Professional identity measures for student health professionals - a systematic review of psychometric properties.

BACKGROUND: Professional identity is critical to the safe and effective clinical practice of all health professions. University programs play an important role in the formation of professional identity of students, and so it essential to understand professional identity at this stage of students' development. However, the majority of research into professional identity has been conducted using the qualitative paradigm so further quantitative analysis through the use of psychometrically-sound professional identity measures is required. This study aimed to identify professional identity measures used with university students enrolled in health programs and synthesise the evidence of their psychometric properties. METHODS: The systematic review was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 involved searching five online databases for studies that used professional identity measures with student health professionals. These studies were assessed against a priori criteria for inclusion and a list of measures was identified. Phase 2 involved searching the same databases for psychometric evidence of the measures identified in Phase 1. The psychometric properties of each measure were compared against the Consensus-based standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist. Data were narratively synthesised, and comparisons were made between measures. RESULTS: Phase 1 identified eight professional identity measures. Phase 2 identified a total of 15 studies that evaluated the psychometric properties of at least one of the professional identity measures. There was a paucity of psychometric evidence for the measures. The revised Nurses' Professional Values Scale and Macleod Clark Professional Identity Scale had the greatest volume of psychometric evidence. None of the measures fulfilled all criteria in the COSMIN checklist. CONCLUSION: There is a paucity of evidence underpinning the psychometric of professional identity measures. Evidence which uses these measures should be interpreted with caution. Further research is warranted to ensure that the results of quantitative professional identity studies are valid and reliable.

Countermovement Jump and Isometric Strength Test-Retest Reliability in English Premier League Academy Football Players.

PURPOSE: To examine the test-retest reliability of countermovement jump (CMJ) and isometric strength testing measures in elite-level under-18 and under-23 academy football players. METHODS: A total of 36 players performed 3 maximal CMJs and isometric abductor (IABS), adductor (IADS), and posterior chain (IPCS) strength tests on 2 separate test days using dual force plates (CMJ and IPCS) and a portable strength testing device (IABS and IADS). Relative (intraclass correlation coefficient) and absolute (coefficient of variation, standard error of the measurement, and minimal detectable change [MDC%]) reliabilities for 34 CMJ, 10 IABS, 10 IADS, and 11 IPCS measures were analyzed using between-sessions best, mean, and within-session methods. RESULTS: For all methods, relative reliability was good to excellent for all CMJ and all IADS measures and poor to good for all IABS and IPCS measures. Absolute reliability was good (ie, coefficient of variation < 10%) for 27 (best) and 28 (mean) CMJ variables and for 6 (IABS and IADS) and 2 (IPCS) isometric measures. Commonly used CMJ measures (jump height, eccentric duration, and flight-time:contraction-time ratio) had good to excellent relative reliability and an MDC% range of 14.6% to 23.7%. Likewise, commonly used isometric peak force measures for IABS, IADS, and IPCS had good to excellent relative reliability and an MDC% range of 22.2% to 26.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Commonly used CMJ and isometric strength measures had good test-retest reliability but might be limited by their MDC%. Rate-of-force-development measures (for all isometric tests) and impulse measures (IPCS) are limited by poor relative and absolute reliability and high MDC%. MDC% statistics should be considered in the context of typical responsiveness.

Acute neuromuscular and perceptual responses to U-18 English Premier League academy football match play.

We examined the sensitivity and time-course of recovery of neuromuscular and perceptual player monitoring measures to U-18 English Premier League academy football match play. Eighteen players performed maximal posterior chain, hip adductor and abductor isometric strength tests, countermovement jumps (CMJ) and provided self-report wellbeing scores around eight competitive league home games: 1 day before (MD-1), pre-match (MD-PRE), post-match (MD-POST) and two (MD+2) and three (MD+3) days post-match. A permutational multivariate analysis of variance and post hoc univariate analyses of variance were used to examine match-induced responses to monitoring variables. Between MD-1 and MD-POST, we observed small to moderate reductions to the adductor and abductor peak force and maximal impulse and IPCS peak force; small reductions to CMJ jump height (JH) (flight time), eccentric peak force and eccentric deceleration rate of force development and moderate to large reductions to perceived fatigue, muscle soreness and mood. No match-induced changes were observed for CMJ flight time: contraction time or eccentric duration. Posterior chain, abductor, CMJ and self-report measures normalised by MD+3 but adductor peak force remained compromised at MD+3 (ES = small). Posterior chain, adductor and abductor peak isometric force and maximal impulse; CMJ JH, eccentric peak force and eccentric deceleration rate of force development and perceived fatigue, muscle soreness and mood are sensitive to match-induced fatigue. Since adductor peak force remained compromised at MD+3, it is apparent that players might not achieve complete neuromuscular recovery within 3 days of match play, and that the adductor muscle group might be particularly vulnerable to match-induced fatigue.