Journal of Kinesiology & Wellness

Prestige of Kinesiology Journals Across General Research Areas Using Google Scholar Metrics

Duane Knudson — 2026-08-14

Scholars often select journal outlets for their research based on subjective perceptions of prestige and journal metrics. Potential differences in prestige-associated journal metrics across general research areas were examined in kinesiology-related journals. A sample of 136 unique kinesiology-related journals was identified through Google Scholar Metrics (GSM) searches across 15 general research areas in 2024. The GSM 5-year Hirsch index (GSh5) was compared across research areas using a subsample of journals linked to multiple research areas. Journal prestige estimated by GSh5 and the other metrics had strong positive skew and outliers. Median GSh5 showed significant, large differences (d = 1.39) across research areas within the field. These differences across research areas were also observed in other metrics and were reinforced by moderate-to-large associations among them. The difference in median prestige from smallest to largest across research areas ranged from an unrealistic factor of 3.6 to 51. Given the substantial positive skew, outliers, differing metrics, timeframes, and databases, and large prestige differences across research areas in this study, interpreting journal prestige metrics is difficult in an interdisciplinary field like kinesiology. While it is best to avoid evaluating kinesiology research by a journal's prestige alone; judicious, evidence-based use of multiple journal prestige metrics may supplement scholars' perceptions of prestige when selecting journals.

Differences in Journal Google Scholar Metrics Across Kinesiology Subdisciplines

Duane Knudson — 2026-08-19

This study extended recent research on differences in journal citation metrics across kinesiology subdiscipline-related keywords, using the world's largest free database (Google Scholar) and a curated database (Scopus). Google Scholar Metrics (GSM) was searched for top-ranked journals using 26 subdisciplinary keywords in kinesiology. Journal prestige and usage metrics extracted from GSM were combined with three Scopus metrics from SCImago Journal Rank for 114 journals. Results confirmed previous studies reporting large differences (5 to 7 times) in median prestige and usage metrics, respectively, between sport history and sports medicine journals. This confirms the disadvantage humanities/behavioral science journals have relative to biomedical science journals and the need to investigate the appropriateness of journal metrics within subdisciplinary areas. Correlations confirmed strong associations between the two prestige and two usage journal metrics, as well as moderate associations among the metrics and with the number of articles published. Results contributed to a consensus that kinesiology research is too diverse and interdisciplinary to rely on a single database or journal metric as a proxy for research quality. Judicious use of several databases and journal metrics within kinesiology subdisciplines may provide limited but useful supplementary information on likely visibility in bibliometric databases for the selection of potential publication outlets.

Assessing Spanish-language Patient Education Materials for Comprehension: A Pilot Feasibility Study with Implications for Physical Activity and Wellness Promotion

Jafrā Thomas — 2026-05-29

Physical activity, health literacy, and wellness promotion strategies target several health behaviors simultaneously (e.g., exercise and nutrition education). However, comprehension of Spanish-language patient education materials is rarely assessed directly with the cloze procedure (a fill-in-the blank reading test). This study's purpose was to evaluate the feasibility of adapting methods from one 1977 dissertation study, which evaluated comprehension of primary school education materials by comparing cloze and open-response recall scores. The present study used adult patient education materials on the health benefits of dietary fiber from two unaffiliated organizations: a mobile health unit (MHU) and a university hospital (UH). Materials had an 8th-grade reading level. Two groups of college adults, with varied Spanish literacy skills, participated in the study in August 2024 (n₁ = 4, n₂ = 6, counter-balanced design). Qualitative feedback was collected through an online questionnaire. Percent-correct scores from the cloze and open-response tests suggested inadequate to partial comprehension in general: MHU (cloze: M = 37.09%, SD = 9.59%; open-response: M = 36.67%, SD = 15.32%); UH (cloze: M = 33.78%, SD = 8.28%; open-response: M = 44.00%, SD = 18.38%). However, convergent validity between cloze and open-response scores was not well-supported through correlation tests, per Bonferroni correction. Replication was feasible. The study protocol took one hour to administer. Participants found tasks understandable and acceptable. The preliminary findings mirrored comprehension results of previous studies. Studies with larger sample sizes, however, should be used to confirm the cloze procedure's validity with Spanish-language patient education materials.

Ninth-Grade Students' Physical Activity Levels and Self-Efficacy

Yang Song — 2026-06-03

Purpose: This study examined ninth-grade students' physical activity levels within a week of a regular school semester and their self-efficacy to overcome barriers to physical activity. Methods: One hundred thirty-one students from a 6A midwestern state high school in the United States completed the study where the authors collected students' data on their Physical Activity levels via the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A), Self-efficacy in Physical Activity assessed via Adolescents' self-efficacy to overcome barriers to physical activity scale (Dwyer et al., 2012), and the general demographic data. The authors intended to examine differences in physical activity levels among ethnic groups and between male and female students, and to identify significant factors that predict physical activity levels. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in physical activity levels among ethnic groups (e.g., M_Caucasian = 2.87; SD = 0.67; M_{African American} = 2.73; SD = 0.63; F(3,122) = .824, p > .05). Moreover, male and female students reported similar physical activity levels (M_Male = 2.93; SD = 0.74, M_Female = 2.83; SD = 0.67; t(129) = .791, p > .05). The physical activity readiness levels and the self-efficacy scores on overcoming the internal, social, and responsibility barriers were the only significant factors in predicting students' physical activity levels.

