Dual career athletes and psycho-physiological stress

  1. Francesca Latino 1
  2. Pierpaolo Limone 2
  3. Francesco Peluso Cassese 2
  4. Rosabel Martinez-Roig 3
  5. Giulia Amato 4
  6. Francesco Tafuri 5
  1. 1 Università Telematica Pegaso
  2. 2 Pegaso University
    info

    Pegaso University

    Nápoles, Italia

    ROR https://ror.org/03cxwg632

  3. 3 Universitat d'Alacant
    info

    Universitat d'Alacant

    Alicante, España

    ROR https://ror.org/05t8bcz72

  4. 4 Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope
    info

    Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope

    Nápoles, Italia

    ROR https://ror.org/05pcv4v03

  5. 5 University Niccolò Cusano
    info

    University Niccolò Cusano

    Roma, Italia

    ROR https://ror.org/032c3ae16

Show affiliations +
Journal:
Retos: nuevas tendencias en educación física, deporte y recreación

ISSN: 1579-1726,  1988-2041

Year of publication: 2025

Issue: 63

Pages: 693-704

Type: Article

DOI: 10.47197/RETOS.V63.111368 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openDialnet editor

More publications in: Retos: nuevas tendencias en educación física, deporte y recreación

Abstract

Introduction: The high-level athletic careers frequently conclude significantly earlier than those in other fields, and at times, despite the considerable efforts exerted, they do not consistently flourish as anticipated. Consequently, numerous athletes concurrently pursue academic pathways to adequately prepare for alternative professional opportunities beyond the realm of sports. Objective: Accordingly, the objective of the current investigation was to examine the efficacy of Yoga in ameliorating the stress levels experienced by student-athletes. Methodology: A cohort of 50 dual-career athletes with ages ranging from 18 to 25 years, was selected from five universities. The participants in the experimental group participated in a Yoga regimen in addition to their standard training protocol. In contrast, the participants within the control group continued to engage in conventional sport-specific training. Preceding and after the Yoga intervention, the students underwent psycho-physiological assessments, including the State Mindfulness Scale (SMS) and vagus-mediated heart rate variability (HRV). Results: The results indicated a significant Time x Group interaction effect for both the SMS and HRV, suggesting a substantial enhancement in the treatment groups.Discussion: This study confirmed that meditative practice through Yoga can be a source of improvement of psycho-physiological parameters in the context of interventions aimed at improving the well-being of dual career studentsConclusions: In conclusion, there is a need to support and increase research in this area to have new and adequate information about thereality of the Dual Career and to be able to help student-athletes to reconcile school and sports paths.

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