• Energy Research

The objective of the study was the translation and adaptation into Arabic language of the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction and the examination of psychometric properties among students in Tunisia. A set of students (N = 778) were recruited to complete a translated, Arabic version of the Teacher Interaction Questionnaire (AQTI). The subjects represented both female and male with an average age of 15.98 ± 2.17 years. The subjects were divided into exploratory (N = 226) and confirmatory (N = 552) samples. For the exploratory sample, the female sex represented 46.90% and the male 53.10% (N = 120). Likewise, the confirmatory sample consisted of females (48.01%) and males (51.99%). The scale designed in Arabic AQTI presented eight components for exploratory factor analysis. The result was a first factorial solution, which kept these eight components of the predetermined instrument. The confirmatory factor analysis provided good fit indices. Similar results for instrument reliability were confirmed for all dimensions, through good Cronbach’s coefficient, which were superior to 0.80. The Arabic version of AQTI is valid and reliable and can be administered to assess teacher/student interactions in Tunisia. However, further research needs to examine the construct validity of the instrument.

The objective of the study was the translation and adaptation into Arabic language of the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction and the examination of psychometric properties among students in Tunisia. A set of students (N = 778) were recruited to complete a translated, Arabic version of the Teacher Interaction Questionnaire (AQTI). The subjects represented both female and male with an average age of 15.98 ± 2.17 years. The subjects were divided into exploratory (N = 226) and confirmatory (N = 552) samples. For the exploratory sample, the female sex represented 46.90% and the male 53.10% (N = 120). Likewise, the confirmatory sample consisted of females (48.01%) and males (51.99%). The scale designed in Arabic AQTI presented eight components for exploratory factor analysis. The result was a first factorial solution, which kept these eight components of the predetermined instrument. The confirmatory factor analysis provided good fit indices. Similar results for instrument reliability were confirmed for all dimensions, through good Cronbach’s coefficient, which were superior to 0.80. The Arabic version of AQTI is valid and reliable and can be administered to assess teacher/student interactions in Tunisia. However, further research needs to examine the construct validity of the instrument.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant changes in global sustainability, but specifically, this study analyses the impact of lockdown on health and behavior in the game of football. The 2020/2021 Italian football competitive season (indicated as “post-COVID”), taking place following an obliged lockdown and longer than the normal summery season break, was characterized by very short recovery times and was compared to the 2018–2019 “pre-COVID” season, which had a regular course. The comparisons were about anthropometric and hormonal responses, muscle damage, and the physical performance of players in the major league (Serie A), and were made considering two extreme points of the competitive seasons: before the preparatory period (T0) and at the end of the season (T1). Turning to the results, it is significant to note the following: (1) body fat percentage was lower at the start (T0) of the post-COVID season than at the start of the pre-COVID season. During both seasons, serum CK and LDH increased in T1 and were significantly higher in both T0 and T1 of the post-COVID season. (2) Cortisol and testosterone concentrations increased in both seasons from T0 to T1; however, in the post-COVID season, concentrations of both were higher than in the previous season. The testosterone to cortisol ratio increased at the end of the pre-COVID season, whilst strongly decreasing at T1 of the post-COVID season. (3) Blood lactate concentrations significantly decreased during the pre-COVID season but remained unchanged during the post-COVID season. We may conclude that the enforced suspension period and the consequent rapid resumption of all activities influenced the physical and physiological state of professional footballers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant changes in global sustainability, but specifically, this study analyses the impact of lockdown on health and behavior in the game of football. The 2020/2021 Italian football competitive season (indicated as “post-COVID”), taking place following an obliged lockdown and longer than the normal summery season break, was characterized by very short recovery times and was compared to the 2018–2019 “pre-COVID” season, which had a regular course. The comparisons were about anthropometric and hormonal responses, muscle damage, and the physical performance of players in the major league (Serie A), and were made considering two extreme points of the competitive seasons: before the preparatory period (T0) and at the end of the season (T1). Turning to the results, it is significant to note the following: (1) body fat percentage was lower at the start (T0) of the post-COVID season than at the start of the pre-COVID season. During both seasons, serum CK and LDH increased in T1 and were significantly higher in both T0 and T1 of the post-COVID season. (2) Cortisol and testosterone concentrations increased in both seasons from T0 to T1; however, in the post-COVID season, concentrations of both were higher than in the previous season. The testosterone to cortisol ratio increased at the end of the pre-COVID season, whilst strongly decreasing at T1 of the post-COVID season. (3) Blood lactate concentrations significantly decreased during the pre-COVID season but remained unchanged during the post-COVID season. We may conclude that the enforced suspension period and the consequent rapid resumption of all activities influenced the physical and physiological state of professional footballers.

The restrictions and social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have created many obstacles in the practice of outdoor physical activity (OPA) throughout the world, particularly for the most vulnerable people, such as those with disabilities. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of pandemic-related limitations on the OPA of an Italian cohort of people with disabilities practicing sports. A retrospective observational study was conducted using an online survey. The questionnaire was distributed to 121 disabled athletes who practiced different outdoor physical activities. A total of 96 completed the survey, which collected demographic data, information about daily outdoor physical activity and sports habits, and about physical and psychological health before and during the pandemic. The frequency of daily OPA per week, along with the hours of physical activity, significantly decreased during the pandemic compared to those of the year before (p < 0.0001). A statistically significant deterioration was also found in the physical and mental well-being of disabled athletes during the pandemic (p < 0.0001) when compared to those from the year before the advent of COVID-19. This research demonstrated the negative impact of COVID-19 restrictions on OPA levels and on the physical and mental well-being of athletes with disabilities. It also highlighted a new challenge regarding the sustainability and integration of the national health system, demonstrating the necessity of improving the consistent accessibility of people with disabilities to OPA, both under normal conditions and emergency situations, in order to guarantee their psychophysical well-being.

The restrictions and social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have created many obstacles in the practice of outdoor physical activity (OPA) throughout the world, particularly for the most vulnerable people, such as those with disabilities. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of pandemic-related limitations on the OPA of an Italian cohort of people with disabilities practicing sports. A retrospective observational study was conducted using an online survey. The questionnaire was distributed to 121 disabled athletes who practiced different outdoor physical activities. A total of 96 completed the survey, which collected demographic data, information about daily outdoor physical activity and sports habits, and about physical and psychological health before and during the pandemic. The frequency of daily OPA per week, along with the hours of physical activity, significantly decreased during the pandemic compared to those of the year before (p < 0.0001). A statistically significant deterioration was also found in the physical and mental well-being of disabled athletes during the pandemic (p < 0.0001) when compared to those from the year before the advent of COVID-19. This research demonstrated the negative impact of COVID-19 restrictions on OPA levels and on the physical and mental well-being of athletes with disabilities. It also highlighted a new challenge regarding the sustainability and integration of the national health system, demonstrating the necessity of improving the consistent accessibility of people with disabilities to OPA, both under normal conditions and emergency situations, in order to guarantee their psychophysical well-being.