Estudio descriptivo sobre las diferencias de género en el estrés académico derivado del contexto COVID-19 en población universitaria española

Currently, the health crisis resulting from the appearance of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the lives of the population, which has undergone many changes in a very short space of time. University students are one of the populations that have had to adapt the most to this pandemic context, which may have generated new stressful situations, affecting their mental health. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to analyse the levels of academic stress in this population, as well as to identify the main stressors, symptomatology associated with stress and the coping strategies adopted by each gender. The total study sample consisted of 351 university students (211 women) who were provided with the Systemic Cognitive Inventory for the Study of Academic Stress (SISCO) adapted to the context of the crisis by COVID-19. The results showed significant differences in stress levels and stress-related variables between men and women, with female students showing higher levels of stress (t(260.077)=-4.801, p£0.01, r=0.29). In addition, differences were also found between in the election of the coping strategies used by men and women. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed statistically significant differences between the stress levels of university students depending on their gender. Furthermore, the main stressors, stress-associated symptomatology and coping strategies adopted by each gender were identified.En la actualidad, la crisis sanitaria derivada de la aparición del COVID-19 ha repercutido de forma significativa en las vidas de la población, la cual ha experimentado muchos cambios en un espacio muy corto de tiempo. Los estudiantes universitarios son una de las poblaciones que más se han tenido que adaptar a este contexto pandémico, lo cual puede haber generado nuevas situaciones de estrés, afectando a su salud mental. El objetivo principal de este estudio es analizar los niveles de estrés académico de una muestra de estudiantes universitarios, así como identificar los principales estresores, sintomatología asociada al estrés y las estrategias de afrontamiento adoptadas por cada género. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 351 estudiantes universitarios (211 mujeres) a los que se les facilitó el Inventario Sistémico Cognoscitivista (SISCO) para el estudio del Estrés Académico adaptado al contexto de la crisis por COVID-19. Los resultados hallados mostraron diferencias significativas entre los niveles de estrés y variables relacionadas con este entre hombres y mujeres, siendo las estudiantes las que mostraron mayores niveles de estrés (t(260.077)=-4.801, p£0.01, r=0.29). Además, también se hallaron diferencias en la elección de las estrategias de afrontamiento utilizadas por hombres y mujeres. En conclusión, los resultados del presente trabajo mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los niveles de estrés de los estudiantes universitarios dependiendo de su género

Influencia del tipo de feedback utilizado en el aprendizaje de una tarea motriz de equilibrio

Depending on the type of feedback provided by physical education teachers, students’ motor learning might be enhanced or not. The importance of understanding the influence of types of feedback seems to be essential to organize any motor learning process appropriately. Currently, it is not clear which type of feedback is the most effective for adolescents’ motor learning. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ balance motor learning according to the type of terminal-verbal feedback provided (i.e., feedback on result, feedback on process, or both). Thirty secondary school students aged between 13 and 14 years old (randomly distributed into 3 groups) participated in the study. Data collection was carried out using a balance motor task involving postural control on an unstable Wii Balance platform. Measurements were conducted at pretest, posttest, and follow-up. The results showed that students who received the terminal-verbal feedback on the process presented lower Root Mean Squared (p < ,05), considered as a better performance, than those who received feedback on result or both types of feedback. Accordingly, to favor students’ balance motor learning it is recommended that physical education teachers provide terminal-verbal feedback on process.El feedback que aportan los docentes de Educación Física puede favorecer el aprendizaje de los estudiantes en tareas motrices. La importancia de conocer la influencia del tipo de feedback a utilizar parece clave para programar con éxito las tareas a realizar. Sin embargo, actualmente la literatura existente no es capaz de advertir qué tipo de feedback es el más efectivo para el aprendizaje de una tarea motriz en adolescentes. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar la influencia de tres tipos de feedback terminal-verbal: i) sobre el resultado, ii) sobre el procedimiento o iii) sobre ambos (procedimiento-resultado) en el aprendizaje de una tarea motriz. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 30 alumnos/as de primer ciclo de la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria con edades comprendidas entre los 13 y 14 años (divididos aleatoriamente en los 3 grupos). Las mediciones de los datos se realizaron durante el pretest, postest y prueba de retención. Los resultados mostraron que los adolescentes que recibieron feedback sobre el procedimiento, obtuvieron unas puntuaciones más bajas en Raíz Media Cuadrática (p < ,05), lo que se relaciona con un mayor rendimiento en la tarea, que quienes lo recibieron sobre el resultado o ambos. Los hallazgos obtenidos sugieren que, para favorecer el aprendizaje de una tarea motriz de equilibrio, se recomienda que el profesorado de Educación Física aporte feedback terminal–verbal sobre el procedimiento

