Date Presented 03/28/20
The impact of concussion on college student athletes was explored through the lens of academic self-efficacy. Participants with concussion showed significantly lower self-efficacy in one area of academic performance (note-taking), which directly impacts perceived identity and occupational engagement. Participants highlighted the complexity of concussion rehabilitation and the gaps that exist during the recovery process as they attempt to maintain their roles of college student and athlete.
Primary Author and Speaker: Samantha Colaw
Additional Authors and Speakers: Gabrielle Petruccelli
PURPOSE: An emerging area of inquiry for occupational therapists (OT) is consideration of the impact of concussion on engagement and meaningful participation in a variety of life roles. The perspective of student-athletes (SA) living with post-concussion symptoms has received limited attention in research resulting in a lack of literature regarding the role of being a student. This research adds to the growing body of knowledge regarding the implications of concussion specifically on academic self-efficacy (ASE) and self-perceived roles in college athletes with and without concussion.
DESIGN: A mixed methods concurrent (QUAN + QUAL) design was administered in 2 phases. Initial recruitment was conducted through the University’s Athletic Training Department, with subsequent outreach to varsity coaches and SA directly. Phase 1 included a 20-minute online survey, and Phase 2 included in-depth interviews of SA with and without concussions. SA were included in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 if they were 18+ years of age and a varsity SA. The concussion group had experienced a concussion within 12 months of the start of the research.
METHODS: In Phase 1, the SA completed demographic questions, identified if they experienced a concussion, and completed the Self-Efficacy for Learning Form (SELF) assessment tool (Zimmerman & Kitsantas, 2007). The SELF included 57 short scenarios focusing on 5 major subsets of skills: reading, writing, studying, test-taking, and note-taking. SA ranked their confidence in being able to complete the task on a scale from 1-100%. In phase 2, SA participated in in-depth interviews to provide narrative into the subjective experience of concussion. In Phase 2, open-ended questions revolved around the role of being a SA and its potential impact on academics. In the concussion group the experience of concussion related to academic engagement was specifically explored. Survey data from Phase 1 was analyzed using independent samples t-tests and Phase II interviews were transcribed, coded and analyzed for themes.
RESULTS: 50 participants completed the study, of which 18 experienced a concussion. The average SELF scores for SA with concussion (63.85) was compared to SA without concussion (70.1). Sub-scale analysis revealed that SA with concussion reported lowest confidence in note-taking and highest confidence in studying. SA without concussion reported lowest confidence in note-taking and highest confidence in writing. Significant statistical difference (t = -2.15; p=.037) was concluded in note-taking among SA with and without concussion. Themes from the in-depth interviews indicate that SA in the concussion group experienced challenges in sustained and selective attention, energy conservation, time management, and stress levels. In contrast, SA without concussion reported challenges in achieving occupational balance in daily structure, time commitment, support systems, and playing through injury. Overall, qualitative data addressed the differences in perceived role competency between concussion and non-concussion groups.
CONCLUSION: Student athletes with concussion experience lower academic-self efficacy, especially while performing complex tasks such as note-taking. A significant difference in note-taking aligns with previous literature regarding the relationship between concussions and executive function (specifically higher order thinking, multi-step actions, and problem solving). Student athletes without concussion reported challenges primarily in non-academic areas. OTs working with student athletes with concussion are qualified to take the next steps in implementing a return to learning plan that includes strategies for note taking and addresses academic self-efficacy in the role of being a student.
References
Brayton-Chung, A., Finch, N., Keilty, K., (2016), Action: the role of occupational therapy in concussion rehabilitation, OT Practice, 9-12.
Khan, M., (2013), Academic self-efficacy, coping, and academic performance in college, International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities, 5(4)
Trontel, H., Hall, S., Ashendorf, L., O’Connor, M., (2013), Impact of diagnosis threat on academic self-efficacy in mild traumatic brain injury, Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