Facilitators of and Barriers to Physical Activity Promotion among Physical Therapists who Treat Clients with Neurological Conditions: A Qualitative Study Informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework

Winston Kennedy — 2026-04-10

Healthcare provider communications about physical activity (PA) lead to meaningful and sustained increases in PA, but physical therapists (PTs) do not consistently promote PA for clients with neurological conditions (NC). The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand factors that could support implementation strategies related to PTs promoting PA for clients with NC. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was used to develop a semi-structured interview guide. One-on-one online interviews were conducted in 2022 with 10 physical therapists licensed to practice in the United States whose caseloads include clients with NC. Responses were first sorted into a priori factors derived from previous research (TDF codebook), then reappraised to ensure other factors were not overlooked (inductive analysis). Responses about facilitators corresponded to three factors: Personal (e.g., sense of responsibility, personal connections to community opportunities); Professional (e.g., a specific PT course on PA promotion); and Client-related (e.g., highly motivated). Barriers corresponded to two factors: Professional (e.g., limited continuing education, lack of guidance/communication from PT-associations), and Client-related (e.g., lack of low-cost/free services to offer, provider safety concerns). There are opportunities for PTs to increase PA promotion when treating clients with NC, as outlined in PT education. PTs should also utilize and advocate for community-based partnerships and expand education/resources from PT associations beyond traditional communication channels.

Perceptions of Athletes vs Non-Athletes on the College Athlete Experience

Taylor Ross — 2026-08-29

Non-athlete college students tend to view their student-athlete peers negatively because they believe athletes have undue privileges. Student-athletes are often aware of these negative perceptions (Stone, 2012). The goal of this preliminary and exploratory study is to determine whether there is a significant difference between non-athletes' and athletes' perceptions of athlete privilege. Data were collected via an online survey, in which participants answered demographic questions before selecting, from a list, the privileges they believe athletes at their university have. SPSS analysis found several significant differences between divisions and between athletic involvement and perceived privileges. More importantly, there were no significant differences between divisions and athletic involvement regarding the perceptions of stress or mental health struggles. This indicates that perceived perks in collegiate athletics do not necessarily translate into perceived improvements in psychological well-being. This could be beneficial to understanding how student-athlete stereotypes and perceived privilege relate to help-seeking behavior and mental health in collegiate athletes.

An Examination of an Isometric Core Rotation Test and its Relationship to Baseball Exit Velocity in Division II Collegiate Players

Nathan May — 2026-03-28

The purpose of this study was to examine an isometric core rotation test and its relationship to baseball exit velocity in Division II collegiate players. This was a replication study based on Spaniol et al. (2010). Data collection involved assessing isometric core rotation force with a digital crane scale, followed by measuring baseball exit velocity with a radar gun. Both assessments were conducted for three trials on the dominant and non-dominant sides, respectively. The reliability of the three test trials for the isometric core rotation and baseball exit velocity tests for the non-dominant and dominant sides were assessed with Cronbach's alpha values. The reliability values were as follows: isometric core rotation test non-dominant side (0.873), isometric core rotation test dominant side (0.955), baseball exit velocity non-dominant side (0.942), and baseball exit velocity dominant side (0.922). Independent t-tests were conducted to assess differences between the dominant and non-dominant sides in isometric mean core rotation force and baseball mean exit velocity, respectively. Pearson correlations were conducted to assess the relationship between the isometric mean core rotation force and the baseball mean exit velocity. The key finding was a significant (p = 0.026) and moderate positive relationship (r = 0.570) between the dominant-side isometric mean core rotation force and the dominant-side baseball mean exit velocity. Additionally, a significant (p = 0.002) and moderate positive relationship (r = 0.733) was found between the non-dominant side isometric mean core rotation force and the dominant side baseball mean exit velocity. The isometric mean core rotation force was not significantly different between the dominant and non-dominant sides (p = 0.86); whereas the baseball mean exit velocity was significantly different between sides (p = 0.0004). Therefore, on the dominant side, players had learned to effectively transfer isometric core rotational force into a dynamic bat swing, as reflected in baseball exit velocity. These findings highlight the importance of isometric core rotation strength in baseball players, due to its moderate relationship with baseball exit velocity. The use of the crane scale, as in this study, represents a reliable, inexpensive, time-efficient, and practical method for monitoring sports-specific core fitness in baseball players.