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This article explains how to use and apply the SHAPE America position statement “Physical Activity Should Not Be Used as Punishment and/or Behavior Management” in one’s own teaching and as an advocacy tool. © 2025 SHAPE America.

For decades, adapted physical education advocates have passionately engaged in a debate over two adjectives: adapted vs. adaptive. This article explores the reasons why one is preferred over the other and why it matters, especially to students with disabilities. © 2025 SHAPE America.

Background: Numerous barriers to moderate to vigorous physical activity exist for youths with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The virtual exercise games for youth with T1D (ExerT1D) intervention implement synchronous support of moderate to vigorous physical activity including T1D peers and role models. Objective: This study aims to understand the acceptability of this intervention to participants. Methods: We conducted postprogram, semistructured, televideo interviews with participating youths to elicit perspectives on the acceptability of the intervention and experience with the program. Two coders independently reviewed and analyzed each transcript using a coding scheme developed inductively by senior researchers. Discrepancies were resolved by team discussion, and multiple codes were grouped together to produce 4 main thematic areas. Results: All 15 participants provided interviews (aged 14-19 years; 2 nonbinary, 6 females; median hemoglobin A1c level of 7.8% (IQR 7.4%-11.2%), 5 with a hemoglobin A1c level of ≥10%). Qualitative data revealed four themes: (1) motivation to engage in physical activity (PA)—improving their physical capabilities and stabilizing glucose levels were cited as motivation for PA and challenges of living with T1D were cited as PA barriers; (2) experience with and motivation to manage diabetes while engaging in PA—participants provided details of accommodating the inherent uncertainty or limitations of PA with diabetes and sometimes preparing for PA involved psychological and motivational adjustments while some relayed feelings of avoidance; (3) peer support encouraged engagement with the intervention—participants appreciated the peer aspects of components of ExerT1D and participants’ reflections of the facilitated group experience highlight many benefits of a small-group virtual program; and (4) improvements in PA and diabetes self-management efficacy—all participants credited the program with improving or at least raising awareness of T1D management skills. Conclusions: Our virtual PA intervention using an active video game and discussion component provided adolescents with T1D the confidence and peer support to engage in PA, improved awareness of diabetes-specific tasks to prepare for exercise, and improved understanding of the effect of PA on glucose levels. Engaging youths with a virtual video game intervention is a viable approach to overcome barriers to PA for adolescents with T1D. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05163912; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05163912

Nutrition units are a staple in many health education courses. While nutrition units can support the acquisition of critical functional knowledge and the development of important skills, there is also the potential for harm and the potential to perpetuate beliefs, ideas, and norms that can lead to disordered eating, the development of unhealthy relationships with food, or shaming of self and others (e.g., fat shaming). The purpose of this article is to outline several factors that may influence how health educators think about and teach nutrition, as well as practical strategies for creating inclusive, affirming, and health-promoting nutrition units.

Purpose: In the United States, 15 states maintain policies and 25 states represent some level of edTPA affiliation. This study investigated how the edTPA was integrated and aligned into different physical education teacher education (PETE) programs in New Jersey. It also sought to understand teacher educators’ perceptions and experiences in preparing teacher candidates for the edTPA. Methods: This study utilized three data sources: semistructured interviews (n = 4), one focus group interview (n = 1), and documents (n = 17). Data analysis reflected a conventional approach toward qualitative content analysis. Results: In analyzing the data, four themes were established: (a) benefits and drawbacks of edTPA in PETE, (b) goals and success of edTPA in PETE, (c) integrating edTPA into PETE—macro- and microperspectives, and (d) analytic insights into edTPA and future recommendations. Discussion/Conclusion: In states requiring the edTPA, early exposure, scaffolding, curriculum mapping, and a shared mission and vision are critical. In states not requiring the edTPA, programs may want to consider indicators of performance, such as artifacts, reports, elements of the edTPA, university-based assessments, or a portfolio. Regardless of the type of assessment, “a” performance-based assessment may help to determine teacher candidates’ ability to plan, instruct, assess, and reflect.

