Parenthood "Perspectives on Parenthood and Working of

Parenthood "Perspectives on Parenthood and Working of Female Athletic Trainers in the Secondary School and Collegiate Settings" Scholarly Research Critique The study completed by Kahanov, Loebsack, Masucci, & Roberts (20100 focused on female athletic trainers as this demographic is currently underrepresented in the collegiate setting. Family and parenting obligations are posited to possibly play a role in this underrepresentation. The stated objective of the study was to examine female athletic trainers' perspectives on parenting and working in secondary and collegiate employment settings.

The design of the study was a quantitative cross sectional study completed via online survey. A total of 1,000 non-student certified female athletic trainers who were currently members of the National Athletic Trainers' Associations were the participants in the study. Researchers maintain that the original survey was developed to assess participants perceptions related to career and motherhood responsibilities. Data and analysis used in the survey were descriptive statistics used to assess years of experience as a certified athletic trainer, age, parent or nonparent status, and employment position.

In addition, researchers employed a correlation matrix to establish factors prevalent among parent and nonparent status, employment-setting decisions, and perceptions regarding motherhood. According to researchers, the analysis and results revealed of the 1,000 surveys emailed to participants that 411 or 41.1% of females responded to the survey. According to the survey responses, the majority of the female athletic trainers worked in the secondary school setting as opposed to the collegiate setting. An estimated 61% of participants were not parents.

According to past female athletic trainer experiences, there is a perception that motherhood created more struggles and challenges (and in some cases both) in family and employment settings. Regardless of whether parents considered their children and family a factor in changes in employment settings is said to have produced conflictual results with no significant correlations or differences noted amongst those who responded. Summary According to researchers, less than 1/4 of athletic trainers in the collegiate setting are female.

There is limited flexibility noted in the work setting that allows for parenting and the responsibilities associated with parenting cited by approximately 50% of the female athletic trainers who changed jobs because of their familial obligations. Researchers posited, based on information solicited from participants that in order for female athletic trainers to be successful in their careers and as parents, it would be necessary for adequate support to be available and is considered an essential element.

Researchers posit that the results of the study should encourage institutions to adopt more family friendly work policies, practices and procedures and provide female athletic trainers with mentors that may aid in female athletic trainers to remain in secondary and collegiate work settings. Although the pool of possible participants was sufficient enough.