Concussion Recovery Experiences of Female Collegiate Athletes in the Division II Setting

Concussions are complex injuries with a variety of heterogeneous symptoms and neurocognitive effects spanning physical, cognitive, social, and emotional realms, with distinct differences person to person in symptom severity and presentation. Current literature suggests a disparity between male and female athletes in their concussion recovery outcomes, in addition to limited research on the lived experience of concussion recovery. The purpose of this study is to document the lived experience of concussion recovery in female, Division II, collegiate athletes. This study was completed in two phases. The first phase collected survey data about concussion-related health history, knowledge and attitudes, baseline concussion symptoms and mood state. The second phase was a case study of a female basketball player who sustained a concussion during the fall semester. Phase 1 survey data indicated that 31% of those surveyed had a history of concussion. Additionally, survey participants showed deficits in overall concussion knowledge, but were supportive of reporting concussions at the individual and institutional level. There were also notable differences between individuals with and without concussion history, with those with concussion history having more risk factors and higher incidence of depression compared to those with no concussion history. Three findings were identified from the case study. First, there was a strong link between psychological or emotional stress and the return of concussion symptoms. Second, social support was beneficial to the concussion recovery process and third, the athletic training staff was a notable stressor during the recovery process. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]