Ability Of Boys Research Articles

Development of power qualities for teenagers with delay of psychical development and the role of the school nurse in their health care

They studied the specifics of the development of strength abilities in boys and girls aged 12–14 with mental retardation compared to students of secondary schools. The lag of adolescents aged 12-14 years with mental retardation was found according to the absolute indicators of wrist (hand dynamometer) and static dynamometry (static dynamometer), dynamic and static strength endurance and speed-strength qualities ("holding on the crossbar", "standing long jumps ", "sitting up from a position lying on the back"), both in girls and boys in almost all age groups, compared to students of secondary schools. The analysis of the research results established: 1. The development of strength abilities of children with mental retardation is heterochronic and multidirectional compared to high school students. At the same time, the relative indicators of the strength of the back muscles of teenagers with mental retardation with a clear lag in the absolute indicators of hand and standing dynamometry did not statistically significantly differ from their peers in senior classes. Small differences in the relative indicators are due to the low physical development of adolescents of the mental retardation, namely, the lack of body weight. 2. Dynamic endurance based on the number of sit-ups of the trunk from the lying position is statistically significantly different between adolescent boys and girls of the experimental and control groups (p<0.05-0.001), with the exception of 14-year-old boys. The studied school-aged children with ALS lag behind the control and in the static power endurance of the muscles of the arms according to the results of standing on the crossbar with bent arms. Moreover, both in boys and in girls this difference is highly probable in all studied age groups (p<0.001). 3. It turned out that the speed and strength qualities of the standing long jump in adolescents with mental retardation are statistically significantly lower, and both in girls and boys in all age groups. 4. The obtained data indicate that this category of schoolchildren should be under the constant supervision of the school nurse.

Do gender stereotypes play a role in the process of identifying gifted students in Western Balkan countries? – Case study Bosnia and Herzegovina

AbstractGender stereotypes, as a cause and consequence of deeply rooted attitudes, values and norms, directly affect the discovery and development of gifted potentials. Given the fact that high abilities are most successfully identified and properly developed in early school age, the aim of the study is to investigate the existence of gender differences in the perception of different abilities in boys and girls by teachers, parents, peers and self‐perception in multiple intelligences. The research was conducted on 115 lower primary school students in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mann–Whitney U test was used to determine differences in various domains of giftedness between girls and boys throughout groups of evaluators. Statistically significant difference was found in 11 of the 36 variables analysed. Most statistically significant differences were found in parents' assessments (5), while 3 were found in teachers' assessments, 2 in peers' assessments, and only one in self‐assessments. Although the cultural factors, customs and traditions of the Balkan country of Bosnia and Herzegovina have a great influence on gender stereotypes, the results of research on gender discrimination in the process of identifying giftedness are largely similar to the results of developed European countries. The results of the study can be used in the context of general education as a basis for critical re‐examination of negative attitudes towards females in the direction of a particular professional orientation.

Differences in Lay Up Ability of Boys and Girls of Lower Class Elementary School Students

Studi purpose. This study aims to determine the ability of elementary school students, especially the lower classes, to do layups Materials and methods. The sample is 117 elementary school students, 52 boys, and 65 girls. The layup ability test is carried out by giving five opportunities to students. Admission is scored one, and non-entry is scored 0. Descriptive and non-parametric analysis is used to explain the data that has been collected. Results. The results showed little difference in the skill of laying up between boys and girls of low-grade elementary school students. This can be seen from the average layup ability and standard deviation values , which are not much different. This similarity is even more convincing when a non-parametric statistical test is carried out, which gives a significant count of 0.165 Conclusion. This concludes that there is no difference between boys and girls in the ability to do the lay up

Reading Abilities of Learners in Public Primary Schools in Nandi County, Kenya

Reading is fundamental in the acquisition of language. It builds up an important foundation for the acquisition of other language skills and plays a vital role in the learning of other subjects. There is therefore a need for learners to acquire reading proficiency. The study sought to find out the reading abilities of learners in public primary schools in Nandi County, Kenya. The study’s research question was what are the reading abilities of learners in public primary schools in Nandi County, Kenya? The study sought to test the following hypotheses; There is no significant relationship between the gender of the learner and the reading ability of the learner in public primary schools in Nandi County, Kenya, and there is no significant relationship between the category of the school (rural or urban) and the reading abilities of learners in public primary schools in Nandi County, Kenya. The study adopted a causal-comparative research design with data being collected from a sample size of 200 class six and seven learners in public primary schools in Nandi County. Data was collected using a pupils’ reading test and an observation schedule. Stratified and simple random sampling was utilised as the sampling technique, and a comparison was drawn between the reading abilities of learners in rural public primary schools and those of urban public primary schools. A further comparison was drawn between the reading abilities of boys and those of girls. The study found that learners from urban primary schools performed better than those from rural public primary schools in Nandi County. The study further found out that boys performed slightly better than girls in reading.

