High Education and University Teaching and Learning Processes: Soft Skills.

In the era of globalization and technology, society demands young generations of citizens able to work in a kind of environment characterized by complexity and diversity. Therefore, the education system faces a new kind of challenge, as graduates are reported to need transversal skills, which are unlikely to be learned through traditional classroom teaching. The overall aim of this article is to examine the needs for these skills and their acquisition by higher education teachers to cope with the evolving European labour market of the 2020s. The article envisions the importance of soft skills in the teaching profession. The empirical part consists of a comparative study with Italian and Portuguese teachers, highlighting the status of a set of crucial soft skills (assertiveness, networking skills, teamwork, sensitivity, socialization, action-orientation, ability to work under pressure and social desirability).

Adaptation and Testing of the Factorial Structure of the Physical Education Grit Scale for Use in Secondary Education in Spain.

The challenges faced by students during Physical Education classes embrace both physical and academic aspects. Therefore, each individual possesses a series of internal psychological mechanisms, such as Grit, which allow them to adapt and overcome the vicissitudes. However, there are no scales that assess Grit in Span. Thus, the aim of the present study is to test the factor structure of the Physical Education Grit Scale in Span of Physical Education classes. For this purpose, 857 secondary school students took part in the present study. In order to test the factor structure, a confirmatory factor analysis, an exploratory factor analysis, an analysis of the reliability of the questionnaire and an analysis of temporal stability were carried out. The results showed that the factor structure consisted of two factors and four sub-factors (χ2/df = 2.17 (p = 0.001); CFI = 0.96; TLI = 0.96; IFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.051; SRMR = 0.037). In addition, the reliability and temporal stability analyses showed acceptable indices. Based on these results, evidence of reliability and validity of the Physical Education Grit Scale in Span of Physical Education is provided.

Digital Competence, Use, Actions and Time Dedicated to Digital Devices: Repercussions on the Interpersonal Relationships of Spanish Adolescents.

Digital media play a fundamental role in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of adolescents, since they involve a very significant use and investment of time at this age. The objectives of this work are twofold: analyze the use of the Internet and digital devices by Spanish young people outside school, and the time they use them and their attitude towards the use of digital devices, as well as to identify the effects of the use of internet and digital devices on social and interpersonal relationships. The sample is composed of 35,943 students of Compulsory Secondary Education, from different Spanish high schools that participated in the PISA 2018 Report. The data provided by this study confirm the widespread consumption of digital devices. Identified as actions that they carry out every day were: the use of online chat, use of social networks to contact their friends, and surfing the internet for fun. Regarding the attitude towards digital devices, the participants say they feel comfortable using digital devices and discovering new applications or games. However, we also found as one of the most relevant results of this study the fact that participants say they feel bad if they do not have internet connection.

Efficacy of Physiotherapy Treatment in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) refers to painful cramps before and/or during menstruation. There is a need for emphasis on alternative methods of conservative treatment, so as to reduce the dependence on drugs for alleviating the symptoms. The aim was to find out the effectiveness of some physiotherapy techniques in the treatment of PD. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA standards. The descriptors were "dysmenorrhea", "physical the-rapy", "physiotherapy", and "manual therapy". The search was performed in five databases: Scopus, PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science, and Medline, in February 2021. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials over the last six years. Articles not related to the treatment of PD or using pharmacology as the main treatment were excluded. Nine articles met the objectives and criteria, with a total of 692 participants. The most used scale to measure pain was the VAS (visual analogue scale). The main techniques were isometric exercises, massage therapy, yoga, electrotherapy, connective tissue manipulation, stretching, kinesio tape, progressive relaxation exercises and aerobic dance. Meta-analysis shows benefits of physiotherapy treatment for pain relief compared with no intervention or placebo (MD: -1.13, 95% CI: -1.61 to -0.64, I2: 88%). The current low-quality evidence suggests that physiotherapy may provide a clinically significant reduction in menstrual pain intensity. Given the overall health benefits of physiotherapy and the low risk of side effects reported, women may consider using it, either alone or in conjunction with other therapeutic modalities.

Treatment of Dysphagia in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.

The incidence of oropharyngeal dysphagia in Parkinson's disease (PD) is very high. It is necessary to search for effective therapies that could prevent pneumonia. Previous results should be interpreted cautiously as there is a lack of evidence to support the use of compensatory or rehabilitative approaches to dysphagia. We reviewed the scientific literature to describe the treatments of dysphagia in PD. A systematic review was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Elsevier, and Medline according to PRISMA standards in 2018. The articles that did not mention dysphagia secondary to PD or used surgical treatment were excluded. Eleven articles met the criteria with information from 402 patients. The review relates to different protocols, such as training in expiratory muscle strength, postural techniques, oral motor exercises, video-assisted swallowing therapy, surface electrical stimulation, thermal stimulation, touch, compensatory interventions, training regime for swallowing, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, Lee Silverman voice treatment, swallow maneuver, airway protection, and postural compensation maneuvers. This review identifies the rationing interventions in each trial, if they are efficient and equitable. Several rehabilitative therapies have been successful. An improvement was seen in the degenerative function (coordination, speed, and volume), quality of life, and social relationships of people with PD. Further investigations concerning the clinical applicability of these therapies based on well-designed randomized controlled studies are needed. Larger patient populations need to be recruited to evaluate the effectiveness, long-term effects, and new treatment techniques.

