Psychometric properties of the standardized assessment of concussion in youth football: Validity, reliability, and demographic factors

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the psychometrics (reliability, validity) of the original Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) in a youth sample (ages 11 to 13). Demographic factors of race, level of vocabulary knowledge, mother’s level of education were also considered. Over 150 youth football athletes completed the SAC and a brief battery of NIH Toolbox cognitive tests as part of a larger study on biomechanical factors in youth sport concussion. This was a within-subjects design (pre-season, post-season assessments), and correlational analysis of convergent and discriminant validity. Between groups analysis based on demographic differences was also employed. The pre-season SAC scores were not different by age; however, SAC scores were statistically different by race: t(155) = 3.162, p = .002, d = .519. Maternal level of education and participant vocabulary scores were related to racial group membership. Convergent and discriminant validity were established compared to NIH Toolbox tests of memory and speed. Pre–post-season tests for 108 participants established marginally acceptable test–retest reliability (ICC = .692). These data support the use of the original SAC in youth football although clinicians must be aware of racial differences in scores.

Keywords:

• Construct validity
• demographic factors
• standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC)
• test–retest reliability
• youth football

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the youth, parents, and coaches for their time and effort participating in this project; and also thanks to Tina Strates for database assistance.

Disclosure statement

No author has any interest to declare related to this work.

Additional information

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01NS094410.