Effects on intermittent postural control in people with Parkinson's due to a dual task

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of performing a dual task on the sway density plot parameters in Parkinson's disease and control subjects.& nbsp;Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to establish differences in the mean peak, mean time, and mean distance between a group with Parkinson's disease and a control group without Parkinson's disease. The subjects performed, in a unique measurement session, two trials under three different randomized conditions: i. eyes open, ii. eyes closed, and iii. Eyes open with foam base. One trial was performed as a single task (i.e., the subjects completed one of the balance test), while the other trial was performed as a dual task (i.e., the subjects performed a cognitive task at the same time that they maintained the static balance).& nbsp;Results: There was a group x dual task x condition effect in mean peak (F-1.5,F- 51.1 = 5.21; p = 0.015; eta(2)(p) = 0.13) and mean time (F-1.4,F- 47.3 = 4.43; p = 0.03; eta(2)(p)& nbsp;= 0.11) variables. According dual-task cost analysis, there was a main effect of the condition (F-6,F-134 = 2.44; p = 0.05; eta(2)(p) = 0.34) on MD (F-2,F-68 = 6.90; p < 0.01; eta 2p = 0.17).& nbsp;Conclusions: This result indicates differences in the dual task interference in the postural control mechanisms between the Parkinson's disease population and healthy pairs. For easy dual tasks, the Parkinson subjects used anticipatory control responses for longer periods of time, and for more difficult tasks, their control strategy did not change regarding single balance task

Dual task interference in children from 8 to 12 years old

The main aim of this manuscript was to analyze the effect of dual task and their difficulty on the motor and cognitive performance using a postural control and a memory tasks in middle childhood group ages children, establishing the differences between the effect of the tasks in the different age groups. The study sample was composed by one hundred and sixteen children, between 8 and 12 years old. The participants completed three single tasks and two dual-tasks. The postural single task (EO) consisted in maintain the balance in the bipedal stance position and two cognitive single tasks performed were the Backward Digit Span Test with 3-Digits sequences length and the Backward Digit Span Test 5-Digits sequences length. The dual-tasks were the combination of the postural task and the cognitive tasks. Regarding the postural control measurement, CoP signals were acquired with a Wii Balance Board. The analysis performed showed that the younger groups (8-9 years old) had worse punctuations in postural control variables in dual-task conditions than the older age groups (11-12 years old), especially than the 12 years old group. Regarding the effect of dual task in postural control, in all groups between 9 to 12 years old, higher postural control and stability were observed during the execution of the 5D dual-task than during the 3D task. Finally, no differences were found in the number of correct answers in the cognitive task when performing a single or dual-task, in any age group.El objetivo principal de este manuscrito fue analizar el efecto de la doble tarea y su dificultad sobre el rendimiento motor y cognitivo mediante una tarea de control postural y otra de memoria en niños, estableciendo las diferencias entre el efecto de las tareas en los distintos grupos de edad. La muestra del estudio estuvo compuesta por ciento dieciséis niños, de entre 8 y 12 años de edad. Los participantes completaron tres tareas simples y dos tareas dobles. La tarea individual postural (EO) consistió en mantener el equilibrio en posición de bipedestación y las dos tareas individuales cognitivas realizadas fueron el Backward Digit Span Test con secuencias de 3 dígitos y el Backward Digit Span Test con secuencias de 5 dígitos. Las dobles tareas fueron la combinación de la tarea postural y las tareas cognitivas. En cuanto a la medición del control postural, las señales del CoP se adquirieron mediante una Wii Balance Board. El análisis realizado mostró que los grupos más jóvenes (8-9 años) obtuvieron peores puntuaciones en las variables de control postural en condiciones de doble tarea que los grupos de mayor edad (11-12 años), especialmente que el grupo de 12 años. En cuanto al efecto de la doble tarea sobre el control postural, en todos los grupos de 9 a 12 años se observó un mayor control postural y estabilidad durante la ejecución de la doble tarea 5D que durante la tarea 3D. Por último, no se encontraron diferencias en el número de respuestas correctas en la tarea cognitiva al realizar una tarea simple o dual, en ningún grupo de edad

