Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Occupational Therapy

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

First Advisor

Catherine Peirce

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2023

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2023

Abstract

Abstract PURPOSE: The primary question addressed in this study was whether or not college student athletes experienced a gap between wanting to participate in their desired occupations and actually being able to participate in these meaningful occupations following a concussion injury. Further exploration and integration of the data addressed secondary research questions that related to the extent to which the occupations that college student athletes engage in contribute to their identity as well as exploring if the gaps affected the athlete's perceived athletic identity. METHODS: With this descriptive, explanatory sequential mixed methodology research the investigator used standardized quantitative measures of attitudes and beliefs about occupational performance and perceived athletic identity as well as qualitative in depth interviews, seeking to more fully understand college student athletes’ experiences related to concussion, occupational performance, and identity. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics were used to determine occupational gaps and the strength of the athletic identity of each participant. The qualitative interviews were analyzed and themes were developed with a focus on the impact of injury, disrupted occupations, prioritizing the role as an athlete, and the emotional toll of injury. When considering these themes from a socio-ecologic model, the responses from the participants characterized the complex interplay of the four different levels included in the model which were the individual level, relationship level, community level, and society level. CONCLUSIONS: College student athletes who experience concussion may also experience a disruption in their preferred daily occupations. Engaging in their preferred occupations contributes to the student athlete's perceived identity associated with a specific role. The college student athletes who participated in this research project shaped their narrative around their body’s performance in sport, both physically and emotionally as well as their personal response to being separated from sport and other social roles. When viewing the emergent themes as a whole, it is apparent that the student athletes' experience of concussion injury, specifically the physical and emotional symptoms, directly affected their ability to engage in preferred occupations and social relationships. While there was no objective criterion to measure the disruption of engagement in sport and the direct impact on the participant's perceived identity, the participants all seemed to indicate their identity and role within their social group was disrupted.

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy

Keywords

concussion; identity; student athlete

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