Migrant Caregivers of Older People in Spain: Qualitative Insights into Relatives' Experiences.

The traditional structure of families is undergoing profound changes, causing the so-called "crisis of family care." This study describes the experiences and emotions of the family member who hires migrant caregivers for the older people. This is a qualitative study using a phenomenological design with nine women participants between 53 and 72 years of age. The data collection was carried out through two in-depth interviews and a focus group. There were three major topics: (1) the women in this study recognized that they were not able to take care of the family member directly, due to their responsibilities as female workers and mothers. The fact that migrant caregivers were chosen was conjunctural, where economic reasons were more important. (2) The family members supported the caregivers by teaching them about care and also resolving conflicts produced by culture shock. (3) Trusting the caregiver was a gradual process; the family members felt a complex set of emotions (insecurity, gratitude for the help, moral obligation). In conclusion, they wanted a caregiver who would provide the elder dependent with the love and compassion that they, as daughters, would provide if they had time to do so. The family became the caregiver's managers and assumed the responsibility of training and helping them.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Nursing/Physiotherapy Program in Chronic Patients.

This study aimed to evaluate the functional impact of a shared intervention model by the mobile physiotherapy and rehabilitation team (MPRT) and primary care case management nurses (PCCMNs) on chronic patients. This was a prospective, observational study involving 1086 patients (mean age, 80 years; 63.7% females) in the province of Almeria, which was conducted between 2004 and 2018. Most of the registered diseases included cerebrovascular and neurological diseases (56.7%), osteoarticular diseases (45.3%), diabetes mellitus (25.7%), cardiovascular diseases (25.5%), and chronic respiratory diseases. The study included a home care intervention by the MPRT and PCCMNs and included the following main outcome measures: age, sex, main caregiver, disabling process (ICD-9), type and number of inclusion categories for chronic disease, initial and final Barthel index (BI), treatment or intervention on the patient (techniques), objectives, and number of sessions. The main techniques used were kinesiotherapy (44.6%) and caregiver training (23%), along with technical aid. An equation predicting the patients' final BI, according to the initial BI, was constructed using multiple linear regression modelling. A marked improvement in functional capacity was found after an average of 10 physiotherapy sessions. A lower patient age was correlated with a higher functional capacity, both initial and final BI, as well as a greater number of sessions.

Influencia del docente de Educación Física sobre la confianza, diversión, la motivación y la intención de ser físicamente activo en la adolescencia / Influence of Physical Education teacher on confidence, fun, motivation and intention to be physically active in adolescence / Influência do professor de Educação Física na confiança, diversão, motivação e intenção de ser fisicamente ativo na adolescencia

Según el informe de la OMS del 2018, más del 80% de los adolescentes no practican suficiente actividad física. Las clases de Educación Física deberían de ayudar a solventar este problema. Para ello, en este estudio, se pretende analizar la influencia del docente sobre la confianza, diversión, la motivación y la intención de ser físicamente activo en la adolescencia. En el presente estudio participaron 604 estudiantes entre los 13 y 19 años. Se realizaron análisis estadísticos descriptivos, un análisis de fiabilidad y un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales que explica las relaciones causales entre las variables. Los resultados muestran como el apoyo autonomía predice positivamente la confianza (ß = .56, p<.001), la diversión (ß = .29, p<.001) y la motivación (ß = .10, p<.05); mientras que el control psicológico predice negativamente la confianza (ß = -.17, p<.01), la diversión (ß = -.12, p<.001) y la motivación (ß = -.24, p<.001). La confianza predice positivamente la motivación (ß = .37, p<.01), de la misma manera, la diversión predice la motivación (ß = .74, p<.001), por último, la motivación predice de forma positiva la intención de ser físicamente activo (ß = .62, p<.001). En definitiva, el estudio muestra la influencia y la importancia del profesor de EF y de los procesos motivacionales y emocionales presentes en los adolescentes durante las clases de EF sobre la adopción de unos hábitos de vida activos

According to the WHO report of 2018, more than 80% of adolescents do not practice enough physical activity. Physical education classes should help solve this problem. For this, in this study, we intend to analyze the influence of the teacher on confidence, enjoyment, motivation and the intention of being physically active in adolescence. In the present study, 604 students between the ages of 13 and 19 participated. Descriptive statistical analyzes, a reliability analysis and a structural equation model that explains the causal relationships between the variables were performed. The results show how autonomy support positively predicts confidence (ß = .56, p <.001), enjoyment (ß = .29, p <.001) and motivation (ß = .10, p <.05) ; whereas psychological control predicts negatively confidence (ß = -.17, p <.01), enjoyment (ß = -.12, p <.001) and motivation (ß = -.24, p <.001 ). Confidence positively predicts motivation (ß = .37, p <.01), in the same way, enjoyment predicts motivation (ß = .74, p <.001), finally the motivation positively predicts the intention to be physically active (ß = .62, p <.001). In short, the study shows the influence and importance of the PE teacher and the motivational and emotional processes present in adolescents during PE classes on the adoption of active life habits