Sex interaction of white matter microstructure and verbal IQ in corpus callosum in typically developing children and adolescents

BackgroundChildhood is an extremely important time for neural development that has a critical role in human intelligence. Efficient information processing is crucial for higher intelligence, so the intra- or inter-hemispheric interaction is vital. However, the relationship between neuroanatomical connections and intelligence in typically developing children, as well as sex differences in this relationship, remains unknown. MethodsParticipants were 253 typically developing children (121 boys and 132 girls) aged 5–18. We acquired diffusion tensor imaging data and intelligence using an age-appropriate version of the IQ test; Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). We conducted whole-brain multiple regression analysis to investigate the association between fractional anisotropy (FA), which reflects white matter microstructural properties, and each composite score of IQ test (full-scale IQ, performance IQ, and verbal IQ). ResultsFA was positively correlated with full-scale IQ in bilateral inferior occipitofrontal fasciculus, genu, and splenium of corpus callosum (CC). FA in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and splenium of CC were also positively correlated with performance IQ. Furthermore, we found significant sex interaction between FA in the CC and verbal IQ. FA was positively correlated in boys, and negatively correlated in girls. ConclusionResults suggest that efficient anatomical connectivity between parietal and frontal regions is crucial for children’s intelligence. Moreover, inter-hemispheric connections play a critical role in verbal abilities in boys.

The Influence of Culture Capital, Social Security, and Living Conditions on Children's Cognitive Ability: Evidence from 2018 China Family Panel Studies.

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of economic capital, culture capital, social capital, social security, and living conditions on children’s cognitive ability. However, most studies only focus on the impact of family socio-economic status/culture capital on children’s cognitive ability by ordinary least squares regression analysis. To this end, we used the data from the China Family Panel Studies in 2018 and applied proxy variable, instrumental variables, and two-stage least squares regression analysis with a total of 2647 samples with ages from 6 to 16. The results showed that family education, education expectation, books, education participation, social communication, and tap water had a positive impact on both the Chinese and math cognitive ability of children, while children’s age, gender, and family size had a negative impact on cognitive ability, and the impact of genes was attenuated by family capital. In addition, these results are robust, and the heterogeneity was found for gender and urban location. Specifically, in terms of gender, the culture, social capital, and social security are more sensitive to the cognitive ability of girls, while living conditions are more sensitive to the cognitive ability of boys. In urban locations, the culture and social capital are more sensitive to rural children’s cognitive ability, while the social security and living conditions are more sensitive to urban children’s cognitive ability. These findings provide theoretical support to further narrow the cognitive differences between children from many aspects, which allows social security and living conditions to be valued.

A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF CRITICAL THINKING ABILITIES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Research that emphasizes its attention to critical thinking skills with the subject of elementary school students is still relatively few. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore critical thinking abilities among elementary school students in fourth grade. Research questions identified the critical thinking abilities of boys and girls in fourth grade. The critical thinking theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. The Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level X was used. The sample consisted of 28 boys and 17 girls (N = 45). Data were analyzed using percentages, means, standard deviations, range, and t-tests. Finding reveals statistically significant differences in mean critical thinking scores between boys and girls. The results of the study have implications for elementary school teachers who facilitate the learning process to develop critical thinking skills by applying different learning experiences. Teachers can follow up by considering differences in learning experiences based on the scope of the subject matter, the sequence of skills that are trained to students, and various choices of learning activities that develop critical thinking skills

CREATIVE PLAY METHODS IN THE ENCOURAGEMENT PROCESS OF READING IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

The development of creative playful methods in the process of encouraging reading in virtual environments is a priority process that benefits and contributes to the acquisition of skills and abilities of children in initial education from the representative theoretical aspects of Montessori. , Reggio Emilia, Condemarín among others. In the present study, the objective was to analyze the benefits of creative playful methods of encouraging reading in the virtual environments of children from initial education centers in the canton of Portoviejo, Ecuador. Through reliable theoretical sources, which enriched the study of the variables. The research design was based on a quantitative, bibliographical, exploratory approach, applying the survey instrument aimed at teachers and parents; in addition to an interview with an expert in encouraging reading in early childhood. The research population was made up of parents or representatives, directors and teachers of initial education centers. When identifying the application of creative playful methods in virtual environments that teachers have, it was possible to determine that the vast majority know and apply them, but work should be done so that a significant achievement is reached in the application of said methods in the classroom. virtual context of initial education posing an important challenge in the development of skills and abilities of boys and girls.

