Date of Award

January 2013

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Exercise and Sport Science

First Advisor

Eric J. Fuchs

Department Affiliation

Exercise and Sport Science

Abstract

Context: Athletic training is an international field. Athletes' perception or satisfaction of the services is important to improve and maintain the quality of athletic training services. This concept is important inside and outside of the United States. Objective: The purpose of this research was to investigate the perception that Japanese collegiate athletes have in regard to athletic training services. Design: An online survey was conducted to student athletes in one Japanese University that provides athletic training services to selected intercollegiate sports teams by BOC certified athletic trainers. Setting: Japanese collegiate athletic training environment. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 285 collegiate student athletes from American football, rugby, women's track and field, and men's basketball teams. Main Outcome Measure(s): Athletes' levels of perceptions and satisfactions were assessed using online survey consisted of 35 questions (Matsuno Athletes Perception Survey). Results: Differences of mean scores of the components were ranged within a full point except resources and medical coverage components. More than 95 percent of people scored mean score of 3.1 or higher in knowledge, communication, and satisfactions and importance components with mean scores of 5-point Likert Scale. Statistically significant differences were not found with athletes' previous experiences with their high school trainers. Conclusions: Japanese collegiate student athletes have the same levels of satisfaction of their athletic trainers or the services that their athletic trainers provide as American collegiate student athlete have. This explains that athletes' experiences with their high school trainers do not affect perceptions of certified athletic trainers in current settings.

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