Honors Program Theses

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Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)

First Advisor

Todd Bohnenkamp

Keywords

Sports--Physiological aspects; Cognition--Testing;

Abstract

The present study investigates the results and efficacy of two assessments of executive function administered to adolescent athletes and the effects of subconcussive injuries on the athletes. Sixteen participants, ages 15-18, were included in this study. The participants were females enrolled in high school soccer at the junior varsity and varsity level and males participating in high school football at the varsity level. The participants completed pre- and post-season testing to examine their executive function and cognitive processing skills. The two assessments utilized include the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) and the Student Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (S-FAVRES). Researchers administered the paper-based S-FAVRES to each athlete and each athlete completed the computer-based ImPACT test. Time between pre- and post-testing was 14 weeks for soccer players, the entirety of the soccer season, and 12 weeks for the football players, the entirety of the football season. No athletes sustained concussions during the course of their seasons of play. Athletes were asked to self-report symptoms of concussion during the ImPACT test and no athletes reported an increase in symptoms from pre- to post-test. Participants’ scores were compared and analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance. Participants’ scores did not demonstrate a significant decrease in functioning over a season of play in the high school soccer or high school football team.

Year of Submission

2017

Department

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

University Honors Designation

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the designation University Honors

Date Original

2017

Object Description

1 PDF file (32 pages)

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

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