Matching Items (5)
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- All Subjects: community development
- All Subjects: Specialization
- Creators: Larsen, Dale
Description
Youth club sport has become a dominant part of society and the forefront of many childhoods. Youth sport participation holds various physical, psychological, and social benefits for children but as this industry continues to expand, when poorly managed, sport participation can become detrimental (Meân, 2013, p. 339). In this study the experiences and perceptions of female youth club volleyball players (ages 15-17) were explored through semi-structured interviews with a particular focus on key areas of concern identified in the research literature: early specialization, overuse injury, and burnout (Hedstrom & Gould, 2004, p. 4, 15-37). A thematic analysis was used to explore these a priori themes alongside emergent themes that were identified: early motivation and perception, current motivation and perception, pressure and athletic scholarships, perception of high school volleyball, and schedules. The positive perceptions arising from the themes were addressed as a foundation to improve on the negative perceptions. Recommendations to reduce the pressure and stress associated with winning are made, in addition to proposals regarding the schedule of club volleyball in an effort to provide athletes with adequate rest period in order to reduce risks of burnout and overuse injury.
Keywords: youth sport, specialization, overuse injury, burnout, club volleyball.
Keywords: youth sport, specialization, overuse injury, burnout, club volleyball.
ContributorsLifgren, Taylor Nicole (Author) / Mean, Lindsey (Thesis director) / Cayetano, Catalina (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Issues of visitor safety are a concern among park and recreation managers. As urban parks receive a variety of user groups, understanding perceptions of safety among specific groups becomes pertinent when managing for optimal experiences. This study examines trails runners at two mountain parks in a large southwestern city. Data was collected in the fall of 2013 and the spring of 2014 using a five page, onsite, self-administered, exit survey in English. Questions addressed trail runner demographics, level of trail running experience, perceptions of safety, and support for safety related management actions. Of specific interest was how perceptions of safety varied by trail runner demographics and level of experience. 102 trail runners participated in the study. Data analysis was completed using an independent samples t-test to compare sample characteristics with perceptions of safety and safety related management actions. The results include mixed opposition and support for specific preventive management actions. Few significant differences in responses were found between gender, age and specialization. The findings also suggest trail runners primarily learned about these recreation areas through local knowledge and "word of mouth" and not through managers. Further implications of these finding is discussed. Contributions of the study are twofold. First, results provide managers with information regarding trail runners at the parks. Second, findings serve to extend the literature on visitor safety at park and recreation settings in urban areas.
ContributorsNorwil, Evan Juilian (Author) / Budruk, Megha (Thesis director) / Larsen, Dale (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
An educational toolkit was developed and created to normalize the dialogue of mental health at the community level. The intended audience for the toolkit is the faith community. Clergy, ministers, and other prominent leaders play integral roles in shaping the worldviews of parishioners, and thus have the capacity to promote mental health awareness in the communities they serve.
ContributorsTrujillo, Catherine Elizabeth (Author) / Larsen, Dale (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This dissertation explores youth community involvement in a geographically defined urban community in the United States. The research approach was qualitative, naturalistic, and ethnographic, and utilized grounded theory analysis. The study included fifty-six participants. In focus groups and interviews with youth and adults as well as with a group of youth and adults working on events in the community (hereby called the “Active Youth Group” or AYG), the characteristics of the community were discussed. Furthermore, the study inquired about the nature of youth adult-interactions. In this context, the categories “family” and “leadership” emerged. The study highlights the importance of family in the lives of residents of the community. Furthermore, the study contributes to the literature about youth adult-partnerships (Camino, 2000; Camino & Zeldin, 2002a; Jones, 2004; Lofquist, 1989) by exploring the dynamics between youth-led and adult-led community work. It discusses some of the factors that may influence whether the youth or the adults are in charge of various components of a youth development program.
ContributorsPštross, Mikuláš (Author) / Knopf, Richard C. (Thesis advisor) / de la Garza, Sarah Amira (Committee member) / Larsen, Dale (Committee member) / Mook, Laurie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
As African-American college attainment has consistently lagged in comparison to the European-American community, this quantitative study examined the relationship between the racial identity statuses and academic motivation styles of African-American college students. More specifically, the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (MIBI) (racial centrality, private regard, & public regard) was utilized to discover the racial identity statuses, and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) (extrinsic & intrinsic academic motivation) was employed to determine the academic motivation styles of African-American college students. Approximately 211 African-Americans (81% women) were recruited via a Facebook group, which is a designed private space for African-American college professionals and students. The results revealed a propensity towards greater levels of Extrinsic Academic Motivation (EAM) while higher levels of Racial Centrality and Private Regard rendered positive relationships with EAM. Further, greater levels of Public Regard was shown to have a negative relationship with EAM, whereas greater levels of Public Regard was shown to have a positive relationship with Intrinsic Academic Motivation (IAM). These findings provide further implications for research concerning the American K-12 curriculum and American media sources regarding their impacts on the racial identity statuses and academic motivations of African-American college students and African-American K-12 students. Keywords: racial identity, MIBI, academic motivation, AMS, K-12, curriculum, American, media, African-American, socialization, community development
ContributorsAnderson, Vincent (Author) / Knopf, Richard (Thesis advisor) / Ferguson-Colvin, Kristin (Committee member) / Larsen, Dale (Committee member) / Robertson, Stacie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021