To explore athletes' perceptions related to coaching and athletic training care, the Coaching and Athletic Training Questionnaire was developed. A 10-item version was administered to 708 varsity athletes from three Division I universities in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. 341 women and 344 men completed questionnaires. Data from half of the sample of 685 were used for an exploratory factor analysis using principal components analysis with oblique rotation and the second half for a confirmatory factor analysis. Analyses yielded three interpretable factors, accounting for 68% of the variance, which were labeled Comfort with Athletic Trainer or Coach, Sex Influence on Quality of Care, and Athletic Trainer Preference. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that factor scores of women and men differed significantly, and at followup women and men differed significantly on Comfort with Athletic Trainer or Coach, but the small effect size minimizes its meaningfulness. No significant difference was noted for the other two factors. It appears coaches should be sensitive and available in case of injury or other need. Athletes' perceived quality of care by athletic trainers does not appear related to sex of athlete or trainer.
The female athlete triad (TRIAD) affects athletic young women involved in physical activities where leanness or endurance is emphasized. Elements of the TRIAD include disordered eating, amenorrhea, and early-onset osteoporosis. Athletic training literature is consistent in the description of the medical professionals included on the TRIAD treatment team, and supports the inclusion of MDs, RDs, MHPs, and ATCs (Reinkin & Alexander, 2005). In contrast to articles specific to ATCs, the literature directed to MDs, RDs, and MHPs indicates the importance of including these professionals, but inconsistently includes an ATC on the TRIAD treatment team (Sherman & Thompson, 2004). The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of MDs, RDs, MHPs, and ATCs regarding the role for the ATC on the TRIAD treatment team.
Thi s report presents the case of a 14-yearold, Caucasian girl who was diagnosed with pectus excavatum (PE) and who underwent an open Ravitch surgical procedure for correction of her chest wall deformity. The Institutional Review Board and patient's parents granted permission to present this case report. Athletic trainers and therapists who treat adolescent athletes should have a fundamental understanding of the physical manifestations and psychosocial effects of PE. Better understanding may facilitate early identification, prompt referral, and improved care, which may limit adverse psychosocial c o n s e q u e n c e s a n d optimize outcomes for patients who experience this condition. Pectus excavatum, also known as "funnel chest," is a congenital defect of the anterior thoracic wall. The lower costal cartilage undergoes rapid, misdirected growth, which results in a depressed or posteriorly displaced sternum. 1-7 The severity of PE is represented by the "Haller Index" (HI), which is also
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.