A-64 The Impact of a Sports-Related Concussion on Emotional Beliefs of Collegiate Athletes.

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature on the effects of sports-related concussion on an athlete’s emotional beliefs. Emotional beliefs are an individual’s beliefs on whether emotions are controllable, as well as useful or unwanted. Understanding how a concussion affects an athlete’s emotional beliefs can assist in determining appropriate interventions for treatment. Data Selection: The informal literature search was conducted through EBSCOhost and PsychINFO databases from August 2022 through February 2023 for articles containing CONCUSSIONS plus one of the following: EMOTIONAL BELIEFS, COLLEGIATE ATHLETES, EMOTIONS. Inclusion criteria included data collected from a collegiate sample, article presented original research, articles published in 2000 or later, and articles contained relevant information regarding emotional beliefs in collegiate athletes. Due to the dearth in the literature regarding emotional beliefs, only five studies were reviewed. Results Currently within the literature, there is debate about the construct of emotional beliefs. The literature is mixed on how to define emotional beliefs as well as how to distinguish emotional beliefs from cognition. Within the literature there is agreement that emotional beliefs are additionally influenced by a myriad of factors. Although emotional changes are observed in concussed athletes, there has been little research on how concussions impact athlete's beliefs about their emotions. Baseline concussion testing often does not include any mood measures, thus limiting post-injury assessment to strictly cognitive domains. Conclusions Sustaining a concussion can lead to increased stress and exacerbate pre-existing psychological disturbances. Changes in emotional beliefs can affect an athlete’s mental well-being, which in turn can affect their athletic and academic performance. In sum, there is a need for further research on the effects of concussions on cognitive and emotional beliefs in the field of sports neuropsychology.