Psychosocial factors in sports injury rehabilitation and return to play

This article discusses the principles and practices that guide psychological intervention with injury, and encourages a psychological approach to injury for clinicians. Part 1 reviews the research literature, and serves as a foundation for the review of clinical practices in part 2. Examination of the research literature highlights 4 areas: (1) psychological factors influencing rehabilitation, (2) social factors affecting rehabilitation, (3) performance concerns among returning athletes, and (4) tools/inventories for assessing psychological readiness to return. A synopsis of an injury intervention plan is provided, and the influence of pain and fear in the rehabilitation process is described

A review of return to sport concerns following injury rehabilitation: practitioner strategies for enhancing recovery outcomes

ManuscriptObjectives: Evidence suggests that competitive athletes returning to sport following injury rehabilitation may experience a range of psychosocial concerns. The purpose of this paper is to review some of the psychosocial stresses common among returning athletes and to provide practitioner strategies for enhancing recovery outcomes. Evidence Acquisition: Findings are based on a database search of Sport Discus, Psychinfo, and Medline using sport injury, fear of re-injury, return to full activity. Results: Salient apprehensions among athletes' returning to sport following injury were found to include: anxieties associated with re-injury; concerns about an inability to perform to pre-injury standards; feelings of isolation, a lack of athletic identity and insufficient social support; pressures to return to sport; and finally, self-presentational concerns about the prospect of appearing unfit, or lacking in skill in relation to competitors. Conclusions: The results suggest that athletes returning to sport from injury may experience concerns related to their sense of competence, autonomy and relatedness. Given its focus on competence, autonomy and relatedness issues, self-determination theory (SDT) is offered as a framework for understanding athlete concerns in the return to sport from injury. Practical suggestions for sport medicine practitioners, researchers and applied sport psychology specialists seeking to address athlete issues are provided using an SDT perspective

The effect of variety expectations on interest, enjoyment, and locus of causality in exercise

ManuscriptMost attempts to influence intrinsic motivation have focused on contextual support for basic need satisfaction, including the provision of autonomy support, structure, and interpersonal involvement (e.g., Edmunds et al. in Eur J Soc Psychol 38:375-388, 2008). This study explored the extent to which another factor, expectations for task variety, influenced interest, enjoyment, and locus of causality in a novel exercise setting. Results showed that participants exposed to messages about variety in an exercise class enjoyed the class more, found it more interesting, and perceived greater internal causality than those who received messages about similarity in the class. Moderator analyses indicated that expectations of task variety were particularly conducive for task interest among participants who usually demonstrated lower intrinsic motivation for exercise. Discussion focuses on the relevance of these findings to self-determination theory and on opportunities for future research

Psychosocial factors in sports injury rehabilitation and return to play

pre-printThe goal of this review is to provide insight into the principles and practices that guide psychological intervention with injury and in so doing cultivate a psychologically minded approach to injury for the medical provider. The chapter is divided into two parts. Part 1 provides an overview of the research literature, which serves as a foundation for the brief review of clinical practices that follow in Part 2. Examination of the research literature will highlight four areas including: (1) psychological factors influencing rehabilitation, (2) social factors impacting rehabilitation (3) performance concerns among returning athletes, and (4) tools/inventories for assessing psychological readiness to return. The section on clinical practices highlights the Affective Cycle of Injury as a model for clinical intervention and the Sports Medicine Injury Checklist as a practical guide for assessment and triage. Finally, a brief synopsis of an injury intervention plan is provided, and the influence of pain and fear in the rehabilitation process is described

Management and Rehabilitation Strategies Following IED Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Civilian Settings - What to Expect and How to Optimize Recovery From mTBI

The wide array of psychological and physical responses following an IED bombing may reduce the likelihood that appropriate assessment and recovery from mTBI occur. Such a situation is problematic as mTBI itself may negatively influence the recovery from the traumatic event or associated injuries if not diagnosed and managed properly. Consequently, the overall aim of this article is to better inform healthcare practitioners, patients, and patients’ social support networkabout the nature of IED-related mild traumatic brain injuries. In so doing, we hope to facilitate enhanced assessment, management, and rehabilitation of this injury. In particular, the specific goals of the review include: (i) a description of the nature of an IED-related mTBI in a civilian setting (section 2 to 2.3); (ii) a description of the unique circumstances for mTBI survivors in regards to the signs and symptoms that may be anticipated (section 2.4); (iii) what key stakeholders including: the rehabilitant, the managing health care team, and social support providers (e.g., family members) can expect in terms of the physical and emotional recovery process (sections 3 to 4.4.) Finally, general and specific lifestyle modifications to improve survivors’ health are described in order to lay a clear foundation for patients’ recovery from an IED-related mTBI

