Depression, anxiety and stress among female student-athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify, quantify and analyse determinants of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among female student-athletes. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Five online databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, SportDiscus and Web of Science) searched from inception through 14 September 2023. Hand-searches and contacting authors for eligible studies. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Articles were included if they were published in English, included female student-athletes competing at National Collegiate Athletic Association institutions, and measured symptom-level depression, anxiety and/or stress. RESULTS AND SUMMARY: We screened 2415 articles; 52 studies (N=13 849) were included in the systematic review with 13 studies qualifying for meta-analysis. Seventeen determinants were identified including injury (eg, concussions), health (eg, sleep hygiene) and social factors (eg, social support). As data specific to female student-athletes was delineated from studies that included other populations, we observed 16 studies (30.7%) reported that identifying as female was a meaningful determinant of depression, anxiety and stress in athletes. Results of the meta-analysis (k=13, N=5004) suggested a small but significant association (r=0.15, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.24, p=0.004) between other determinants and depression, anxiety, and stress among female student-athletes. CONCLUSION: Coaches, trainers and clinicians are key contributors in supporting female student-athlete mental health, with responsibilities for integrating mental skill training, sleep hygiene education and regular assessments. Comprehensive mental health and tailored education programmes considering determinants such as injury, health and social factors specific to female student-athletes are needed to enhance mental health equity in sport. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022362163.

Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of an Online Meditation Intervention in Young Adults With Concussion History.

CONTEXT: Mindfulness interventions (yoga, meditation) in traumatic brain injury populations show promising improvements in injury outcomes. However, most studies include all injury severities and use in-person, general programming lacking accessibility and specificity to the nuance of concussion. Therefore, this study investigated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an online, concussion-focused meditation intervention among young adults with a concussion history. DESIGN: Unblinded, single-arm, pilot intervention. METHODS: Fifteen young adults aged 18 to 30 with a concussion history within the past 5 years completed 10 to 20 minutes per day of online, guided meditations for 6 weeks. Feasibility was assessed using the Feasibility of Intervention Measure. Concussion symptoms were measured using the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire, perceived stress the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and mindfulness the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics described the study sample and determined intervention adherence and feasibility. Paired sample t tests were used to examine preintervention/postintervention changes in concussion symptoms, perceived stress, and mindfulness, with descriptive statistics further detailing significant t tests. RESULTS: Fifteen participants were enrolled, and 12 completed the intervention. The majority completed 5+ days per week of the meditations, and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (17.4 [1.8]) scores indicated high feasibility. Concussion symptom severity significantly decreased after completing the meditation intervention (11.3 [10.3]) compared with before the intervention (24.5 [17.2]; t[11] = 3.0, P = .01). The number of concussion symptoms reported as worse than before their concussion significantly decreased after completing the meditation intervention (2.7 [3.9]) compared with before the intervention (8.0 [5.7]; t[11] = 3.7, P = .004). Postintervention, 83.33% (n = 10) reported lower concussion symptom severity, and 75.00% (n = 9) reported less concussion symptoms as a mild, moderate, or severe problem (ie, worse than before injury). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest positive adherence and feasibility of the meditation intervention, with the majority reporting concussion symptom improvement postintervention. Future research is necessary to expand these pilot findings into a large trial investigating concussion-specific meditation programming.

