Date of Award

Summer 8-2007

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Chair

Dr. Susan Hubble Burchell

Committee Chair Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Member 2

Dr. Dennis Phillips

Committee Member 2 Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Member 3

Dr. Nancy Speed

Committee Member 3 Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Member 4

Dr. Benito Velasquez

Committee Member 4 Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Member 5

Dr. Virginia Crawford

Committee Member 6

Dr. James T. Johnson

Abstract

The purpose o f this study was to investigate the perceptions of physicians, registered dietitians, counselors, and certified athletic trainers (ATC) regarding the role of the ATC in recognizing, referring, and treating the female athlete triad (Triad) patient. The researcher developed the Medical Professional Perception Inventory (MPPI) which included four constructs (role, recognize, refer, and treat) and was used to assess the perceptions o f medical professionals regarding the role o f the ATC in recognizing, referring, and treating the female athlete triad patient.

This was a causal-comparative study for which one hundred seventy-five out of nine hundred participants returned the MPPI questionnaire. Participants were randomly selected from medical specialty member lists and represented states within Districts 8 and 10 of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. MANOVA results indicated that medical profession significantly influenced the combined DV o f (a) the role o f the ATC on the Triad treatment team, (b) the ATC ability to recognize the Triad patient, (c) the ATC ability to refer the Triad patient, and (d) the ATC ability to treat the Triad patient (Pillai’s Trace=.211, F (\2, 510)=3.213,/?<001, partial r f =.07). The dependent variables were intercorrelated, therefore a discriminant analysis was conducted as a follow-up to the significant MANOVA.

The results of this study indicated that RDs have significantly favorable perceptions of ATCs in their ability to refer Triad patients, but have significantly lower perceptions than MDs, MHPs, and ATCs regarding the ability o f the ATC to treat Triad patients. These different perceptions may warrant further research and collaboration with representatives from the four medical professions identified in this study to understand the extent to which these perceptions are held.

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