Background The purpose of this study was to examine weight loss, physical activity, fitness and diet changes in response to a standard behavioral weight loss intervention in adults with self-reported juvenile onset (n = 61) or adult onset (n = 116) obesity. Methods Participants (n = 177; 43.0 ± 8.6 years; body mass index [BMI] = 33.0 ± 3.4 kg m−2) engaged in an 18-month standard behavioral weight loss intervention. Participants were randomized into three different intervention groups as part of the larger parent trial. BMI, physical activity, fitness and diet were assessed at baseline, 6, 12 and 18 months. Separate adjusted mixed models were constructed using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Results There was significant weight loss, increased physical activity, improved fitness and reduced caloric intake over time (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in these outcome variables by obesity onset group. However, there was a significant group by time interaction for fitness (p = 0.001), with the adult onset making significantly greater gains in fitness from baseline to 6 months (p < 0.001); however, this difference was no longer present at 12 or 18 months. Conclusions With the exception of fitness at 6 months, weight loss, physical activity and diet did not differ between juvenile onset and adult onset participants, suggesting that those with juvenile onset obesity are equally responsive to a standard behavioral weight loss intervention in adulthood.

Goalball, a sport designed for those with visual impairments, is a competitive and recreational sport enjoyed by athletes around the world. Students with and without visual impairments can experience positive outcomes when teachers appropriately include a goalball unit as part of their inclusive secondary physical education curriculum. This article aims to help teachers identify these outcomes through strategies that encourage student success and appreciation for the sport. A framework to implement a goalball unit is provided along with strategies to target skill, tactical and game-play development.

Little is known about which curricular models and activity units are being taught in public schools. This exploratory study examined the K–12 physical education (PE) content and curricular models being implemented. Supervisors of PE recruited from one northeastern state participated in a 25-item questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were calculated. Sixty-nine of 92 questionnaires were usable and included in the data analysis. Findings suggest that few districts were using a curricular model at the elementary (K–5) level (27%). Another common response of adopted curricular models at the elementary level was Movement Education (17.6%). At the secondary level, No Model (35%) and Fitness Education (25.6%) were common responses. Specific units such as volleyball, basketball, and weight training yielded the highest responses, while field hockey, golf, archery, lacrosse, and tennis yielded the fewest responses. The findings suggest that K–12 PE curricula may not reflect current trends and mandates. The key determinants could be a lack of curricular model use and heavy reliance upon activities known to present challenges toward standards-based education (i.e., softball). Perhaps K–12 PE and PE preparation programs can connect to effectively articulate a curriculum, and adopt and train on curricular approaches aiming to increase teacher effectiveness and reach national standards.Subscribe to TPE

Assistive technology supplements and supports the learning of students with disabilities in school and at home. Thanks to federal mandates, students with disabilities receive consideration for assistive technology devices and services — the tools and supports needed to achieve determined learning outcomes. Assistive technology devices and services operate as a process, ensuring students with disabilities receive optimal access to learning across all educational settings and subject areas. This article provides physical educators with a working knowledge of the assistive technology process along with recommendations for supporting their students with disabilities.

Our goal as physical educators is to help all students develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to be physically active for a lifetime. Despite efforts to address the diverse needs of students through quality physical education, the reality is that some students still need additional support beyond physical education to achieve their full potential. Response to intervention (RTI) is a proactive approach to educational-service delivery that relies on data-driven decision making to identify student needs and to tailor support. Traditionally, RTI has focused on addressing the needs of lower-performing students through tiered interventions. The purpose of this article is to review the basic principles of RTI, discuss how they have been applied in physical education thus far, and expand the conceptual framework so it can be used to address the needs of both higher- and lower-performing students.

This project aimed to develop a valid and reliable scale measuring Chinese preservice physical education teachers’ beliefs about the physical education profession (PPET-BPEP). The domains and items were created from a conceptual analysis of the previous literature and PPETs’ responses to an open-ended survey. Six experts in the field of physical education and educational psychology evaluated the content validity of the scale. The reliability and factorial validity of the scale were examined utilizing a sample of 696 Chinese PPETs. The PPET-BPEP scale with 12 items embedded in two domains revealed acceptable content validity, internal structure validity, and internal consistency. The two domains were labeled as “sense of calling” and “value of physical education profession” based on the shared content of items in each domain. We recommend using PPET-BPEP scale for PPET recruitment and preparation. The scale can also help establish teacher belief scales in other subject matters. Future validation of the scale is needed in different countries and institutions.

The percentage of US youths experiencing mental health and substance use problems has risen rapidly in recent years. Schools are important settings for prevention, but whether preventive programming meets student needs is unknown. This study examined trends in school programming related to mental health and substance use and teacher professional development across US middle and high schools from 2008-2020.

Authors: Dr. Sharon P. Misasi*, Dr. Gary Morin and Lauren Kwasnowski Dr. Sharon P. Misasi is a Professor of Exercise Science at Southern Connecticut State University. Dr. Gary Morin is a Professor of Exercise Science, Assistant Athletic Trainer and Program Director of the Athletic Training Education Program. Lauren Kwasnowski is a Research assistant for this

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