Mental Health Outcomes of Collegiate Athletes Following Sport Related Concussion

• Author / Creator

  Kobitowich, Tara

• The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sport related concussion (SRC) on quality of life and psychological distress ratings in collegiate athletes. Participants included 230 male and female athletes participating in hockey, football, rugby, soccer, volleyball, and basketball, attending full time studies at the University of Alberta. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 25 years old and were split into groups based on their reported concussion history; history of no concussion (n = 110), history of one or more concussions (n = 120). To assess quality of life and psychological distress outcomes, athletes completed the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). The first analysis indicated that athlete PROMIS scores did not vary by previous concussion history, F(7, 222) = 1.69, p = .112; V = .05. However, while investigating the interaction between concussion history and biological sex, results suggested that the effect of concussion history may not the same for males and females on PROMIS scores, F(7, 222) = 2.59, p = .014; V = .08, partial 2 = .08. The second analysis indicated that athlete BSI-18 GSI scores did not vary by previous concussion history, F(1, 228) = 0.31, p = .577. The effect of concussion history was not statistically significant for males and females on BSI-18 GSI ratings, F(1, 226) = 0.99, p = .320. These results suggest that SRC may not be a risk factor for poorer quality of life or psychological distress ratings in collegiate athletes.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Psychological Distress
  • Collegiate Athletes
  • Mental Health
  • Quality of Life
  • Sport Related Concussion

• Graduation date

  Fall 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-r0de-2036

• License

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