Perspectives on Parenthood and Working of Female Athletic Trainers in the Secondary School and Collegiate Settings

Abstract

Context: Female athletic trainers (ATs) are currently underrepresented in the collegiate setting. Parenting and family obligations may play a role in this underrepresentation.Objective: To examine female ATs' perspectives on parenting and working in the secondary school and collegiate employment settings.Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Online survey. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 1000 nonstudent, female certified ATs who were currently members of the National Athletic Trainers' Association.Main Outcome Measure(s): An original survey was developed to assess perceptions related to motherhood and work responsibilities. Descriptive statistics were used to assess age, years of experience as a certified AT, employment position, and parent or nonparent status. A correlation matrix was conducted to determine factors among parent and nonparent status, perceptions of motherhood, and employment-setting decisions.Results: Of the 1000 surveys sent via e-mail, 411 (41.1%) female ATs responded. Responses indicated that a majority of the female ATs worked in the secondary school setting. Sixtyone percent of the respondents did not have children. Past female ATs' experiences indicated a perception that motherhood created more challenges or struggles (or both) in the work and family settings. Whether parents considered children a factor in employment-setting changes produced conflicting results: no significant correlations or differences were found among responses.Conclusions: Parenting considerations had influences on both the home and employment settings. Although parents and nonparents had different views on the implications of parenting in the workplace, both groups agreed that parenting could affect the work environment and the choice to change employment settings and careers. Administrative decisions need to be considered in relation to parenting concerns. Mentoring that includes employment-setting choices relative to life goals should be provided to ATs, regardless of sex.

Career and Family Aspirations of Female Athletic Trainers Employed in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Setting

“…[1][2][3]5 It is an unfortunate reality that female ATs make up only approximately 28% of the full-time collegiate staff. 5 This is especially concerning when the National Athletic Trainers' Association indicates that more than 50% of its members are female. 6 A relationship appears to exist between balancing professional responsibilities with parenthood and retention factors, especially for those who leave the collegiate clinical setting to work in clinical settings more favorable to family life.…”

“…4 Hypothetically, the decline in the number of female ATs in the profession has been linked to the desire to strike a balance among work responsibilities, personal interests, and family obligations. [1][2][3]5 Concerns about work-life balance (WLB) and time for parenting have been found to influence decisions to persist within the collegiate levels, as the job responsibilities often include long hours (.40 h/wk) and travel, which can limit time spent at home with family. [1][2][3]5 It is an unfortunate reality that female ATs make up only approximately 28% of the full-time collegiate staff.…”

“…[1][2][3]5 Concerns about work-life balance (WLB) and time for parenting have been found to influence decisions to persist within the collegiate levels, as the job responsibilities often include long hours (.40 h/wk) and travel, which can limit time spent at home with family. [1][2][3]5 It is an unfortunate reality that female ATs make up only approximately 28% of the full-time collegiate staff. 5 This is especially concerning when the National Athletic Trainers' Association indicates that more than 50% of its members are female.…”

Perceptions of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Female Athletic Trainers on Motherhood and Work-Life Balance: Individual- and Sociocultural-Level Factors

“…2,9 In fact, long work hours negatively affect the professional commitment of female ATs, who often change employment settings or leave the profession to achieve WLB. 3,10,11 Researchers [12][13][14] have indicated that individuals differ in their experiences of WLB and abilities to cope because of differences in individual characteristics in a given context. These individual characteristics include values, personality, coping skills, support systems, and sex.…”

“…For example, athletic training jobs can be similar in the types of role strain employees face (lack of control over schedules, hours, and travel; perceived inadequate compensations; and overall job demands), but in a recent study, Naugle et al 15 demonstrated that women reported a higher incidence of burnout than their male counterparts even though the male ATs worked more hours on average than the female ATs. Researchers 3,4,9,10 examining retention and WLB in female ATs have identified the time commitment of the profession, particularly in the collegiate setting, as problematic, especially for ATs trying to balance motherhood and athletic training.…”