The impact of visual-spatial abilities on theory of mind in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundChildren and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience impaired social cognition. AimsIn the present study, we aimed to investigate the relation between visual-spatial abilities and theory of mind in children and adolescents with and without ASD. MethodsForty-five boys from the age of 7 to 17 years with ASD and thirty-one aged matched boys without ASD participated and completed the test of intrinsic stable visual-spatial ability (test of visual perceptual skill-revised), intrinsic dynamic visual-spatial ability (animal mental rotation test), and theory of mind test (TOMT). ResultsResults showed that relative to boys without ASD, boys with ASD had a lower performance in theory of mind and intrinsic visual-spatial abilities. Secondly, theory of mind correlated with visual-spatial abilities in boys with ASD. Theory of mind for first and second order beliefs was predicted by the intrinsic dynamic visual abilities, whereas the theory of mind ability of emotion recognition was predicted by visual-spatial static abilities. In children without ASD, theory of mind for emotion recognition was predicted by intrinsic visual-spatial ability and the theory of mind for first order beliefs. DiscussionTheory of mind can be predicted by visual-spatial abilities in children and adolescents with ASD. Future studies should investigate the role of different types of intrinsic dynamic visual-spatial abilities (e.g., egocentric vs. object-based mental rotation tasks) in relation to different aspects of theory of mind in children and adolescents with autism.

Spanish translation and linguistic validation of the North Star Ambulatory Assessment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy functional evaluation.

There is a need for reliable and properly validated outcome measures in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, both to monitor functional impairment and to assess the impact of new therapies. We aimed to perform a translation of the North Star Ambulatory Assessment scale into Spanish and a linguistic validation of the resulting Spanish version. A structured multistage process based on international guidelines was used, with the following steps: translation (preparation, forward translation, reconciliation, back translation, back translation review, clinicians' review), linguistic validation though pilot testing (cognitive interviewing, medical review, review of results and final changes), and finalization (proofreading, final report). No major difficulties were found during translation steps. Few changes were needed to reconcile forward translations. The linguistic validation process required several meetings to solve comprehension difficulties due to subtle nuances in the meaning of some words. The pilot study was carried out in 10 practitioners from different places in Spain, including both physiotherapists and specialists and registrars in physical medicine and rehabilitation. A total of 6 comments were obtained, including 2 comments on starting positions for items 4-5 (stand on one leg) and item 10 (stand on heels) and 2 comments on scoring instructions for item 3 (stand up from chair) and item 14 (jump). Our study has resulted in a convenient and reliable instrument for the quantification of functional abilities in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Spain. Our innovations in methods and our results could be used as a suggested template for the North Star Ambulatory Assessment linguistic validation in other languages.

Participation of Children in Organized Sports Activities During Preschool and Primary School Period: Research Overview

The paper presents the results of previous research dealing with the participation ofpreschool and elementary school children in organized sports activities. The paperdiscusses the positive and negative impacts of participation in organized sportsactivities on a child's health and wellbeing and whether free play or participationin structured sports activities is better for a child's motor development. In addition,it discusses how specific sports activities affect locomotor, manipulative andconditioning abilities of children; how the same sports programs can differentlyaffect the development of diverse abilities in boys and girls and how the family andits socio-economic status influence the involvement of children in organized sportsactivities. Former studies have shown that a child's age influences involvementin organized sports activities much more than a child's gender. Differences ininvolvement in organized sports activities between boys and girls are almostnonexistent. Gender differences are manifested when choosing sports activities.Key words: gender differences; locomotor and manipulative abilities; preschool andprimary school children; structured sports activities; urban-rural differences

Prenatal and postnatal lead exposures and intellectual development among 12-year-old Japanese children