A dominance analysis of subjective cognitive complaint comorbidities in former professional football players with and without mild cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVES: Subjective cognitive difficulties (SCDs) are associated with factors commonly reported in older adults and former contact sport athletes, regardless of objective cognitive decline. We investigated the relative contribution of these factors to SCD in former National Football League (NFL)-players with and without a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: Former NFL players (n = 907) aged ≥ 50 years (mean = 64.7 ± 8.9), with (n = 165) and without (n = 742) a diagnosis of MCI completed health questionnaires. Multivariable regression and dominance analyses determined the relative importance of SCD factors on SCD: 1) depression, 2) anxiety, 3) sleep disturbance, 4) pain interference, 5) ability to participate in social roles and activities, 6) stress-related events, 7) fatigue, 8) concussion history, and 9) education. SCD outcomes included Neuro-QoL Emotional-Behavioral Dyscontrol and the PROMIS Cognitive Function. Fisher's z-transformation compared comorbid contributing factors to SCD across MCI and non-MCI groups. RESULTS: Complete dominance of anxiety was established over most comorbid factors across the MCI and non-MCI groups. Fatigue also exhibited complete dominance over most comorbid factors, though its influence in the MCI group was less robust (general dominance). Average contributions to variance accounted for by comorbid factors to ratings of SCD across MCI and non-MCI groups did not statistically differ (Z-statistics <1.96, ps>.05). CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety and fatigue are the most robust factors associated with SCD in former professional football players across various combinations of clinical presentations (different combinations of comorbid factors), regardless of documented cognitive impairment. Self-reported deficits may be less reliable in detecting objective impairment in the presence of these factors, with multidimensional assessment being ideal.

Incorporation of concussion history as part of the LIfestyle for BRAin Health (LIBRA) modifiable factors risk score and associations with cognition in older former National Football League players.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate associations between the LIfestyle for BRAin Health (LIBRA) risk score with odds of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis and cognitive function, incorporating concussion history. METHODS: Former National Football League (NFL) players (N = 1050; mean age = 64.8 ± 9.0-years) completed initial testing for integration of concussion history into LIBRA scores (i.e., modified-LIBRA) and completed the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT). Modified-LIBRA score (including concussion history) associations with odds of MCI and cognitive dysfunction were assessed via logistic and linear regression. RESULTS: The highest quartile LIBRA scores were six times more likely to have a diagnosis of MCI compared to the lowest quartile (OR = 6.27[3.61, 10.91], p < 0.001). Modified-LIBRA scores significantly improved model fit for odds of MCI above original LIBRA scores (χ2 (1) = 7.76, p = 0.005) and accounted for a greater fraction of variance in executive function (ΔR2  = 0.02, p = 0.003) and episodic memory (ΔR2  = 0.02, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Modified-LIBRA score, incorporating concussion history, may help monitoring risk status in former contact sport athletes, by targeting modifiable, lifestyle-related risk factors.

Cumulative Concussion and Odds of Stroke in Former National Football League Players.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Postmortem and experimental studies indicate a potential association between repeated concussions and stroke risk in older contact sport athletes. We examined the relationship between concussion and stroke history in former National Football League players aged ≥50 years. METHODS: Former professional football players aged ≥50 years who played ≥1 year in the National Football League were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. Indirect standardization was used to calculate overall and decade-specific standardized prevalence ratios. Logistic regression using Firth's bias reduction method examined the association between lifetime concussion history 0 (n=119; 12.2%), 1 to 2 (n=152; 15.5%), 3 to 5 (n=242; 24.7%), 6 to 9 (201; 20.5%), and 10+(n=265; 27.1%) and stroke. Adjusted odds ratios for stroke were calculated for concussion history groups, age, and coronary artery disease and/or myocardial infarction. RESULTS: The 979 participants who met inclusion criteria had a mean age of 65.0±9.0 years (range, 50-99). The prevalence of stroke was 3.4% (n=33), significantly lower than expected based on rates of stroke in US men aged 50 and over (standardized prevalence ratio=0.56, Z= -4.56, P<0.001). Greater odds of stroke history were associated with concussion history (10+ versus 0, adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]=5.51 [1.61-28.95]), cardiovascular disease (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]=2.24 [1.01-4.77]), and age (1-year-increase adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]=1.07 [1.02-1.11]). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of stroke among former National Football League players aged ≥50 years was lower than the general population, with significantly increased risk among those with 10 or more prior concussions. Findings add to the evidence suggesting that traumatic brain injuries are associated with increased risk of stroke. Clinically, management of cardio- and cerebrovascular health may be pertinent to those with a history of multiple prior concussions.

