Current Research
You can’t hide a concussion at home:
An examination of families’ experiences
with traumatic brain injuries in
professional sport
Recruitment:
My last research project examined how women married to pro football players from the Canadian Football League participated in their husbands’ careers and the various struggles these women faced (e.g., uncertainties brought on by trades, releases, and injuries). One key finding that emerged from this project was the impact that brain injuries had on the families, including significant effects on the couple’s relationship, family arrangements, and overall health and well-being. This has led me to this study what is happening in families of professional athletes who have experienced head injuries.
The purpose of this study is to document the lived experiences of families of men who have experienced multiple concussions from playing professional sports and to shed light on how TBI disrupts the family's interpersonal relationships and dynamics.
The goal of this project is to include families in the discussions of sports-related concussions and to provide empirical examples of the consequences of traumatic brain injuries for families in professional sport.
If you would be interested in taking part in this study, please email Dr. Simonetto at deana.simonetto@ubc.ca
Participation is confidential; however, you can choose to be anonymous (or not) in sharing your experiences.
I plan to make the results of the study available to all the participants, sports organizations, players’ associations, and the general public.
Funding for this project has been generously provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council (SSHRC), Insight Development Grant.
