While the issue of teacher stress is widely recognized, little is currently known about childcare teachers’ stress, its impact on teaching, and the relationship with professional activities. This study utilizes ecological momentary assessment (EMA) techniques with 50 early care teachers to examine the relationship between childcare teachers’ reported stress, positive teaching practices, and participation in evening professional activities through the theoretical lens of Conservation of Resources (CoR). These results suggest that childcare teachers report higher levels of overall stress (stress intensity and stress exhaustion) when engaged in more evening professional activities and perform fewer positive classroom behaviors. When childcare teachers perceive greater stress intensity for current classroom activities, they also report higher levels of stress exhaustion. As other research suggests that professional activities promote positive classroom practices, consideration should be given to the timing of professional activities in consideration of the potential stressors created by evening professional activities.

This study described infant/toddler teachers' (N = 106) perceptions of stress intensity and exhaustion (emotional, physical, mental) intensity. We examined the associations between stress and exhaustion and teachers' reports of stress sources and coping strategy use. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), teachers from Early Head Start (EHS), EHS childcare-partnerships, or independent childcare programs (Midwestern U.S.) completed twice-weekly reports of: stress and exhaustion intensity; stress sources (workload, children's behaviors, personal life); and, coping strategies (support from colleagues, distraction, mindfulness techniques, reframing). Research Findings: Stress and exhaustion reports were similar to studies of preschool teachers. Workload and personal life stressors were associated with stress and all exhaustion types. Teachers used fewer than two different coping strategies/per reporting day. Only reframing was negatively associated with stress and emotional exhaustion. Teachers reported greater stress at end-of-week than beginning-of-week. Older teachers reported greater stress and emotional exhaustion. Although one-third of teachers reported >4 ACEs, early adversity was not associated with stress or exhaustion. Practice or Policy: We discuss the results relative to the sparse literature on infant/toddler teachers' well-being and suggest areas for professional development supports while underscoring the need for EHS federal policy makers and program administrators to consider how to reduce/streamline workload.

Teaching is a demanding profession with teachers of very young children reporting high rates of stress and exhaustion. We tested the effects of a relationship-focused professional development intervention designed to enhance teachers' use of mindfulness-based strategies to support coping on trajectories of teachers' stress, exhaustion (emotional, physical, and mental), and coping. Infant and toddler teachers (N = 81) from Early Head Start (EHS) or EHS childcare partnerships (CCP) were randomized to the intervention or usual care control condition. Using ecological momentary assessment, teachers completed twice-weekly reports of stress, exhaustion, coping, and coping strategy effectiveness via smartphones for 40 weeks. Multilevel linear regression modeling, accounting for within-person repeated measures, showed no intervention effects on stress and exhaustion trajectories. Teachers in the intervention reported increased use of mindfulness-based strategies for coping over time as compared to the control group, although frequency of use peaked and then declined. While perceptions of stress and exhaustion did not change, teachers' increased use of mindfulness-based strategies suggests improvements in how teachers managed stress and exhaustion; however, the decline in use of coping suggests the need for ongoing support within the workplace.

The primary purpose of this feature is to provide a series of practical resources on key learnings and applications from Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) scholarship since the last JOPERD special issue in 2012.

Purpose: This study evaluated the impact of 1-day workshops on teachers’ knowledge, practices, and dispositions using known characteristics of quality professional development and Guskey’s five levels of professional development evaluation. Method: Eight workshops were evaluated over a 2-year period using pre/post surveys, end-of-workshop surveys, observations, interviews, and artifacts. Results: Participants reported high levels of satisfaction and trainer effectiveness scores at the end of workshops. Statistical analyses revealed improvements in four of six outcome variables 4 weeks after workshop completion: self-reported knowledge, utilization of implementation strategies, presence of a community of continued learning, and teacher efficacy. Qualitative data corroborated these results but offered mixed evidence of teacher implementation and improved student outcomes. Discussion/Conclusion: Findings confirm that 1-day workshops aligned with characteristics of quality professional development are highly valued by participants and can improve teachers’ knowledge and efficacy, but teacher practice and student learning may be more difficult to influence and document.

A comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) is a multi-component approach that aims to provide opportunities for students to meet the nationally recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day and for students to be well-equipped to be active for life. In order for a CSPAP to be effectively implemented, it should be led by a trained physical activity leader (PAL). This review summarizes recent literature related to the roles and responsibilities of a PAL, various outlets in which aspiring PALs can be trained, and the potential effectiveness of PAL-led CSPAPs.

SummaryDisparities in physical activity and health outcomes exist between urban and rural youth. School settings can be utilized to promote physical activity in youth regardless of urban–rural status. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to assess and compare the effect of rural and urban/suburban school‐based physical activity programs on total physical activity in youth. A search of five databases was conducted. A total of 33 studies remained after the exclusion process, 28 of which took place in urban/suburban schools and five of which took place in rural schools. The DerSimonian and Laird random effects model was employed with the estimates of heterogeneity taken from the inverse‐variance fixed‐effect model. For rural studies, the Hartung–Knapp–Sidak–Jonkman method was used to obtain error estimates. Results from the total sample indicated a significant but small pooled increase in daily physical activity (Hedge's g = 0.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06–0.18), which held for interventions conducted in urban/suburban schools (Hedge's g = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.06–0.19). For rural school‐based interventions, there was no significant pooled effect (Hedge's g = 0.06, 95% CI: −0.50 to 0.61). This meta‐analysis provides evidence that school‐based interventions can be marginally effective for increasing daily physical activity in children and adolescents; however, no effect was observed for interventions implemented in rural settings.

Children are not achieving recommended levels of physical activity (PA), and a comprehensive school PA program (CSPAP) has been suggested as a way to address this within the school environment (CDC, 2017). Purpose: The purpose of this study, was to explore multiple stakeholders’ perceptions (i.e., students, teachers, principal) of PA in the school environment. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted; students in Kindergarten through grade two (N = 31) participated in focus group interviews, while teachers (N = 9) and the principal (N = 1) participated in individual interviews. Data were analyzed inductively using open and axial coding (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). Results: Teachers and the principal had favorable perceptions of PA in school, identified barriers and needed supports (teachers). Students liked PA, believed it was good for them, and wanted more PA opportunities at school. Conclusion: These results provide multi-level stakeholder support for PA promotion within the school environment; and are important to consider within the CSPAP framework.

BACKGROUND:Active commuting (AC) to and from school can contribute to physical activity, although it has recently seen a global decline. The purpose of this study was to examine the agreement between parent and child perceptions of barriers to school AC.METHODS:Participants were parents (N = 152, Mage  = 40.6 ± 6.3 years) and elementary school children (N = 98, Mage  = 10.0 ± 1.2 years). School commute type/frequency and barriers to AC were collected via surveys. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess relative agreement between parent and child perceptions (N = 98 dyads). Paired t tests and equivalence testing were employed to assess group-level agreement. Bland-Altman analysis was used to assess individual-level agreement. Partial correlations of AC with perceptions were also assessed.RESULTS:All parent and child perceptions of barriers to AC to school had low agreement. Bland-Altman Plots indicated negative bias for all but 3 barrier perceptions. Paired t tests indicated significant differences between parent and child perceptions for 8 out of 15 barriers while equivalence testing deemed no parent-child perception equivalent. Partial correlations with AC frequency were significant for 7 parent perceptions and 2 child perceptions.CONCLUSIONS:Parent and child perceptions have low agreement. Programs aimed at promoting AC to and from school should account for these discrepancies.