College students goal orientations, situational motivation and effort/persistence in physical activity classes

pre-printThe purpose of this study was to examine relationships among college students' 2 × 2 goal orientations (mastery-approach [MAp], mastery-avoidance [MAv], performance-approach [PAp], performance-avoidance [PAv]), situational motivation (intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, external regulation and amotivation) and effort/persistence in physical activity classes. Participants (140 female, 109 male) completed a battery of questionnaires assessing the outcome variables at the last week of instruction. Regression analyses revealed that MAp and PAp emerged as positive predictors for intrinsic motivation whereas MAp was the only positive predictor for identified regulation. MAp was negatively related to amotivation (AM), while PAp and PAv were positively related to AM. In addition, MAp, PAp, intrinsic motivation, and identified regulation were significant positive predictors of effort/persistence

The Relationship Between Self-Presentation Concerns and Pre-Game Affect among Adolescent Football Players

Background: The influence of self-presentation concerns on the adolescent sport experience has received scant empirical attention. The purpose of this investigation was to prospectively examine the relationship among self-presentational concerns and pre-game affective states among middle and high school aged football players. Methods: American football players (n = 112; mean age = 15.57 years) completed a measure of self-presentational concerns (SPSQ, McGowan, et al., 2008) a week prior to the measurement of selected pre-game affective states (i.e., attentiveness, self-assurance, serenity, and fear). Results: Regression analyses revealed that concerns about appearing athletically untalented negatively contributed to the significant prediction ( p \u3c 0.001) of pre-game attentiveness, b = 0.43, R2 adj = 19.5% ( p \u3c 0.001), and self-assurance, b = 0.38, R2 adj = 11.9% ( p \u3c 0.01). Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of reducing self-presentational concerns in promoting positive pre-game mental states that likely impact the quality of athletes’ competitive play and experience

Faculty Perceptions of Readiness to Implement Interprofessional Education in Athletic Training

PURPOSE As the athletic training profession advances, master’s degree accreditation standards aim to position athletic trainers as key players on interprofessional healthcare teams. Interprofessional education standards were recently introduced to academic leaders as key elements in the professional healthcare education of athletic trainers. While the current standards reflect essential skills for entry-level clinicians, faculty instructing these elements may require additional development. METHODS The objective of this study was to explore athletic training educators’ perceptions of interprofessional education and to examine perceived barriers related to the implementation of IPE in athletic training curricula. An electronic survey was administered to a stratified, random sample of 1000 athletic training education program faculty from the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA) member database. Participating faculty completed the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) and a set of additional Likert-scale questions regarding barriers to implementation of IPE in athletic training education. RESULTS The results indicated that differences exist in faculty readiness to implement IPE based on faculty rank or role, years of teaching experience, prior experience and skill level using IPE, and geographical location of the athletic training program within the institution. CONCLUSION The results indicated that differences exist in faculty readiness to implement IPE based on faculty rank or role, years of teaching experience, prior experience and skill level using IPE, and geographical location of the athletic training program within the institution. Together, the findings suggest that IPE integration should include initiatives that provide administrative support, delineate leadership roles, offer formal IP development, and aim to create closer physical proximity among healthcare disciplines on campuses

Understanding the dimensions of sport-injury related growth: A DELPHI method approach

Despite the multitude of adverse physical and psychosocial consequences of sports injury, evidence also highlights the potential for positive benefits in the injury aftermath. The purpose of this study is to address this gap by exploring the dimensions of personal growth following a severe sports injury. A 3-rounds e-Delphi method was utilized to develop a consensual understanding of the dimensions of sport-injury related growth. A panel of 24 psychology of sport injury experts participated in the process. The final list of items obtained was subjected to conventional content analysis to identify general themes. The process led to the development of a 5-dimension model capable of describing athletes' experiences of personal growth following a severe sports-related injury: personal strength, improved social life, health benefits, sport benefits, and social support and recognition. The domains of sport-injury related growth identified here are consistent with growth-domains identified in previous personal growth literature. However, they also highlight the importance of contextualizing the experience of growth. We have captured key elements of sport-injury related growth, domains that can be used as the basis for further psychometric testing and for further interventions to increase adjustment and well-being during the rehabilitation process. Copyright

The relationship between self-presentation concerns and pre-game affect among adolescent American football players

AbstractBackgroundThe influence of self-presentation concerns on the adolescent sport experience has received scant empirical attention. The purpose of this investigation was to prospectively examine the relationship among self-presentational concerns and pre-game affective states among middle and high school aged football players.MethodsAmerican football players (n = 112; mean age = 15.57 years) completed a measure of self-presentational concerns (SPSQ, McGowan, et al., 2008) a week prior to the measurement of selected pre-game affective states (i.e., attentiveness, self-assurance, serenity, and fear).ResultsRegression analyses revealed that concerns about appearing athletically untalented negatively contributed to the significant prediction (p < 0.001) of pre-game attentiveness, β = −0.43, R2adj = 19.5% (p < 0.001), and self-assurance, β = −0.38, R2adj = 11.9% (p < 0.01).ConclusionThese findings highlight the importance of reducing self-presentational concerns in promoting positive pre-game mental states that likely impact the quality of athletes' competitive play and experience