The Role of Social Support in Concussion Rehabilitation: A Prospective Mixed Methods Study of Canadian University Athletes’ Return to Sport

The number of social support agents present, frequency of support types, and demonstration of support behaviors decreased across the concussion RTS strategy. Contextual (ie, toughness), concussion (ie, visibility), and RTS (ie, prognosis uncertainty) factors influenced athletes' perceptions of social support agents' support behaviors. Results add to our limited understanding of athletes' social support during RTS following a concussion and suggest exploring the integration of behavior-specific (eg, checking in, providing reassurance, and demonstrating compassion) social support strategies to promote concussion rehabilitation and readiness to RTS.