BACKGROUND:The purpose of this study was to examine and compare parent preferences of before and after school physical activity program components in rural and suburban elementary schools.METHODS:A discrete choice experiment was conducted to measure parent preferences for components of before/after school programs. A total of 183 parents (age = 37.2 [8.2] y, 155 females) sampled from 15 elementary schools (K-6 grades) in the Western United States took part in the study, half of which were from a rural community (n = 93, 50.8%). Results from the discrete choice experiment were analyzed using hierarchic Bayesian methodology, which estimated utility scores and was used to calculate important scores for program components.RESULTS:The specific goal of the before/after school program was the strongest determinant of parents' stated choice overall, followed by leaders, time of day, length, and main focus. Learning sports as the physical activity goal was the top-rated attribute. Subgroup analyses revealed discrepancies between suburban and rural parents and parents of boys and girls.CONCLUSION:This study extends the application of discrete choice experiments to school-based programming, providing a unique way to design empirically based, stakeholder informed school programs, specifically within before and after school settings.

Objective: To summarize and describe the current US surveillance systems that assess physical activity (PA) for work and commuting. Methods: An expert group conducted an environmental scan, generating a list (n = 18) which was ultimately reduced to 12, based on the inclusion of PA and/or sedentary behavior data. Results: The 12 surveys or surveillance systems summarized provide nationally representative data on occupational-level PA or individual-level PA at work, data on active commuting, some are scorecards that summarize workplace health best practices and allow benchmarking, and one is a comprehensive nationally representative survey of employers assessing programs and practices in different worksites. Conclusions: The various surveillance systems and surveys/scorecards are disparate and need to be better analyzed and summarized to understand the impact of occupational-level PA and commuting on population health and well-being, life expectancy, and workforce productivity.

PURPOSE:This study examined parents' perceived importance of, and engagement in, school-based physical activity (PA) promotion.DESIGN:A cross-sectional, quantitative survey design was employed.SETTING:The survey was conducted in the United States.SUBJECTS:Using a probability-based panel (AmeriSpeak®), a national sample of 3599 parents was randomly recruited to participate in the survey and 1015 participants (28.2%) completed it. Parents or legal guardians of children enrolled in K-12 during the 2017-2018 school year were eligible to participate.MEASURES:The survey was developed and distributed by a national collaborative for active schools with the support of a national research center.ANALYSIS:Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and path analysis.RESULTS:The data supported a 6-factor solution encompassing perceived importance of PA before, during, and after school, communication with administrators, and volunteering and participating in school-based PA (CFI = .974, RMSEA = .034, SRMR = .056). Path coefficients from perceived importance of PA before/after school to current (β = .43; 95%CI[.25, .61]) and future communication with administrators (β = .40; 95%CI[.23, .55]) were statistically significant, as were coefficients from perceived importance of PA before/after school to past (β = .60; 95%CI[.35, .83]) and current volunteering/participating in school-based PA (β = .63; 95%CI[.42, .85]).CONCLUSION:Parents' perceived importance of school-based PA opportunities before and after school warrants emphasis in future research and advocacy.

Objective: In the present study, we sought to determine if a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) delivered using the Be a Champion! (BAC) framework was effective in increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and decreasing sedentary time in elementary school youth. Methods: We implemented a CSPAP in 3 elementary schools to determine its effectiveness to youth behaviors compared to 2 control schools. Youth physical activity was assessed via accelerometry in spring 2015 and spring 2016 during school hours on school days. Implementation of the BAC components and youth behavior was assessed through direct observation from fall 2015 through winter 2016. Results: In a multilevel, mixed model examining the effects of intervention, we found no statistically significant effect of the intervention on overall MVPA. However, a significant increase in MVPA was observed among girls (but not boys) in the intervention schools relative to controls. No differences in sedentary behaviors were observed by group. Conclusion: CSPAP implementation may be effective in reducing sedentary time and increasing MVPA in girls, but not boys. Research is necessary to increase implementation dose and fidelity to best practices in physical activity promotion.

