Citation

Kneavel M, Ernst W, Brandsma L. J. Am. Coll. Health 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2019.1679816

PMID

31662115

Abstract

Objective: The current study was designed to understand the culture of concussion among college student-athletes. Participants: Eight men's lacrosse and seven women's soccer players. Methods: A focus group was conducted to understand thoughts, barriers, team culture, and what was needed to feel safe reporting symptoms. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes. Results: Themes included concerns about being taken out, pushing through, wanting to play, severity influencing reporting, changes about concussion reporting, uncertainty about symptoms, concussion have changed the game, reporting a teammate, wanting someone else to make the call, desire to raise awareness, deception, wanting professors to have more understanding, circumstances influencing reporting, helmets specific for concussion, malingering, and the return to play protocol being too long. Conclusion: Factors ranging from intrinsic to more distal cultural and environmental factors appear to influence reporting concussions. Student-athletes identified factors unique to the college athlete environment.

Language: en

Keywords

Mild traumatic brain injury; barriers to reporting; concussion; focus group; return to play; student-athletes