Normal variability within a collegiate athlete sample: A rationale for comprehensive baseline testing

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Neuropsychology
• Athletic Training

Background:

• Sport-related concussions are a growing concern in collegiate athletics.
• Standardized neuropsychological baseline testing is lacking at the collegiate level, causing inconsistent data interpretation.
• Understanding normal cognitive variability is crucial for accurate concussion assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the range of normal variability in neuropsychological baseline test scores among collegiate athletes.
• To identify potential factors influencing score variability in this population.

Main Methods:

• Collected baseline neuropsychological data from 236 NCAA Division 1 student athletes over four years.
• Analyzed score frequencies at 1, 1.5, and 2+ standard deviations from the mean.
• Evaluated athletes for risk factors like ADHD, SLD, and psychiatric distress.

Main Results:

• Observed substantial variability across most test scores in the general athlete sample.
• Athletes at risk for ADHD, SLD, or psychiatric distress demonstrated increased score variability.
• These findings highlight the presence of normal variability in collegiate athletes' cognitive baselines.

Conclusions:

• Collegiate athletes exhibit inherent variability in baseline cognitive test performance.
• Failure to recognize this variability can lead to misinterpretations in concussion management.
• Further research is needed to explore how risk factors influence this variability.