A Correlational Study of Five Personality Dimensions on the Duration of Sport Injury Rehabilitation
A Correlational Study of Five Personality Dimensions on the Duration of Sport Injury Rehabilitation
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Issue Date
2013
Authors
Farley, Alessandra B.
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Abstract
Research has shown that personality can predict coping styles (Allen, Greenlees, & Jones, 2011) and specific coping styles predict faster recovery from injury (Albinson & Petrie, 2003). The current study aimed to examine the relationship between personality and injury rehabilitation directly. Personality was assessed using the Big Five Inventory (BFI V44, John, Donahue, & Kentle, 1991). The BFI measures five broad dimensions of personality: (O)penness to experience, (C)onscientiousness, (E)xtroversion, (A)greeableness and (N)euroticism. The participants (n = 26) of this study were athletes who had successfully completed injury rehabilitation in a clinic within the last five years. At the time of their injury the participants ranged from 17 to 35 years of age. There were 11 males, 14 females and one transgendered individual; 15 Non-Hispanic/White, six Black/African-American, three Hispanic/Latino, one Multiracial and one Asian/Asian American. The reported sport levels were recreational, high school, collegiate, professional and elite. A completion ratio was created for each of the participants (actual rehabilitation duration/ prescribed rehabilitation duration). The completion ratio was correlated with each personality dimension on the BFI. It was hypothesized that 0, C, E, and A would have a negative correlation with the completion ratio, indicating an accelerated rehabilitation time; N would be positively correlated with the completion ratio, showing a delayed rehabilitation. The hypotheses were not upheld as no significant relationships were found between any of the Big Five personality traits and participants' completion ratios. However, the findings from this study still provide insight into the role personality may play in injury rehabilitation. Future areas to explore include the potential roles of personality along with cognition and behavior in rehabilitation. Also examining personality as a profile along with more sport based traits such as assertiveness and mental toughness.