Longitudinal trajectory of depression symptom severity and the influence of concussion history and physical function over a 19-year period among former National Football League (NFL) players: an NFL-LONG Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the longitudinal course of depressive symptom severity over 19 years in former American football players and the influence of concussion history, contact sport participation and physical function on observed trajectories. METHODS: Former American football players completed a general health questionnaire involving demographic information, medical/psychiatric history, concussion/football history and validated measures of depression and physical function at three time points (2001, 2010 and 2019). Parallel process latent growth curve modelling tested associations between concussion history, years of football participation, and overall and change in physical function on the overall level and trajectory of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Among the 333 participants (mean(SD) age, 48.95 (9.37) at enrolment), there was a statistically significant, but small increase in depressive symptom severity from 2001 (48.34 (7.75)) to 2019 (49.77 (9.52)), slope=0.079 (SE=0.11), p=0.007. Those with greater concussion history endorsed greater overall depressive symptom severity, B=1.38 (SE=0.33), p<0.001. Concussion history, B<0.001 (SE=0.02), p=0.997 and years of participation, B<0.001 (SE=0.01), p=0.980, were not associated with rate of change (slope factor) over 19 years. Greater decline in physical function, B=-0.71 (SE=0.16), p<0.001, was predictive of a faster growth rate (ie, steeper increase) of depression symptom endorsement over time. CONCLUSIONS: Concussion history, not years of participation, was associated with greater depressive symptom severity. Neither factor was predictive of changes over a 19-year period. Decline in physical function was a significant predictor of a steeper trajectory of increased depressive symptoms, independent of concussion effects. This represents one viable target for preventative intervention to mitigate long-term neuropsychiatric difficulties associated with concussion across subsequent decades of life.

Disparate Associations of Years of Football Participation and a Metric of Head Impact Exposure with Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Former Collegiate Football Players.

OBJECTIVES: Years of sport participation (YoP) is conventionally used to estimate cumulative repetitive head impacts (RHI) experienced by contact sport athletes. The relationship of this measure to other estimates of head impact exposure and the potential associations of these measures with neurobehavioral functioning are unknown. We investigated the association between YoP and the Head Impact Exposure Estimate (HIEE), and whether associations between the two estimates of exposure and neurobehavioral functioning varied. METHODS: Former American football players (N = 58; age = 37.9 ± 1.5 years) completed in-person evaluations approximately 15 years following sport discontinuation. Assessments consisted of neuropsychological assessment and structured interviews of head impact history (i.e., HIEE). General linear models were fit to test the association between YoP and the HIEE, and their associations with neurobehavioral outcomes. RESULTS: YoP was weakly correlated with the HIEE, p = .005, R2 = .13. Higher YoP was associated with worse performance on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, p = .004, R2 = .14, and Trail Making Test-B, p = .001, R2 = .18. The HIEE was associated with worse performance on the Delayed Recall trial of the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, p = .020, R2 = .09, self-reported cognitive difficulties (Neuro-QoL Cognitive Function), p = .011, R2 = .10, psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory-18), p = .018, R2 = .10, and behavioral regulation (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function for Adults), p = .017, R2 = .10. CONCLUSIONS: YoP was marginally associated with the HIEE, a comprehensive estimate of head impacts sustained over a career. Associations between each exposure estimate and neurobehavioral functioning outcomes differed. Findings have meaningful implications for efforts to accurately quantify the risk of adverse long-term neurobehavioral outcomes potentially associated with RHI.

The stability of self-reported professional football concussion history among former players: A longitudinal NFL-LONG study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the stability of former National Football League (NFL) players' recall of professional football concussion. METHODS: Two-hundred-and-nine former NFL players (ceasing football participation before/in 2001) completed surveys in 2001, 2010, and 2019 and reported the number of concussions sustained during their professional careers (0, 1 … 10, >10). Participants were categorized into four 'recall stability' groups, based upon concussion recall [e.g., 'Same' (same number recalled), 'Increased' (more recalled than in prior time point)]. In 2019, participants completed measures of functioning (e.g., PROMIS Cognitive Function, Anxiety, Depression). Fleiss Kappa and generalized linear mixed models (GLMM)-based ordinal measures Kappa assessed stability across time points. 'Recall stability group' functioning scores were compared. RESULTS: Overall, 45.9% recalled more concussions over time; 14.8% reported the same number. Fleiss Kappa and GLMM-based ordinal measures Kappa suggested fair (0.22, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.38) and moderate stability (0.41, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.46), respectively. Higher cognitive functioning (P = 0.002), lower anxiety (P = 0.003), and lower depression (P = 0.007) were observed in the 'Same' vs 'Increased' groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite subtle time-based variations in reporting, professional football concussion history recall was relatively stable. Better cognitive and psychological functioning was associated with greater stability in concussion recall.

