The findings highlight considerable heterogeneity in the instruments and variables used across studies. Key antecedents of burnout included emotional exhaustion, reduced personal accomplishment, low resilience, interpersonal conflict, and time-related pressure. Reported consequences consistently involved decreased decision-making efficiency, lower motivation and satisfaction, and increased intention to abandon refereeing duties. The review emphasizes the need for further research using longitudinal and mixed-methods designs to enhance understanding and support targeted interventions for burnout prevention in basketball referees.