Sport-Related Concussion and the Relationship of Psychological Functioning on Prolonged Recoveries

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore potential risk factors of psychological functioning that contribute to the recovery of sport-related concussions (SRC) in professional and collegiate athletes. The current study used prospective reporting from athletes prior to and within 48 hours of sustaining a SRC. Participants included 63 male and female athletes participating in the Canadian Football League and University of Alberta varsity rugby, soccer, football, volleyball, ice hockey, and wrestling teams. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 37 years and sustained a SRC during the 2017 – 2018 athletic seasons. To assess for psychological functioning, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) was utilized. The first analysis indicated baseline psychological symptoms of depression to be statistically predictive of prolonged concussion recovery (F(1,61) = 5.301, p = .025). Furthermore, analysis of athletes’ baseline symptoms indicated statistical significance of several symptoms as being predictive of prolonged concussion recovery. Significant somatic symptoms include “numbness or tingling in parts of your body” (F(1, 60) = 27.773, p < .000, R2 = .316), “faintness or dizziness” (F(2, 59) = 22.031, p < .000, R2 = .428), “pains in the heart or chest” (F(4, 57) = 15.615, p < .000, R2 = .523), along with symptoms of “feeling worthlessness” (F(5, 56) = 15.344, p < .000, R2 = .578) and “feeling so restless you couldn’t sit still” (F(3, 58) = 18.170, p < .000, R2 = .484). The second analysis indicated post-injury psychological symptoms of anxiety to be statistically significant for predicting prolonged recovery from concussion (F(1, 61) = 27.290, p < .000). Additionally, several somatic and emotional symptoms reported post-injury were found to be predictive of a prolonged recovery. These symptoms include: “feeling no interest in things” (F(1, 59) = 16.61, p < .000, R2 = .220), “feeling blue” (F(2, 58) = 14.54, p < .000, R2 = .334), “feeling fearful” (F(3, 57) = 14.15, p < .000, R2 = .427), and “numbness or tingling in parts of your body” (F(4, 56) = 14.66, p < .000, R2 = .512). These results suggest that both baseline and post-injury psychological functioning influence the recovery of sport-related concussions.