The aim of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of maternity among Spanish elite sportswomen. Twenty (n = 20) Spanish elite sportswomen with the following criteria were included: (a) aged 18–65 years; (b) had been pregnant during their sporting professional career; and (c) after the end of their pregnancy they had returned to their professional sporting career for at least one year. A qualitative analysis was conducted. Data were collected using in-depth personal interviews, investigator’s field notes, and extracts from the participants’ personal letters. Identified themes included: (a) a new identity, with two sub-themes (“mother role” and “being visible”); (b) going back to sport, with three subthemes (“guilt appears,” “justifying going back to sport,” and “rediscovering sport”); and, (c) reaching a goal, with two subthemes (“balancing mother-sportswoman” and “the challenge of maternity”). Understanding the meaning of maternity for elite Spanish sportswomen might help gain deeper insight into their expectations and develop training systems focused on elite sports women after pregnancy.

The aim of the present research was to analyse modifications in the autonomic stress response of Physiotherapy students undergoing a 12-scenario Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE). A total of 86 last year students of the Physiotherapy bachelor’s degree (27.29 years (SD = 6.66); 36 females and 50 males) randomly assigned were monitored during the complete OSCE to measure heart rate variability (HRV) in temporal, frequency, and non-linear domains. The HRV analysed showed a large anticipatory stress response of students maintained during the entire evaluation. The stress response varied regarding OSCE station complexity and demands and the highest sympathetic response was not found in higher emotional scenarios.The autonomic modulation monitoring allows teachers to design OSCE scenarios more adapted to the students, limiting the effect of the stress response to allow a better performance.

The aim of this research was to analyze the effect of studying a single or double degree in the psychophysiological stress response and academic performance of university students in their bachelor’s thesis defense. We analyzed the autonomic stress response, cortical arousal, subjective distress perception, and the sense of objective and subjective academic fulfilment of 84 single-degree physiotherapy students and 26 double-degree sport sciences and physiotherapy students during their bachelor’s thesis defense. The results showed that the bachelor’s thesis defense was a stressful event for double-degree students, showing an activation of the sympathetic nervous system and presenting a higher autonomic habituation response for the double degree students compared to the single degree students. We found higher mean grades during the whole degree and higher grades in the written and oral bachelor’s thesis academic achievements for single-degree students compared to double-degree students. No significant differences were found between single-degree and double-degree students in subjective distress perception and cortical arousal. No correlation was found between academic performance variables and subjective distress perception, cortical arousal, and autonomic modulation variables. We conclude that the bachelor’s thesis defense produces a large anticipatory anxiety response in single-degree physiotherapy students and in double-degree sport sciences and physiotherapy students. Double-degree students showed higher levels of habituation and adaptability to the stressful event, with a better autonomic response. Academic achievements were significantly higher among single-degree students compared to the double-degree group.

The aims of this study were: i. to analyze the effect of nationality on the psychophysiological stress response of physiotherapy last year students in their final degree dissertations; and ii. to analyze the relationship between the stress response and academic results according to nationality. We evaluated the autonomic stress response, cortical arousal, distress subjective perception, and objective and subjective academic fulfilment in Spanish, Italian, and French physiotherapy students during their final degree dissertation. Results showed a large anticipatory anxiety response before the dissertation in the three student groups. Only the Spanish group showed an increased tendency in the habituation process, reducing the psychophysiological stress response during the dissertation, while the Italian and French groups maintained a large sympathetic activation until the end of the dissertation. Cortical arousal and subjective perception of distress were similar in the three nationalities. In addition, no correlation between academic fulfilment and autonomic modulation was found. We concluded that there was no nationality effect in the psychophysiological stress response of physiotherapy last year students in their final degree dissertation, all of them showing a large anticipatory anxiety response.

The present study aimed to assess the autonomic stress response of Exercise and Sport Science degree students during their 12-scenario Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE). Eighty-eight students, randomly assigned to an initial OSCE scenario, had their heart rate variability (HRV) monitored during the 12 OSCE scenarios. HRV in its temporal, frequency, and non‑linear domains was analysed. Results showed a significant autonomic stress response that persisted throughout the entire evaluation without notable changes between scenarios. The heart rate response significantly differed in two scenarios compared to a break station and a written scenario (p < .05). However, the sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation remained stable across all scenarios. The OSCE method proves to be a practical tool for assessing the competencies and skills of Exercise and Sport Sciences students. Additionally, HRV analysis allows teachers to evaluate students' autonomic stress responses and modify OSCE scenarios to enhance student performance.

Resumen En el curso 2016/2017 el Grado de Fisioterapia de la Universidad Europea de Madrid ha puesto en marcha una plataforma digital para facilitar la gestión, el seguimiento y la evaluación de las asignaturas de prácticas clínicas que se realizan en hospitales o clínicas: UEVALUA. El objetivo de este estudio es conocer la experiencia vivida respecto a esta nueva plataforma por parte de los estudiantes y tutores académicos y clínicos del Grado en Fisioterapia, que han utilizado la nueva plataforma en el primer trimestre del curso 2016/2017. Se ha planteado un diseño cualitativo de tipo fenomenológico descriptivo. Se ha utilizado un muestreo teórico con un tamaño final de la muestra de 13 individuos. La herramienta de recogida de datos utilizada ha sido el Grupo de Discusión. Los datos se han analizado con software Atlas-Ti v6.0. Los temas identificados incluyen : a) Complicaciones con el manejo de la plataforma; b) La formación inicial; c) Ventajas de la plataforma; d) El impacto del uso de una herramienta digital sobre el rendimiento y evaluación de los estudiantes, y d) Propuestas de mejora. Palabras clave: Fisioterapia, formación clínica, aprendizaje digital, evaluación, investigación cualitativa, fenomenología.