Psychometric properties of the standardized assessment of concussion in youth football: Validity, reliability, and demographic factors

Authors

Arthur C. Maerlender, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Eric Smith, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityFollow
P. Gunnar Brolinson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityFollow
Jillian Urban, Wake Forest UniversityFollow
Steven Rowson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityFollow
Amaris Ajamil, Simbex, Inc., Lebanon, New Hampshire
Eamon T. Campolettano, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityFollow
Ryan A. Gellner, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Srinidhi Bellamkonda, Brown University
Mireille E. Kelley, Wake Forest UniversityFollow
Derek Jones, Wake Forest University
Alex Powers, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Jonathan Beckwith, Simbex, Inc., Lebanon, New Hampshire
Joseph J. Crisco, Brown UniversityFollow
Joel Stitzel, Wake Forest University
Stefan Duma, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityFollow
Richard M. Greenwald, Simbex, Inc., Lebanon, New Hampshire

ORCID IDs

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9740-6354 A. Maerlender

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8786-0905 Joseph Crisco

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2020

Citation

Published in Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 2020

doi 10.1080/21622965.2020.1726746

Comments

Copyright © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Used by permission.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the psychometrics (reliability, validity) of the original Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) in a youth sample (ages 11 to 13). Demographic factors of race, level of vocabulary knowledge, mother’s level of education were also considered. Over 150 youth football athletes completed the SAC and a brief battery of NIH Toolbox cognitive tests as part of a larger study on biomechanical factors in youth sport concussion. This was a within-subjects design (pre-season, post-season assessments), and correlational analysis of convergent and discriminant validity. Between groups analysis based on demographic differences was also employed. The pre-season SAC scores were not different by age; however, SAC scores were statistically different by race: t(155) = 3.162, p = .002, d = .519. Maternal level of education and participant vocabulary scores were related to racial group membership. Convergent and discriminant validity were established compared to NIH Toolbox tests of memory and speed. Pre–post-season tests for 108 participants established marginally acceptable test–retest reliability (ICC = .692). These data support the use of the original SAC in youth football although clinicians must be aware of racial differences in scores.