Transition-Related Psychosocial Factors and Mental Health Outcomes in Former National Football League Players: An NFL-LONG Study.

Transition from professional sport to nonsport endeavors has implications for postcareer health and well-being of athletes. The purpose of the current study was to examine associations among transition-related psychosocial factors and current mental health outcomes in former National Football League (NFL) players. Participants were former NFL players (n = 1,784; mean age = 52.3 ± 16.3 years) who responded to a questionnaire assessing the nature of their discontinuation from professional football (i.e., any degree of voluntary choice vs. forced discontinuation), prediscontinuation transition planning (yes vs. no), and current symptoms of depression and anxiety. After adjusting for relevant covariates, having an involuntary discontinuation and no transition plan prior to discontinuation were associated with greater depressive and anxiety symptom severity. Autonomy in discontinuation and pretransition planning are important to former NFL football players' mental health. Increasing autonomy in the discontinuation decision and pretransition planning represent psychoeducational intervention targets for this population.

Distinct latent profiles based on neurobehavioural, physical and psychosocial functioning of former National Football League (NFL) players: an NFL-LONG Study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify subgroups of former National Football League (NFL) players using latent profile analysis (LPA) and examine their associations with total years of participation (TYP) and self-reported lifetime sport-related concussion history (SR-CHx). METHODS: Former NFL players (N=686) aged 50-70 years, with an average 18.0 TYP (±4.5) completed a questionnaire. SR-CHx distributions included: low (0-3; n=221); intermediate (4-8; n=209) and high (9+; n=256). LPA measures included: Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders Emotional-Behavioral Dyscontrol, Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Cognitive Function, Emotional Support, Self-Efficacy, Meaning and Purpose, Physical Function, Pain Interference, Participation in Social Roles and Activities, Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, and Sleep Disturbance. Demographic, medical/psychiatric history, current psychosocial stressors, TYP and SR-CHx were compared across latent profiles (LPs). RESULTS: A five profile solution emerged: (LP1) global higher functioning (GHF; 26.5%); (LP2) average functioning (10.2%); (LP3) mild somatic (pain and physical functioning) concerns (22.0%); (LP4) somatic and cognitive difficulties with mild anxiety (SCA; 27.5%); LP5) global impaired functioning (GIF; 13.8%). The GIF and SCA groups reported the largest number ofe- medical/psychiatric conditions and higher psychosocial stressor levels. SR-CHx was associated with profile group (χ2(8)=100.38, p<0.001); with a higher proportion of GIF (72.6%) and SCA (43.1%) groups reporting being in the high SR-CHx category, compared with GHF (23.1%), average (31.4%) and somatic (27.8%) groups. TYP was not significantly associated with group (p=0.06), with greater TYP reported by the GHF group. CONCLUSIONS: Five distinct profiles of self-reported functioning were identified among former NFL players. Several comorbid factors (ie, medical/psychiatric diagnoses and psychosocial stressors) and SR-CHx were associated with greater neurobehavioural and psychosocial dysfunction.

Comparing eating disorder characteristics and treatment in self-identified competitive athletes and non-athletes from the National Eating Disorders Association online screening tool.

