Injuries and the Quality of Life of Collegiate Athletes: A Pilot Study

Purpose: To explore the relationship between injury severity and athletes’ quality of life, as well as the role of cognitive appraisal during participation restrictions. Method: A descriptive quantitative survey research design was used. Ten NCAA Division III athletes completed two self-report instruments: the SF-12v2TM Health Survey and a scale that ranked injury severity based on time-loss from sport. Results: Data analysis yielded three main findings: (a) mean mental health scores were lower than mean physical health scores in all injury severity categories; (b) three participants had higher mental than physical health scores; and (c) only four scores were beyond the range of average health by SF-12v2TMstandards. Conclusions: While no definitive relationship between injuries and quality of life was found, results suggested that injuries have greater psychological implications than physical implications, that the recovery process is unique for each individual, and that the SF-12v2TM may not be the most optimal instrument for this context. The findings of this study were consistent with that of the literature, which states cognitive appraisal has a significant role in the experience of injuries and participation restrictions; thus, athletes need to be treated holistically in order for them to achieve full recovery and increase their quality of life.