Perfiles de actividad física, obesidad, autoestima y relaciones sociales del alumnado de primaria: un estudio piloto con Self-Organizing Maps

Social relationships are vital for the proper development of humans, and along with physical activity, obesity, and self-esteem, they form a set of factors that may be able to feed each other; however, as far as the authors know, they have only been analyzed separately. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to carry out a multifactorial analysis that includes all the aforementioned variables. A total of 60 children between 7 and 13 years of age formed the sample of this study. The instruments used for the measurements of the different study variables were the PAQ-C, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and an adaptation of the Bull-S Test. Once all the data was collected, an analysis with Self-Organizing Maps was made, using the Matlab R2008a software and the SOM toolbox for Matlab. The results obtained in this work show the repercussion of Body Mass Index on the levels of self-esteem and social relations, and the possible mutual feedback between the last two factors.Las relaciones sociales son de vital importancia para el correcto desarrollo de los seres humanos, y junto con la actividad física, la obesidad y la autoestima forman un conjunto de factores que pueden ser capaces de retroalimentarse entre sí, pero que hasta donde los autores saben, solo se han analizado por separado. Por tanto, el principal objetivo de estudio será realizar un análisis multifactorial que incluya todas las variables anteriormente mencionadas. Un total de 60 niños de edades comprendidas entre los 7 y los 13 años formaron la muestra de este estudio. Los instrumentos utilizados para las mediciones de las diferentes variables de estudio fueron el PAQ-C, la escala de autoestima de Rosenberg y una adaptación del Bull-S Test. Una vez recogidos todos los datos se realizó un análisis con SelfOrganizing Maps mediante el software Matlab R2008a y la SOM toolbox para Matlab. Los resultados obtenidos en este trabajo muestran la repercusión del Índice de Masa Corporal sobre los niveles de autoestima y las relaciones sociales, y la posible retroalimentación mutua entre estos dos últimos factores

Effect of Concurrent Visual Feedback Frequency on Postural Control Learning in Adolescents

The purpose was to find better augmented visual feedback frequency (100% or 67%) for learning a balance task in adolescents. Thirty subjects were divided randomly into a control group, and 100% and 67% feedback groups. The three groups performed pretest (3 trials), practice (12 trials), posttest (3 trials) and retention (3 trials, 24 hours later). The reduced feedback group showed lower RMS in the posttest than in the pretest (p = 0.04). The control and reduced feedback groups showed significant lower median frequency in the posttest than in the pretest (p < 0.05). Both feedback groups showed lower values in retention than in the pretest (p < 0.05). Even when the effect of feedback frequency could not be detected in motor learning, 67% of the feedback was recommended for motor adaptation

Stress and autonomic response to sleep deprivation in medical residents: A comparative cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the stress suffered by medical residents as the result of being on call for 24 hours, from a multidimensional approach. Two groups of medical residents selected according to their work shift, participated in the study: one group (n = 40) was sleep-deprived after having been actively on-call for 24 hours, and another contrast group (n = 18) had performed a normal work day and were not sleep-deprived. All participants completed pre-post measures during a 24 h cycle. These were administered on both occasions at 8 am. The measures included HRV, cortisol, cognitive performance and transitory mood. The effect of the group x phase interaction was significant for all variables analysed, indicating that doctors in the 24h on-call shift group showed significant deterioration in all physiological, performance and mood indicators in comparison with the participants in the group not on call. These results suggest the need to review medical on-call systems, in order to reduce the stress load, which has a direct effect on working conditions