BackgroundLow-level lead exposure during childhood is associated with deficit in child IQ. However, the association between prenatal lead exposure and child IQ remains inconsistent. The objective of our study was to examine the association between prenatal/postnatal lead exposure and child IQ at the age of 12. MethodsWe obtained data pertaining to cord-blood and child-blood lead levels and IQ for 286 children from a prospective birth cohort study (Tohoku Study of Child Development). IQ was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition. Simultaneously, the Boston Naming Test (BNT) was used to assess the children's language ability. ResultsThe median lead level in the cord blood was 0.8 μg/dL (5th-95th percentiles, 0.4–1.4 μg/dL), and that in the blood of 12-year-old children was 0.7 μg/dL (0.4–1.1 μg/dL). IQ and BNT scores were significantly lower in boys than in girls; therefore, multiple regression analysis was conducted separately for boys and girls. Among boys, IQ was associated with child-blood lead (B = −16.362, p = 0.033) but not cord-blood lead (B = −6.844, p = 0.309). When boys were divided into four groups according to the child-blood lead levels, there was a significant decreasing trend for IQ. The score with cues of the BNT was associated with both cord-blood (B = −5.893, p = 0.025) and child-blood (B = −7.108, p = 0.022) lead concentrations in boys. Among girls, there was no significant association of the outcomes with cord-blood or child-blood lead level. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that postnatal lead exposure adversely affects the intellectual ability in boys. Furthermore, the language ability is sensitive to prenatal/postnatal lead exposure in boys.

The Relationship Of Physical Activity And Motor Ability Development In Children Aged 7-8 Years

Two thirds of children does not meet physical activity (PA) guidelines in China. The fundamental movement skills (FMS) level is a good predictor of physical activity levels and weight status in children. Also, early motor skill has long-term effect on individual’s PA level. So, understanding the relationship of FMS and PA is important for physical activity intervention planning. PURPOSE:To analyze the relationship of daily physical activity participation and the motor ability of children aged 7-8 years. METHODS: The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (M-ABC-2) and the Test of Gross Motor Development - 2nd edition (TGMD-2) were used to test the motor ability of 91 children aged 7-8 years. The ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer was used to measure the physical activity participation for 7 consecutive days. RESULTS: The total time of boys spent in moderate physical activity (MPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was 21.4±7.5min and 27.3±11.2min, respectively, which was higher than those of girls (17.5±7.4min and 22.2±9.7min, P<0.05). The score of object control subscale in boys was 6.73±2.49, which is better than that of girls (5.71 ± 2.14, P <0.05); children's fine motor skill and locomotor skill were positively correlated with VPA, MPA and MVPA (r = 0.2 ~ 0.3). CONCLUSION: In this study, children spent less time in MVPA, especially in girls. The development of object control ability in boys is better than that of girls; there is a positive correlation between children's fine motor skills and physical activity. Therefore, children need to learn and practice FMS for participation and maintenance of PA. FMS should be tested in primary schools, so weaknesses could be identified in children and improved via proper intervention. Supported by The National Social Science Fund of China(Key Project of National Education Science, ALA190015)

ВДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ РОЗВИТКУ КООРДИНАЦІЙНИХ ЗДІБНОСТЕЙ ЮНИХ ФУТБОЛІСТІВ НА ЕТАПІ ПОПЕРЕДНЬОЇ БАЗОВОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ

Introduction and purpose of the study. The article is devoted to improving the development of the coordination abilities of young football players at the stage of preliminary basic training. The study of the peculiarities of the level of development of coordination abilities in boys 11-12 years old involved in football, allowed us to develop a methodology for their improvement. It was determined that the importance of coordination of movements and spatial orientation in the activities of modern football players is constantly increasing, which is associated with the need to act in conditions of tough martial arts, non-standard situations, with a shortage of time and space. The hypothesis of the study is the scientific prediction of the possibility of increasing the level of technical preparedness of young football players by improving the methodology for the development of coordination abilities. The purpose of the study is to develop and implement a methodology that is aimed at the development of coordination abilities in players aged 11-12. Material and methods. The study was conducted at the scientific laboratory of the Pridneprovsk State Academy of Physical Culture and Sports for three months with the involvement of football players aged 11-12 years KPNZ DYUSSH №2 DMR t. Dnipro. Two groups were taken. The first group - experimental, consisted of 16 people. The second group - the control, consisted of 18 people. Results. The results of the study are to improve the coordination capabilities of young football players, which are caused by the use of the developed methodology for the development of coordination abilities. The research results and the developed methodology for improving the coordination abilities of young football players, as well as the control system can be used in the training process in other sports. It is proved that the use of the technique in the training process contributes to the harmonious development of the coordination abilities of football players at the stage of preliminary basic training. Conclusions. Special tests-indicators of various aspects of coordination abilities were identified and applied. They turned out to be quite capacious, informative and uncomplicated in execution. Their results can be subjected to various types of calculations using mathematical statistics. The proposed experimental technique for the development of the coordination abilities of young football players included the use of complex motor actions associated with developing factors in the training process, such as: performing signal exercises, flipping and turning 360 degrees, and performing techniques using knock down factors. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology was confirmed by the results of repeated testing. The increase in all types of coordination abilities among the players of the experimental group was more significant than among the players of the control group. Keywords: young football players, stage of preliminary basic training, control, technical techniques, coordination abilities.

