Psychological readiness to return to sport (RTS) after injury is a critical and timely area of research that has received significant research attention of late. Although research on psychological readiness to RTS has burgeoned in recent years, there remains a lack of conceptual clarity on what psychological readiness is. As such, our aims in this review of the state of the art (consistent with the typology of Grant and Booth) are threefold. First, we articulate key conceptual issues and questions regarding the nature of psychological readiness and offer a preliminary nomothetic definition of the construct. Based on the definition, we advance several hypotheses for testing in future research. Second, we discuss research examining correlates of psychological readiness and, third, we look at empirical work focused on outcomes of psychological readiness. Our review draws upon literature spanning various disciplines and cultures/languages.

The field of sport-related concussion (SRC) is evolving quickly, and psychological aspects affecting athletes’ recovery and well-being are now recognized as an important component for research and clinical practice. There has been considerable recent emphasis on empirical research into the psychological implications of SRC. This emphasis reflects trends from clinical research that indicate anxiety and mood-related issues may represent the primary symptoms in nearly 30% of concussions. In short, SRC and its psychological aspects is a major issue that influences not only athletes’ performance, but also their physical and mental health. The purpose of this position paper is to provide a concise yet comprehensive review of the current state of research and evidence-based practice as it relates to the psychological aspects of SRC. More specifically, we present five postulates that are intended to stimulate discussion among researchers and allied health professionals who are interested in psychological aspects of SRC. Our intent in writing this position paper is to advance this subdiscipline within the area of SRC by discussing areas for growth in theory, research, and practice. Lay Summary: Sport-related concussions (SRC) have become a public health issue, however little research has focused on the the psychological aspects of this injury. This position paper identifies five postulates that are intended to stimulate research and practice on psychological aspects of SRC.

Objective: To explore the factors involved in athletes being ready (or not) to return to sport (RTS) after sport-related concussion (SRC). Design: Qualitative, semistructured interviews. Setting: Videoconference. Participants: Twenty-two sport-injury stakeholders involved in contact and collision sports at various levels of competition (high school, university, professional), including: formerly concussed athletes (n = 4), coaches (n = 5), athletic therapists (n = 5), physiotherapists (n = 4), nurse practitioner (n = 1), and sports medicine physicians (n = 3). Interventions: N/A. Main Outcome Measures: We included questions in the interview guide regarding factors participants believed were involved in athletes being ready (or not ready) to RTS after a concussion. Results: Participants described physical (concussion symptoms, return to pre-injury fitness), behavioral (changes in behavior, avoidance, malingering), psychological (individual factors, cognitive appraisals, mental health), and social (isolation, social support, communication, pressure) factors that they believed were involved in athletes being ready to RTS after SRC. Conclusions: The graduated RTS strategy outlined in the most recent Concussion in Sport Group consensus statement focuses on physical aspects involved in being ready to RTS, which does not address behavioral, psychological, and social factors, which were identified by participants as being related to returning to sport post-SRC. More research is needed to determine whether the additional factors outlined in this study are relevant among larger samples of athletes, coaches, and healthcare professionals.

Although experts have noted that adolescent athletes should be educated about concussions to improve their safety, there is no agreement on the most effective strategy to disseminate concussion education. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement and assess a concussion education programme. More precisely, four interactive oral presentations were delivered to high school student-athletes (N = 35, M_age = 15.94, SD = 0.34) in a large urban centre. Participants completed a questionnaire at three time-points during the season to measure changes in their knowledge (CK) and attitudes (CA) of concussions, and focus group interviews were conducted following the concussion education programme. Questionnaire data revealed participants’ post-intervention CK scores were higher than their pre-intervention scores. During the focus groups, the student-athletes said they acquired CK about the role of protective equipment and symptom variability, and in terms of CA, they intended to avoid dangerous in-game collisions in the future. Our study was the first to create and deliver a concussion education intervention across multiple time-points, and to use mixed-methods in its assessment. These findings may be of interest to researchers, practitioners and stakeholders in sport who are invested in making the sport environment safer through concussion education and awareness.