OBJECTIVE: We compared eating disorder (ED) characteristics and treatment seeking behaviors between self-identified competitive athletes and non-athletes in a large, community-based sample. METHOD: During the 2018 National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 23,920 respondents, 14.7% of whom identified as competitive athletes, completed the National Eating Disorders Association online screen. Data were collected on demographics, disordered eating behaviors, probable ED diagnosis/risk, treatment history, and intent to seek treatment. RESULTS: The sample was predominantly White (81.8%), female (90.3%), and between 13 and 24 years (82.6%). Over 86% met criteria for an ED/subthreshold ED, and of those, only 2.5% were in treatment. Suicidal ideation was reported in over half of the sample. Athletes reported a significantly greater likelihood of engaging in and more frequent excessive exercise episodes than non-athletes. Athletes also reported a significantly lower likelihood of engaging in and less frequent binge-eating episodes compared with non-athletes. Athletes were more likely to screen positive for an ED/subthreshold ED than non-athletes, but percentages across all probable ED diagnoses were similar. No significant differences between athletes and non-athletes emerged on treatment history or intention to seek treatment post-screen (less than 30%). DISCUSSION: Although the distribution of probable ED diagnoses was similar in athletes and non-athletes, symptom profiles related to disordered eating behavior engagement and frequency may differ. Athletes may be less likely to seek treatment due to stigma, accessibility, and sport-specific barriers. Future work should directly connect survey respondents to tailored treatment tools and increase motivation to seek treatment.

Health-promoting behaviours and concussion history are associated with cognitive function, mood-related symptoms and emotional-behavioural dyscontrol in former NFL players: an NFL-LONG Study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationships among self-reported sport-related concussion (SRC) history and current health-promoting behaviours (exercise frequency, diet quality and sleep duration) with self-reported measures of brain health (cognitive function, symptoms of depression and anxiety and emotional-behavioural dyscontrol) in former NFL players. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was sent to former NFL players. Respondents reported SRC history (categorical: 0; 1-2; 3-5; 6-9; 10+ concussions), number of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic and resistance exercise sessions per week, diet quality (Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants-Shortened) and average nightly sleep duration. Outcomes were Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Cognitive Function, Depression, and Anxiety, and Neuro-QoL Emotional-Behavioral Dyscontrol domain T-scores. Multivariable linear regression models were fit for each outcome with SRC history, exercise frequency, diet quality and sleep duration as explanatory variables alongside select covariates. RESULTS: Multivariable regression models (n=1784) explained approximately 33%-38% of the variance in each outcome. For all outcomes, SRC history (0.144≤|ß|≤0.217) was associated with poorer functioning, while exercise frequency (0.064≤|ß|≤0.088) and diet quality (0.057≤|ß|≤0.086) were associated with better functioning. Sleeping under 6 hours per night (0.061≤|ß|≤0.093) was associated with worse depressive symptoms, anxiety and emotional-behavioural dyscontrol. CONCLUSION: Several variables appear to be associated with mood and perceived cognitive function in former NFL players. SRC history is non-modifiable in former athletes; however, the effects of increasing postplaying career exercise frequency, making dietary improvements, and obtaining adequate sleep represent important potential opportunities for preventative and therapeutic interventions.

Musculoskeletal Injury History Is Associated With Lower Physical and Mental Health in a Historical Cohort of Former National Football League Players.

CONTEXT: Little research has examined health-related quality of life in former National Football League (NFL) players. OBJECTIVE: Examine the association of musculoskeletal injury history and current self-reported physical and mental health in former NFL players. SETTING: Cross-sectional questionnaire. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Historical cohort of 2,103 former NFL players that played at least one season between 1940 and 2001. INTERVENTION: Players were grouped by self-reported professional career musculoskeletal injury history and whether injuries affected current health: (1) no musculoskeletal injury history; (2) musculoskeletal injury history, currently affected by injuries; and (3) musculoskeletal injury history, not currently affected by injuries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The Short Form 36 Measurement Model for Functional Assessment of Health and Well-Being (SF-36) yielded physical and mental health composite scores (PCS and MCS, respectively); higher scores indicated better health. Multivariable linear regression computed mean differences (MD) among injury groups. Covariates included demographics, playing history characteristics, surgical intervention for musculoskeletal injuries, and whether injury resulted in premature end to career. MD with 95% CI excluding 0.00 were deemed significant. RESULTS: Overall, 90.3% reported at least one musculoskeletal injury during their professional football careers, of which 74.8% reported being affected by their injuries at time of survey completion. Adjusting for covariates, mean PCS in the "injury and affected" group was lower than the "no injury" (MD = -3.2; 95% CI: -4.8, -1.7) and "injury and not affected" groups (MD = -4.3; 95% CI: -5.4, -3.3); mean MCS did not differ. CONCLUSION: Many players reported musculoskeletal injuries, highlighting the need for developing and evaluating injury management interventions.