Age-related features of the development of motor abilities in boys in grades 5-9

The purpose of the study is to determine the dynamics of age-related characteristics of the development of motor qualities in boys of grades 5–9. The study involved boys of grade 5 (n = 10), grade 6 (n = 10), grade 7 (n = 10), grade 8 (n = 10), grade 9 (n = 10). An analysis of the test results suggests that there are no statistically significant differences between boys of grades 5 and 6, except that boys of grades 6 show statistically significantly better results in tests for the manifestation of strength abilities. Statistically significant differences in the preparation of boys of grades 6 and 7 are observed only in the test “shuttle run 4x9 m”, which indicates the development of bone trapping and coordination abilities with age. Between boys of grades 7 and 8, statistically significant differences can be observed only in the test for the manifestation of strength forces. An analysis of the results of tests of grades 8 and 9 suggests that statistically significant differences are also observed in the 4x9 m shuttle test, which emphasizes the development of skeletal bone and coordination abilities with age.

The beliefs and attitudes of teachers and school leaders on gender equality in Vietnamese primary schools: case studies of four schools

ABSTRACTThe government of Vietnam has shown a commendable commitment to complete equality in society, including in schools yet there is evidence that gendered attitudes still exist, including in primary schools. The main aims of the research reported in this article were to investigate the lived experience of gender equality in primary schools in Vietnam through an examination of the views of teachers and school leaders and to investigate the challenges facing school leaders in implementing government policy. A qualitative research design was employed that consisted of semi-structured interviews with teachers, Deputy Headteachers and Headteachers in four primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City. The findings from the study revealed that gender equality remains a problematic issue in the primary schools where this study took place. In particular, teachers themselves showed gender bias towards the learning ability of boys and girls in different subjects and it was reported that girls who had early puberty struggled with their learning. Moreover, none of respondents expressed a knowledge of government policy on gender equality. Recommendations include suggestions that further training for teachers is required in relation to this important topic during initial teacher training and whilst in-service.

Linguistic markers of autism in girls: evidence of a \u201cblended phenotype\u201d during storytelling

BackgroundNarrative abilities are linked to social impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), such that reductions in words about cognitive processes (e.g., think, know) are thought to reflect underlying deficits in social cognition, including Theory of Mind. However, research suggests that typically developing (TD) boys and girls tell narratives in sex-specific ways, including differential reliance on cognitive process words. Given that most studies of narration in ASD have been conducted in predominantly male samples, it is possible that prior results showing reduced cognitive processing language in ASD may not generalize to autistic girls. To answer this question, we measured the relative frequency of two kinds of words in stories told by autistic girls and boys: nouns (words that indicate object-oriented storytelling) and cognitive process words (words like think and know that indicate mentalizing or attention to other peoples’ internal states).MethodsOne hundred two verbally fluent school-aged children [girls with ASD (N = 21) and TD (N = 19), and boys with ASD (N = 41) and TD (N = 21)] were matched on age, IQ, and maternal education. Children told a story from a sequence of pictures, and word frequencies (nouns, cognitive process words) were compared.ResultsAutistic children of both sexes consistently produced a greater number of nouns than TD controls, indicating object-focused storytelling. There were no sex differences in cognitive process word use in the TD group, but autistic girls produced significantly more cognitive process words than autistic boys, despite comparable autism symptom severity. Thus, autistic girls showed a unique narrative profile that overlapped with autistic boys and typical girls/boys. Noun use correlated significantly with parent reports of social symptom severity in all groups, but cognitive process word use correlated with social ability in boys only.ConclusionThis study extends prior research on autistic children’s storytelling by measuring sex differences in the narratives of a relatively large, well-matched sample of children with and without ASD. Importantly, prior research showing that autistic children use fewer cognitive process words is true for boys only, while object-focused language is a sex-neutral linguistic marker of ASD. These findings suggest that sex-sensitive screening and diagnostic methods—preferably using objective metrics like natural language processing—may be helpful for identifying autistic girls, and could guide the development of future personalized treatment strategies.

