The Influence of Injured Athletes’ Perceptions of Social Support from ATCs on Their Beliefs about Rehabilitation
in Journal of Sport RehabilitationObjective:
To determine whether athletes’ perceptions of social support from their certified athletic trainers (ATCs) were related to their beliefs about the rehabilitation process.
Design:
Division I athletes (N = 57) completed a survey including measures of social support and beliefs about rehabilitation.
Participants:
Division I college athletes (35 men, 22 women) who had sustained an injury that caused them to miss no less than 5 consecutive days.
Measurements:
The Social Support Survey (SSS) and the Sports Injury Rehabilitation Beliefs Survey (SIRBS).
Results:
Results revealed significant correlations between the SSS and the SIRBS scales only for athletes who had sustained severe injuries. Multiple-regression analyses revealed that the SSS scales were significant predictors of each of the SIRBS scales.
Conclusions:
Results suggest that when severely injured athletes perceive that their ATCs provide strong social support, they are more likely to believe in their rehabilitation programs.
Bone is with the Athletic Dept, and Fry, the Dept of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152.
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