A project on women's career development and mental health in sports led by Marta Borrueco receives UAB funding

The award of this pre-competitive project will provide deeper insights into work-life balance, motherhood, and mental health among women holding responsible positions across sport.

The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has awarded funding to the project Factors that condition the professional development and mental health of women in sports: an analysis of the careers of athletes, coaches, referees, and managers, led by researcher Marta Borrueco as principal investigator. The grant is part of the UAB Pre-Competitive Projects Call (PPC 2026) under the emerging leadership track, aimed at consolidating new research leadership and facilitating access to competitive resources that will serve as a basis to apply for a future national Generación de Conocimiento R&D call.

Promoted by the Sport Psychology Research Group (GEPE-UAB), the work aims to create synergies to examine the career trajectories of women in sport, considering both active athletes and those who, after retirement, continue their careers as coaches, referees, or executives. The study will address retirement transitions toward alternative professional areas within sports, decision-making surrounding motherhood, and the resources or barriers conditioning work-life balance in leadership positions, combining qualitative interviews with an expert panel.

The research team features IRE-UAB and GEPE-UAB researchers Yago Ramis, Miquel Torregrossa, and Anna Jordana, alongside an international network comprising Dr. Francesca Vitali (Università di Verona), Dr. Koen de Brandt (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), and Dr. Irene Checa (Universitat de València). In addition to scientific publications and conference presentations, the work plan includes an open workshop for sports institutions to transfer findings into practice and maximize the project's social impact.