Term of Award

Spring 2004

Degree Name

Master of Science in Kinesiology with an Emphasis in Sport Psychology

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Committee Chair

A. Barry Joyner

Committee Member 1

Kevin L. Burke

Committee Member 2

Bryan Riemann

Abstract

Injury occurs in a variety of different sports and affects athletes in a number of different ways. Following injury, athletic identity is often lost, bringing upon feelings of anger and depression (Brewer, 1993; Fortunato & Marchant, 1999). As athletes begin to re-enter sports, lower levels of sport-confidence are exhibited (Johnston & Carroll, 1998). Social support has been shown to motivate individuals as well as aid in the overall progress of rehabilitation (Ford & Gordon, 1999; Magyar & Duda, 2000). The purpose of the current study was to determine psychological factors that may influence returning to a sport in which injury had occurred. A deliberate sample of northeastern and southeastern NCAA Division I, II, and III student-athletes were examined. The criterion for inclusion was that each participant must have sustained an acute musculoskeletal injury due to participation in a sport, and miss at least one week of competition and/or practice, or participate in modified activity at the certified athletic trainer's (ATC) discretion (Granito, 2002; Johnston & Carroll, 2000). As an injured athlete became ready to return to play and met the criteria for inclusion in this study, an ATC contacted the researcher within one week prior to the return to play. Prior to a rehabilitation session with the certified ATC, athletes were asked to complete a questionnaire packet containing the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS; Brewer & Cornelius, 2001), Trait Sport-Confidence Inventory (Vealey, 1986), Modified-Social Support Survey (Barefield & McCallister, 1997), Modified-Outcomes Measure Scale (Albohm & Wilkerson, 1999), and a demographic questionnaire. The ATC was asked to complete the Sport Injury Rehabilitation Adherence Scale (Brewer, et al., 2002) to rate participant adherence. Results indicated that satisfaction with one type of support was related to satisfaction with any other type of support. The AIMS was found to have a positive correlation with satisfaction with the ATC at medical release. Listening support was related to psychosocial status at medical release, as well as with ATC satisfaction at medical release. Psychosocial status had a positive relationship with satisfaction with task appreciation and satisfaction with personal assistance. Positive relationships were found among several dysfunctional subscales. Expectations of support were found to be much lower than the support received and the satisfaction with the support received. Improvement was noted for most dysfunctional subscales during rehabilitation. No differences existed for Division level or injury type.

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