Utilizing the Biopsychosocial Model in Concussion Treatment: Post-Traumatic Headache and beyond.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To discuss recent literature concerning the application of the biopsychosocial model in the management of concussion and post-concussion headache. RECENT FINDINGS: Current research suggests that the biopsychosocial model is applicable to the concussion management process, particularly management of post-concussion headache. Such application is best illustrated by current active treatment strategies such as exercise, multifaceted rehabilitation, and psychosocial interventions targeting improved patient outcomes. Overall, the biopsychosocial model has significant applications to the management of concussion, particularly post-concussion headache. Presentation and recovery following concussion and post-traumatic headache is multifaceted and includes the continuum of biological, psychological, and social considerations. In order to fully understand the widespread clinical utility and application of such models, there is a continued need for researcher, practitioner, and patient integration and collaboration to determine the most effective assessment and treatment strategies.

Effects of College Athlete Life Stressors on Baseline Concussion Measures.

CONTEXT: Concussion baseline testing helps injury evaluation by allowing postinjury comparisons to preinjury measures. To facilitate best practice, common neurocognitive, balance, and symptom report metrics used in concussion baseline testing merit examination relative to participant life stressors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine if life stressors are associated with college athlete neurocognitive function, postural control, and symptom scores at preseason baseline assessment. DESIGN: All study variables were collected in a single laboratory session where athletes completed valid and reliable psychometrics as well as a computerized neurocognitive and balance assessments. SETTING: Sports medicine research center on an American university campus. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 123 college student-athletes: 47 females (age = 18.9 [4.3] y) and 76 males (age = 19.4 [1.6] y). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were categorized into low, moderate, or high life stressors groups using scores from the Social Readjustment Rating Scale-Revised. Dependent variables included outcomes from the CNS Vitals Signs test, the Sensory Organization Test, and the graded symptom checklist indexing neurocognition, balance, and symptom severity, respectfully. RESULTS: One-way analysis of variance revealed that the moderate life stressors group performed significantly worse than the low life stressors group on the baseline verbal memory domain of the CNS Vital Signs (F2,119 = 3.28; P = .04) only. CONCLUSION: In the current college athlete sample, few baseline concussion assessment variables were found to be significantly associated with life stressors. Considering the clinical significance of these variables, psychological life stressors may not be a confounding factor in concussion evaluation.

Concussion Knowledge and Communication Behaviors of Collegiate Wrestling Coaches.

Sport coaches can play an important role in shaping a team's approach to concussion safety through their communication with team members. However, across all sports, there is limited knowledge about factors that make coaches more or less likely to engage in safety-supportive communication. The objectives of this study were to assess the concussion-related knowledge and attitudes of wrestling coaches, as well as the extent to which they engage in autonomy-supportive coaching practices, and to determine how these factors are related to communication with athletes in support of concussion safety. Data were collected through an online survey of head coaches of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) wrestling teams (n = 89, 40.5% response rate). On average, coaches answered five out of a possible nine knowledge questions correctly and were significantly more likely to think it was acceptable for an athlete to continue playing after sustaining a concussion during a national qualifying competition as compared to during an early-season competition. Engaging in autonomy-supportive coaching behaviors was the coach factor explaining the largest percentage of variability in communication. Findings suggest that while knowledge deficits and attitudes about the acceptability of continued play while symptomatic during more consequential competitive matches should be addressed in educational programming for collegiate wrestling coaches, these changes alone may not be a sufficient for adequately increasing concussion safety communication. Targeting more distal factors such as autonomy-supportive approaches to coaching may hold promise for intervention design and should be explored in future prospective research.

Youth perceptions of how neighborhood physical environment and peers affect physical activity: a focus group study.