No difference in cognitive performance or gender role behavior between men with and without hypospadias

BackgroundHypospadias is a common malformation of the male external genitalia that results in urethral displacement with different levels of severity. Male genital development during the fetal period is dependent on androgen function, while the etiology of hypospadias differs and can be multifactorial. The psychosocial outcome is sometimes affected, but according to several studies acceptable. The question of whether hypospadias is associated with differences in psychosexual development has been investigated previously, with mixed results. There are no previous investigations of cognitive abilities in men with hypospadias. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate whether hypospadias is associated with differences in performance on cognitive tests and/or gender role behavior. ParticipantsEighty-six men with hypospadias were compared to male and female controls from the general population. ProcedureCognitive tasks, previously shown to yield group level sex differences and questions regarding self-reported childhood gender role behavior, were administered either at an outpatient clinic visit or via online participation. ResultsThe cognitive performance of men and women in the control groups differed significantly in the expected directions. Men and women also differed on self-reported childhood gender role behavior questions. There were no significant differences between men with and without hypospadias on any of the measures. Men with proximal hypospadias performed slightly lower on many of the cognitive tasks in comparison to men with distal hypospadias and controls. ConclusionIn general, hypospadias is not associated with differences in performance on cognitive tests that typically yield sex differences or with altered gender role behavior in childhood. Further studies on cognitive abilities in boys and men with proximal hypospadias are warranted.

Changes in Athletic Fitness of Junior Sports Dancers During a Ten-Month Training Cycle

Research background and hypothesis. Research shows that the mastery level of dancers in sports dancing is closely related to their athletic fitness though there has not been enough research in the changes of indices of athletic fitness of junior sports dancers while training sports dancing. The present study aims at verifying the hypothesis that training in sports dancing should improve athletic fitness of sports dancers. Research aim was to test the effect of training in sports dancing on the indices of athletic fitness of junior sports dancers. Research methods. The subjects in the research were 14 junior sports dancers: 7 girls and 7 boys. The dancers were tested twice: in January 2010 and in November 2010. The training sessions were held three times a week. We established the following indices of athletic fitness: hand grip strength, the frequency of fine hand movements, the frequency of leg movement running on the spot for 10 s, speed of hand movements performing 25 cycles of movements, static balance, trunk flexibility, dynamic strength endurance of abdominal muscles, explosive strength and speed strength of legs, explosive strength endurance, simple and complex psychomotor reaction to light stimulus. Research results. Dancing practice sessions had a positive effect on psychomotor abilities of boys and girls – simple psychomotor reaction for girls (p &lt; 0.05) and simple and complex psychomotor reaction for boys (p &lt; 0.05). The indices of athletic fitness of junior sports dancers did not change much in the research period. Discussion and conclusions. Specialized dancing practice sessions did not have significant effect on the improvement of athletic fitness, however, a tendency of improvement in athletic fitness was observed. Athletic fitness is a significant component of junior sports dancers’ sports fitness, and the improvement of athletic fitness indices requires inclusion of athletic training into the programs of training sports dancers, or regular practice sessions in sports dancing should be supplemented with physical exercises for the development of motor skills.Keywords: sports dances, athletic training, motor skills, dancing practice sessions, training.

Written expression in boys with ADHD: The mediating roles of working memory and oral expression

ABSTRACTThe written expression difficulties experienced by children with ADHD are widely recognized; however, scant empirical evidence exists concerning the cognitive mechanisms and processes underlying these deficiencies. The current study investigated the independent and potentially interactive contributions of two developmentally antecedent cognitive processes – viz., working memory (WM) and oral expression – hypothesized to influence written expression ability in boys. Thirty-three boys with ADHD-Combined Presentation and 27 neurotypical (NT) boys 8–12 years of age were administered standardized measures of oral and written expression, and multiple counterbalanced tasks to assess WM central executive (CE) processes, WM phonological short-term memory (PH STM), and WM visuospatial short-term memory (VS STM). Bias-corrected bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed a significant mediation effect, wherein the independent and interactive effects of PH STM and oral expression collectively explained 76% of the diagnostic status to written expression relation. The implications of the obtained results for clinical practice suggest that children with ADHD may benefit by incorporating a blended approach that simultaneously strengthens PH STM capacity and oral expression abilities as antecedents to engaging in writing-related activities.