Degree Name
Master of Science in Education
Department or Program
Kinesiology
Advisor
Partridge, Julie
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to look at the perceptions student-athletes at Southern Illinois University have about their athletic trainers. Data was collected from 86 student-athletes at a NCAA Division I, mid-major university. The participants were administered an 11-question perception questionnaire. The perceptions scores of student-athletes with a full-time athletic trainer were compared to student-athletes with a graduate assistant athletic trainer. The results showed that both groups had a high mean perception score with no significant difference. The mean perception score for all 86 student-athletes was 28.14 (SD = 2.49) out of a total score of 33. Student-athletes with a full-time athletic trainer averaged 28.95 (SD = 2.45) while student-athletes with a graduate assistant athletic trainer averaged 27.53 (SD = 2.36). This study can lead to futher investigation of student-athletes perceptions of athletic trainers especially the differences between full-time and graduate assistant athletic trainers.