OBJECTIVE: There is need for a youth-informed conceptualization of how environmental and social neighborhood contexts influence physical activity. We assessed youths' perceptions of their neighborhood physical and peer environments as affecting physical activity. METHODS: Thirty-three students (20 girls; ages 12-14 years) participated in focus groups about the physical environment and peers within their neighborhoods, and their understanding of how they affect physical activity. RESULTS: Inductive analysis identified themes of access (e.g., to equipment); aesthetics; physical and social safety; peer proximity and behavior (e.g., bullying); adult support or interference; and adult boundary setting. Participants also identified interconnections among themes, such as traffic shaping parent boundary setting and, in turn, access to physical spaces and peers. CONCLUSIONS: Young adolescents view neighborhoods in ways similar to and different from adults. Examining physical and social environments in tandem, while mindful of how adults shape and youth perceive these environments, may enhance understanding of youth physical activity behavior.

Athlete social support, negative social interactions and psychological health across a competitive sport season.

Social support and negative social interactions have implications for athlete psychological health, with potential to influence the links of stress-related experiences with burnout and well-being over time. Using a longitudinal design, perceived social support and negative social interactions were examined as potential moderators of the temporal stress-burnout and burnout-well-being relationships. American collegiate athletes (N = 465) completed reliable and valid online assessments of study variables at four time points during the competitive season. After controlling for dispositional and conceptually important variables, social support and negative social interactions did not moderate the stress-burnout or burnout-well-being relationships, respectively, but did simultaneously contribute to burnout and well-being across the competitive season. The results showcase the importance of sport-related social perceptions to athlete psychological outcomes over time and inform development of socially driven interventions to improve the psychological health of competitive athletes.

Applying the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework to Social Determinants of Health in the Context of Sport-Related Concussion: A Clinical Commentary.

Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a prevalent injury. Significant disparities in SRC outcomes exist across racial and ethnic groups. These disparities may be attributed to the unequal distribution of political power (or influence) and resource allocation in various communities, shaping individuals' social determinants of health (SDOH). However, the influence of SDOH on SRC outcomes remains understudied. In this clinical commentary, we use the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework and describe how its application can help address gaps in our understanding of SDOH and SRC. This framework provides a comprehensive approach to investigating and addressing health disparities by considering SDOH along multiple levels and domains of influence. Using this framework, athletic trainers can identify areas requiring intervention and better understand how SDOH influence SRC outcomes. This understanding can help athletic trainers develop tailored interventions to promote equitable care for patients with SRC.

Concussion-Related Decision-Making by Certified Athletic Trainers: Implications for Concussion Prevention and Care.

Concussions are a common sport-related injury that require appropriate initial care. Athletic trainers, often a primary source of healthcare for student-athletes, are key individuals involved in initial concussion diagnostic and management decisions. Challenges exist within the athletic environment that may hinder the consistency, efficacy, and/or effectiveness of concussion-related decision-making by athletic trainers, thereby impacting secondary concussion prevention and patient health. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that impact the intentions of athletic trainers to make appropriate concussion-related decisions under various circumstances. Overall, 1029 participants completed a survey examining educational precursors (quantity and quality of healthcare communication educational focus), demographic precursors (age, gender, educational degree, and employment setting), theory-based mediators (attitudes, perceived norms, and personal agency), and external mediators (knowledge, salience, and communication/collaboration practices) on appropriate concussion-related decision-making intentions. Data were analyzed using a two-step structural equation modeling approach. Quality of healthcare communication educational focus indirectly impacted appropriate concussion-related decision-making intentions via perceived behavioral control and communication/collaboration practices. Additionally, several factors impacted intentions to make appropriate concussion-related decisions directly including employment setting, self-efficacy, and general attitudes towards decision-making and concussions. Concussion prevention is aided by the initial and appropriate action taken by a healthcare professional to reduce immediate consequences; however, this action may be influenced by stakeholder relationships. These influential factors of decision-making may place athletes at further injury risk and negatively impact overall athlete health. As such, a sound theoretical framework incorporating the complexity of factors that may influence decision-making is needed.