Segundo o relatório da OMS de 2018, mais de 80% dos adolescentes não praticam atividade física suficiente. Aulas de educação física devem ajudar a resolver este problema. Para isso, neste estudo, pretendemos analisar a influência do professor sobre a confiança, a diversão, a motivação e a intenção de ser fisicamente ativo na adolescência. No presente estudo, participaram 602 estudantes com idades entre 13 e 19 anos. Análises estatísticas descritivas, uma análise de confiabilidade e um modelo de equações estruturais que explica as relações causais entre as variáveis foram realizadas. Os resultados mostram como o apoio à autonomia prediz positivamente confiança (ß = .56, p <.001), diversão (ß = .29, p <.001) e motivação (ß = .10, p <.05) ; enquanto o controle psicológico prediz confiança negativa (ß = -.17, p <.01), diversão (ß = -.12, p <.001) e motivação (ß = -.24, p <.001 ). A confiança prediz positivamente a motivação (ß = 0,37, p <0,01), da mesma forma, a diversão prediz a motivação (ß = 0,74, p <0,001), enfim, a motivação prediz positivamente a intenção de ser fisicamente ativo (ß = 0,62, p <0,001). Em suma, o estudo mostra a influência e importância do professor de EF e dos processos motivacionais e emocionais presentes nos adolescentes durante as aulas de EF sobre a adoção de hábitos de vida ativos

Influencia de programas de actividad física en la calidad del sueño de personas mayores de 55 años / Influencia de programas de actividade física na qualidade do sono de pessoas maiores de 55 anos / Influence of physical fitness programas on quality of sleep among people over 55 year of age

Los trastornos del sueño suponen una importante patología clínica, por lo que adoptar hábitos saludables al dormir resulta clave para la calidad del sueño y de la vida. Por ello existe gran interés por adoptar medidas que prevengan sus efectos adversos, especialmente durante la vejez, destacando principalmente los programas de actividad física porque facilitan la activación de las estructuras cognoscitivas de los sujetos, aumentando su nivel de actividad, calidad de vida e higiene del sueño. Partiendo de dichas argumentaciones, se pretende comprobar, mediante un estudio cuasiexperimental, si una intervención con diferentes programas de actividad física puede producir cambios significativos en diversas variables relacionadas con la calidad del sueño en sujetos mayores de 55 años. Los resultados resaltan la utilidad de los programas de actividad física para mejorar su calidad del sueño. Se hace necesario investigar si invertir en este tipo de programas que favorecen la prevención y el mantenimiento de la salud y la calidad de vida de la persona, es más rentable que invertir en servicios sanitarios

Sleeping disorders are an important clinical pathology, but adopting healthy habits proves to be beneficial towards improving both quality of sleep and life. Consequently, there exists a great deal of interest in implementing measures that prevent the adverse effects of such disorders, particularly those that appear with old age. Most notable among these measures are physical fitness programs, as they facilitate the activation of cognitive structures among participants, increasing their level of activity, quality of life, and sleep hygiene. Taking these ideas as a starting point, it was the intention of the authors to verify, by means of a quasi-experimental study, whether the application of different physical fitness programs is able to produce significant changes in the different variables related to the quality of sleep among subjects over 55 years of age. The results highlight the usefulness of physical fitness programs for improving quality of sleep hygiene. As a result, this makes it necessary to evaluate whether investing in these types of programs, which favor the prevention of health problems and maintain overall health and quality of life among people, are more profitable than investing in healthcare services

Os transtornos do sono supõem uma importante patologia clínica, pelo que adoptar hábitos saudáveis ao dormir é de vital importância paraa qualidade do sono e da vida. Como tal, existe um grande interesse na adopção de medidas que previnam os seus efeitos adversos, especialmente durantea velhice, com principal destaque para os programas de actividade física uma vez que facilitam a activação das estruturas cognitivas dos sujeitos,aumentando o seu nível de actividade, qualidade de vida e higiene do sono. Partindo destes argumentos, pretende-se comprovar, mediante um estudoquase-experimental, se uma intervenção com diferentes programas de actividade física pode produzir mudanças significativas em diversas variáveisrelacionadas com a qualidade do sono em sujeitos maiores de 55 anos. Os resultados enfatizam a utilidade dos programas de actividade física paramelhorar a qualidade de sono. É igualmente necessário investigar se investir neste tipo de programas favorece a prevenção e manutenção da saúde e daqualidade de vida da pessoa, e se é mais rentável que investir em serviços de saúde