Abstract
Stunt performers are athletes who sustain numerous concussions, though research examining concussions in stunt performers is limited and has not addressed cognition. Sport concussion research suggests that changes in memory and other domains are common post-concussion. Thus, we assess the feasibility of a community-engaged study of neuropsychological assessment in stunt performers. A virtual focus group was conducted with 14 members of the International Task Force on Head Impacts and Trauma in Stunts, a committee of American, Canadian, and Australian stunt performers, clinicians, researchers, and advocates. A follow-up survey was distributed. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis characterized the findings. Survey results from Task Force members spanning all locations indicated that the average age to expect for stunt performer participants is 44±1.9 years. Participants would be willing to undergo 2 hours of in-person cognitive testing in 1 day, and spend nearly one-half hour (M=27±15 minutes) taking online questionnaires. Qualitative themes included: Research Questions—cognitive function across career stages, important performing-related domains (visuospatial, reaction time). Participant Characteristics—age, sex, stunt variety. Recruitment Logistics—target locations, involvement of performers. Task Force members enthusiastically reinforced both interest in and need for neuropsychological assessment research in stunt performers. By understanding performers’ head trauma and cognition, we can advocate for protective workplace policies. Our results underscore the importance of community engagement in developing studies to ensure the community’s best interests are represented. This frames our future research on cognition in performers through a larger, U.S.-based study incorporating performers’ insights across the entire research process.
Presenters
Madeline Uretsky ResnickClinical Psychology PhD Student, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Concussion, Stunt Performers, Community-Engaged Research, Study Design, Neuropsychology, Cognition
