Journal of Sports Science and Health

RECREATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE DIGITAL ERA: TRANSITIONING FROM PHYSICAL TO VIRTUAL SPACES

Tachapon Tongterm — 2026-04-28

In the digital era, where the real and virtual worlds no longer exist as separate entities but dynamically overlap, reinforce, and merge, Thai children and youth are experiencing a recreational transition that profoundly influences all dimensions of their holistic development. This article aims to 1) analyze the dynamic transition of recreational activities among Thai children and youth, 2) synthesize the impacts of this transition on holistic development, 3) explain and develop a Hybrid Recreation Framework that integrates the advantages of both the physical and digital worlds, and 4) propose policy and practical recommendations for developing recreation for Thai children and youth in the digital age. Drawing upon a synthesis of academic literature and emerging empirical evidence, the analysis reveals that digital-age recreation functions as a double-edged phenomenon, producing a distinct duality of impacts. On one hand, recreation promotes physical and mental well-being, strengthens life skills, digital literacy, and strategic thinking, opens new economic opportunities, preserves cultural capital, and fosters sustainable values. On the other hand, it presents potential risks stemming from sedentary lifestyles, technology addiction, erosion of deep social skills, digital inequality, and environmental pressures caused by carbon footprints and electronic waste. These findings highlight the necessity of establishing a policy-driven recreation system that harmonizes technology with human values, transforming recreation from a leisure activity into a strategic instrument for achieving balance across well-being, society, culture, and the environment, while empowering Thai youth to thrive amid the complex challenges of the twenty-first century.

EXERCISE MODALITIES TO ENHANCE SLEEP QUALITY ACROSS POPULATIONS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Supawit Ittinirundorn — 2026-04-28

Adequate and good-quality sleep is a fundamental component of both physical and mental health; however, sleep problems remain a significant global public health burden. Over the past decade, research has increasingly demonstrated that exercise represents a promising non-pharmacological approach to improving sleep quality, exerting its effects through physiological, psychological, and circadian mechanisms. This article analyzes current knowledge on the influence of exercise on sleep across diverse populations, including the general public, older adults, individuals with insomnia, patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and shift workers. Insomnia has been associated with reduced cognitive performance, including deficits in memory, attention, and executive function, reflecting the neurological impairments caused by insufficient sleep. The discussion also highlights underlying mechanisms such as autonomic regulation, alterations in hormones and neurotransmitters, thermoregulation, adenosine accumulation, reduction of stress and depression, as well as the role of exercise as a zeitgeber, an external cue that helps synchronize the biological clock to the 24-hour light–dark cycle. Furthermore, special exercise modalities, including breathing exercises and oropharyngeal myofunctional therapy, are presented as effective strategies to enhance sleep quality in patients with sleep-disordered breathing. The article concludes by summarizing empirical findings and providing recommendations for implementing exercise and targeted training as practical interventions to promote healthy sleep and improve quality of life in the population.

A COMPARISON OF CONSISTENCY IN CLUB VOLLEYBALL OUTSIDE HITTER BETWEEN MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TEAMS

Jetsada Kongsomkhong — 2026-04-28

Background
Physiological differences between male and female volleyball players may influence physical fitness, particularly muscle strength, jump height, and muscular endurance, which are important factors in spike consistency among outside hitters.

Purpose
This study aimed to compare spike consistency between male and female club volleyball players.

Methods
Eleven club-level outside hitters aged 20–30 years (six males and five females) were selected using purposive sampling. Assessments included physical fitness tests (muscle strength, jump height, and muscular endurance) and spike consistency analysis based on knee and shoulder joint angles. Five anatomical markers were placed on the elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle. Mean values, variance, and range of joint angles were used to evaluate consistency. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Independent t-tests with a significance level set at p < 0.05

Results
The results showed no statistically significant differences in spike consistency between male and female players based on the mean, variance, and range of knee and shoulder joint angles (p > 0.05), indicating similar movement patterns between sexes. However, significant differences were found in physical fitness variables, with male players demonstrating greater muscle strength (p = 0.024), higher jump height (p = 0.001), and greater muscular endurance (p = 0.009). No significant difference in competitive experience was observed between male and female players (p > 0.05) and to examine the relationship between muscular strength and the consistency of spike performance through regression analysis

Conclusion
Joint angle variables were not effective in clearly distinguishing spike consistency between male and female volleyball players. Although male players exhibited significantly superior physical fitness with large effect sizes, greater physical fitness did not necessarily result in greater spike consistency.

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF PLYOMETRIC TRAINING COMBINED WITH CHANGE OF DIRECTION TRAINING ON POWER, SPEED, AND AGILITY IN YOUTH FEMALE HANDBALL PLAYERS

Saralee Wuttipittayathon — 2026-04-28

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of plyometric training combined with change of direction training on power, speed, and agility in youth female handball players.

Method
Sixteen female handball players aged 15–18 years were selected using purposive sampling based on Illinois agility test and divided into two groups of eight participants each. The experimental group (EXT) performed combined plyometric training (PT) and change of direction (COD) training, while the control group (CON) performed PT and COD training separately. Both groups trained twice per week for a duration of four weeks. Pre- and post-training assessments included measurements of peak power (PP), 5- m sprint time (5SP) and 10-m sprint time (10SP), and agility (AG). Data were analyzed using paired samples t-test for within-group comparisons, and independent samples t-test for between-group comparisons. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05.

