A Randomized Controlled Trial of A Theory-Based Concussion Education Video for NCAA Division I Athletes

ABSTRACT

A large body of research demonstrates that concussions are exceedingly common and extremely difficult to detect. Despite medical efforts to develop sophisticated tools to detect concussions, research continues to demonstrate that proper detection relies on prompt and thorough symptom reporting from the injured athlete. In the context of sports, such reporting requirements are complicated by systems that reward athletic performance. This study seeks to provide student athletes who play NCAA Division I high-contact sports with a theoretically driven intervention to improve their attitudes and behavior toward concussion reporting. Division I student athletes (N = 345) viewed one of three conditions: an NCAA handout consistent with current practices, the experimental video, or a non-treatment control video, then responded to questions regarding attitudes and behaviors toward concussion reporting. Overall, results support the video’s effectiveness in changing perceptions of concussion injuries. Nuances of the findings lead to a discussion for practical implications to transform concussion-reporting attitudes and behaviors among athletes.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge that this research was produced on the ancestral homelands of American Indian tribes that have inhabited the space for centuries, including the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) peoples. We recognize that these sovereign peoples were forcibly removed from their land, and we respect the many Indigenous peoples still connected to this land. We honor and thank the Indigenous ancestors of this place.

Disclosure statement

We do not have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the US Department of Defense under the Mind Matters Challenge grant program