Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has affected numerous aspects of human functioning. Social contacts, work, education, travel, and sports have drastically changed during the lockdown periods. The pandemic restrictions have severely limited professional athletes’ ability to train and participate in competitions. For many who rely on sports as their main source of income, this represents a source of intense stress. To assess the dynamics of perceived stress as well as coping strategies during different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, we carried out a longitudinal study using the Perception of Stress Questionnaire and the Brief COPE on a sample of 2020 professional athletes in Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. The results revealed that in all three countries, the highest intrapsychic stress levels were reported during the fourth wave (all, p < 0.01) and the highest external stress levels were reported before the pandemic (p < 0.05). To analyze the data, analyses of variance were carried out using Tukey’s post hoc test and η2 for effect size. Further, emotional tension was the highest among Polish and Slovak athletes in the fourth wave, while the highest among Romanian athletes was in the pre-pandemic period. The coping strategies used by the athletes in the fourth wave were more dysfunctional than during the first wave (independent t test and Cohen’s d were used). The dynamics of the coping strategies—emotion focused and problem focused—were also discussed among Polish, Romanian, and Slovak athletes. Coaches and sports psychologists can modify the athletes’ perceived stress while simultaneously promoting effective coping strategies.

The quality of life of individuals, groups and communities depends on many factors, starting with what each person and family undertake, continuing with the interventions at the community level and ending with the public policy measures. Purpose: This study makes a quantitative and qualitative analysis of overall quality of life as perceived by young people who practice sports, and it also highlights the differences in perception of the quality of life among youth, according to gender and the sport practiced (individual or team sport), for the 16 life domains. Methods: The participants were 69 athletes. Quality of life has been measured using the Quality of Life Inventory (QoLI) for Romania, developed by Michael B. Frisch. Results: After processing the data, it has been found that the highest weighted satisfaction is obtained for Goals and Values, Play, Health and Self-Esteem, and the lowest satisfaction is recorded for Children, Money, Community and Neighborhood. Statistical processing also reveals an average overall quality of life for the study participants, regardless of gender and the practiced sport. Conclusions: It has been concluded that the influence of practicing individual sports on the overall quality of life for the participants in the study is at a higher level than in team sports.

Cel pracy: Celem przeprowadzonych badań było ustalenie poziomu nasilenia stresu, prężności psychicznej, poczucia własnej skuteczności w zależności od kraju pochodzenia oraz ustalenie jakie znaczenie ma prężność psychiczna i poczucie własnej skuteczności dla kształtowania się natężenia stresu w badanej grupie kobiet.Metoda: Badanie przeprowadzono na próbie kobiet z Ukrainy (N = 82), Polski(N = 102), Słowacji (N = 79) i Rumunii (N = 42) przy użyciu Kwestionariusza Poczucia Stresu, Skali Poczucia Własnej Skuteczności i Skali Prężności.Wyniki: Najwyższy poziom ogólnego stresu stwierdzono wśród Ukrainek, najniższy zaś wśród Polek. Jednocześnie najniższy poziom prężności i poczucia własnej skuteczności charakteryzuje Ukrainki, natomiast najwyższy poziom tych zmiennych miały odpowiednio Słowaczki i Polki. Zaobserwowano także różnice w zależności od kraju w łagodzącym wpływie poczucia własnej skuteczności na związek między prężnością a stresem.Wnioski: Niniejsze badanie wypełnia lukę w badaniu stresu kobiet podczas rosyjskiej inwazji na Ukrainę. Konflikt ten wymaga dalszych badań na kobietach z Ukrainy i krajów sąsiadujących, a także zapewnienia opartego na dowodach wsparcia w celu zmniejszenia skutków doświadczanego stresu.

The present study investigates the differences between high- and low-handicap golf players considering risk-taking behavior and aggression. Also, the existing correlations between golf players’ sports skills, height (inches), weight (lbs), risk-taking behavior and aggression were analyzed. 36 performance golf players from the United States took part in the research (Mage = 18.94). For assessing risk-taking behavior The English adaptation of the Makarowski's Stimulating and Instrumental Risk Questionnaire was used, while aggression was measured through the English adaptation of the Makarowski's Aggression Questionnaire. It was found that low-handicap golf players have higher results for Go-ahead scale, a better sports ability is linked to a heavier weight (only in male athletes), while in female golf players a lower score for stimulating risk is associated to a higher value for instrumental risk (requires rational thinking). Both male and female golf players obtained a significant lower score for foul play, compared to the norms. Also, the results of female golf players were significantly lower for assertiveness, stimulating risk and higher in the case of instrumental risk. Gender differences were presented, starting from the dependent variables investigated.

Group Dynamics in Handball Teams - the Importance of Intellectual Abilities or How to Become the Informal Leader

Values are connected to how a person perceives the environment and himself. We can talk about a certain dynamic of values over time. Changes in value importance occur because of the existing situations in the external environment, or due to a significant change in one's internal motivation. The aims of our research were to determine the value structure of pre-teens at risk of school dropout, and also, to identify differences in values considering type of vulnerability, gender and depending on the geographical region. A total of 120 preadolescents (64 boys and 56 girls), in risk of school dropout, participated in the study. We used The Values Questionnaire, part of the PEDb computerized platform (created by Cognitrom), which is calibrated for the Romanian population. The results underlined that the most important values for pre-teens at risk of school dropout are related to social relations, skills development, free time and respecting rules. Significant differences between boys and girls, respectively between socially assisted students and those in which case a parent is missing, considering the value structure, were highlighted. Also, through single-factor multivariate analysis of variance important differences were noticed, when talking about free time and social relations, depending on the geographical region. Our research conclusions represent valuable resources for teachers (using student-centered learning and taking into account the value system of preadolescents, they can positively influence pre-teens' social and educational integration), parents, and researchers, eager to better understand the value structure of students in risk of school dropout.