OBJECTIVE:To identify, review, and describe multicomponent physical activity (PA) interventions in terms of: (a) number and combination of Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) components, (b) study characteristics, and (c) primary outcomes.DATA SOURCE:Five electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, PsychInfo, Physical Education Index, Sport Discus, and ERIC).STUDY INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA:Included articles were peer-reviewed, written in English language, published since 1987, and included multicomponent school-based interventions.DATA EXTRACTION:Data items extracted were: school level, setting, CSPAP component description, health outcomes, academic outcomes, main conclusion, and reference.DATA SYNTHESIS:Included articles were synthesized by: (1) CSPAP components utilized, and (2) research outcome measured (i.e., health or academic).RESULTS:Across 32 studies, 11 included physical education plus 1 additional CSPAP component (PE + 1); 10 included PE + 2 additional CSPAP components; 8 included PE + 3 additional CSPAP components; and 1 included all 5 CSPAP components. Two other studies included 2 or 3 CSPAP components without PE. Most interventions targeted health outcomes (94%) rather than academic outcomes (6%).CONCLUSIONS:Multicomponent approaches aligned with CSPAPs are effective in promoting PA and other positive outcomes for youth in schools. Future research should seek to understand effects of CSPAP components on a variety of outcomes and settings.

Purpose : This study examined changes in physical education teachers’ psychosocial perspectives after participating in a yearlong professional development about Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming. Method : Twenty-three intervention teachers attended a workshop in Year 1 and received one academic year of technical assistance and mentorship, and 30 control teachers only attended a workshop in Year 2. Both groups completed pre- and post-self-reported measures on teacher efficacy, work engagement, and affective commitment. Results : At posttest, intervention teachers reported significantly higher levels of affective commitment, and a significant positive relationship was revealed between affective commitment and the degree to which before-school physical activity was implemented. More experienced teachers (>20 years) reported significantly higher levels of the work engagement subscale of vigor at posttest. Discussion/Conclusion : Participating in a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program professional development may positively influence teachers’ job commitment levels and invigorate more experienced teachers, which may relate to Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program implementation.

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDInvolving communities in school health has been purported as a practice integral to supporting a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) approach. Although community collaboration is often included in school‐based health initiatives, there is little research considering methods for increasing community engagement. The purpose of this study was to identify effective school‐based health interventions documenting changes in community engagement.METHODSAcademic experts and school stakeholders guided procedures for a systematic review of studies published from 1987–2017 and gray literature (ie, best practice documents; policy documents, etc.) on comprehensive school health interventions including community engagement as a targeted outcome.RESULTSThe search identified 9 studies addressing community as an outcome of school‐based health interventions; types of partnership mechanisms and partners' roles were classified.CONCLUSIONSAlthough involving communities is a WSCC component and commonly recommended as a strategy fundamental to school health, there is little empirical research examining effective strategies for engaging communities and engagement is often not measured as part of intervention studies. Further measurement and research in engaging communities in school health is warranted.

Background: Teachers can help students meet physical activity (PA) recommendations by integrating PA into the classroom. Few studies have evaluated student PA after teacher-received professional development.Purpose:This study measured student PA outcomes from an online, 16-week course for teachers on classroom PA integration. Course-enrolled ("intervention") teachers were asked to integrate 30 minutes of daily PA into their classrooms and collaborate with teachers in their school, referred to as "PA Partners."Methods:Eighty-two students from the classrooms of seven teachers (3 intervention, 4 PA Partners) wore accelerometers during school at the beginning and end of the 16-week course. Multilevel mixed effect models were used to examine PA pre to post.Results:At the beginning of the course, students with intervention teachers spent a larger percentage of time in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) than students of PA Partners. MVPA did not change across the duration of the course for intervention students, but MVPA for students of PA Partners increased significantly (boys: 3.3%; girls: 1.6%;p< .01).Discussion:Findings suggest the course had ancillary impacts on non-enrolled PA Partners.Translation to Health Education Practice:Health educators should encourage interpersonal-level resources from the social ecological model when training teachers to integrate classroom PA.