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Long-term Psychological Symptoms after Concussion in Adolescent Ice Hockey Players

  • Author / Creator
    David, Claire V.
  • Individuals who have sustained a sports-related concussion can experience psychological and emotional distress that impacts their quality of life. Although concussion symptoms typically resolve within 30 days from injury, some individuals experience persisting symptoms that continue for months, or even years, after returning to normal activities. Published research indicates that the severity, presentation, and duration of long-term psychological difficulties remain variable, particularly within the pediatric population. This study primarily aimed to assess long-term psychological and emotional symptoms in adolescent ice hockey players after they have sustained a concussion and have been cleared to play and return to normal activities. A secondary objective was to assess differences in psychological and emotional symptoms across injury types. This study used data that was originally collected prospectively as part of a larger cohort longitudinal study on injury surveillance in young hockey players, that ran for a total of five seasons from 2013 through 2018. Baseline testing measures of psychological and emotional functioning including the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Behaviour Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2), and the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool – Third Edition (SCAT-3) symptom checklist were compared across two consecutive time points. Random intercept models with players nested by team and individuals, captured the effects of players contributing to the analysis multiple times. Covariates of age, sex and body checking policy were included. Results were analyzed across injury types; concussion, musculoskeletal injury, both a concussion and a musculoskeletal injury and compared to individuals with no injury. Adolescent ice hockey players who sustained a concussion were found to have no evidence of worsening self-reported psychological and emotional symptoms after their injury, compared to their functioning pre-injury. Compared to athletes with no injury,
    athletes who sustained a concussion and athletes who sustained a musculoskeletal injury showed no worsening symptoms at a secondary baseline among parent ratings as well. The present study found limited evidence of long-term psychological and emotional symptoms among adolescent ice hockey players up to one-year post-injury after a concussion. However, psychological symptoms were more prevalent in older adolescents, and female players were more likely to endorse emotional symptoms. Players who sustained a concussion showed no negative psychological differences compared to those with a musculoskeletal injury, and those with no injury.

  • Subjects / Keywords
  • Graduation date
    Fall 2023
  • Type of Item
    Thesis
  • Degree
    Master of Education
  • DOI
    https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-wkxt-z219
  • License
    This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.