Result
Statistical analyses revealed significant (P<0.05) between-group differences after training. The results showed that the EXT group significantly increased agility compared to the CON group (P<0.05). Both the EXT and CON groups showed a significant increase in power, 10-meter sprint time, and agility compared to the pre-test (P<0.05), with the CON group also demonstrating a significant improvement in 5SP (P<0.05).

Conclusion
Combining plyometric training with change of direction training can improve agility more effectively than performing plyometric and change of direction training separately within a 4-week period.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PHYSICAL FITNESS AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS IN ADOLESCENT COMBAT SPORT ATHLETES

Unnop Naptheutrong — 2026-04-29

Background
Adolescent combat sport performance unfolds under immediate physical and psychological pressure. Although mental toughness is conceptualized as a multidimensional and context-sensitive regulatory capacity, limited research has distinguished between dynamic performance capacities such as agility and aerobic fitness and structural physical attributes such as strength and body composition when examining their relationships with psychological dimensions in adolescent athletes.

Purpose
This study examined whether components of physical fitness demonstrate selective associations with four dimensions of mental toughness including self-efficacy, task focus, perseverance, and stress minimization in adolescent combat sport athletes.

Methods
A cross-sectional correlational design was conducted with 139 athletes aged 11 to 18 years. Physical fitness was assessed using standardized protocols from the Sports Authority of Thailand, including agility, muscular strength, power, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body fat percentage. Mental toughness was measured using the Thai Mental Toughness Questionnaire for Athletes. Pearson correlations were calculated with significance set at p<.05.

Results
Agility showed significant positive correlations with self-efficacy (r=.19, p=.025), task focus (r=.27, p=.001), perseverance (r=.29, p<.001), and stress minimization (r=.24, p=.005). Cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with self-efficacy (r=.25, p=.003) and stress minimization (r=.18, p=.038). Muscular strength, explosive power, flexibility, and body composition were not significantly related to mental toughness dimensions (p>.05). All significant correlations were small (r<.30).

Conclusion
Dynamic performance capacities showed modest and selective relationships with certain psychological regulatory dimensions, whereas structural physical attributes were not associated. These findings support a conceptual distinction between dynamic performance capacities and structural physical attributes in adolescent combat sport development, indicating that physical fitness explains only a limited proportion of psychological resilience.

DIGITAL HEALTH BEHAVIORS AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG STUDENTS AT THAILAND NATIONAL SPORTS UNIVERSITY, ANG THONG CAMPUS

Titeyut Wongsanao — 2026-04-29

Background
Digital technology plays an important role in shaping students’ health behaviors, affecting both physical and mental health, particularly in sports universities where contextual factors may influence patterns of health technology use.

Purpose
To examine digital health behaviors and analyze their relationship with physical and mental health among students at Thailand National Sports University, Ang Thong Campus.

Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 206 undergraduate students (years 2-4), selected using stratified sampling by faculty followed by simple random sampling. Data were collected via an online questionnaire developed by the researchers. The instrument demonstrated high content validity (IOC=0.94) and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha=0.85). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, with significance set at .01.

Results
Overall digital health behavior was at a moderate level (3.00±1.10). The most frequent behavior was seeking health information via digital media (3.60±1.10), while the use of technology for nutrition was infrequent (2.50±1.10). Health technology showed positive effects on physical health, particularly in promoting regular exercise (3.60±1.10), whereas its effects on mental health were mostly uncertain. A low but significant positive correlation was found between digital health behavior and health outcomes (r=.23, p<.01).

Conclusions
Digital health behavior among students was moderate (four to six times per week) and not comprehensive across all health dimensions, with greater emphasis on information seeking and physical activity. A low positive association with physical and mental health was observed, suggesting that technology use alone may be insufficient to improve well-being. Promoting balanced use of health technologies alongside enhancing digital health literacy is essential for sustainable health behavior change in sports higher education contexts.

A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW OF HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND LOCAL TRADITIONAL TOURISM: KNOWLEDGE SYNTHESIS FROM 2016-2026

Aomarun Jurattanasan — 2026-04-30

Background
In the digital era, information technology plays a significant role in tourism development by facilitating the communication of the values of historical and cultural attractions, enhancing tourists’ learning experiences, and supporting the sustainable conservation of tourism resources

Purpose
This study aims to synthesize scholarly knowledge on historical tourism, cultural tourism, and local traditional tourism in order to identify major research directions and conceptual developments within the field.

Methods
This research employed a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA framework. Data were retrieved from internationally recognized, peer-reviewed academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect, as well as research dissemination platforms such as SpringerLink and Taylor & Francis Online, and academic publishers including MDPI and SAGE Journals. Search terms included cultural tourism, heritage tourism, heritage interpretation, community participation, and creative tourism. Through a systematic inclusion-exclusion screening process, 60 articles met the selection criteria and were subsequently subjected to data extraction, content analysis, and thematic analysis in order to identify research trends, major themes, and knowledge gaps within this field.

Results
The findings reveal that the selected studies can be categorized into five principal themes: heritage interpretation; sustainability and cultural identity; community participation and resilience; creative tourism and experiential engagement; and tourism policy, management, and innovation.

Conclusion
This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of scholarly knowledge, emerging research trends, and academic gaps, thereby offering a valuable foundation for future research directions, policy formulation, and the sustainable management of cultural tourism.