Executive Function (Anticipation) Differences Between Soccer Players With and Without a History of Traumatic Brain Injury

The present study sought to understand traumatic brain injuries (TBI) impact on executive function (EF) in terms of anticipation amongst individuals with a background in soccer; along with other contributing factors of EF curtailments that inhibit athletes. Within this study 57 participants, with a background in soccer (high school, collegiate, and semi-professional), completed five EF tasks: working memory, cognitive flexibility, attentional control, and anticipation; pattern detection and athletic cues (temporal occlusion). The results of this study concluded that when TBI history, gender, and soccer athletic level are factors, athletes with a soccer level of collegiate and semi-professional had decrements related to pattern detection anticipation; meaning athletes at higher levels had lower average scores on the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test (BSAT). Additionally, female athletes showed more anticipation decrements related to athletic cues, especially those that are reliant on the initiation of judgment. Overall undiagnosed TBIs and limited understanding on how to approach rehabilitation to mitigate EF decrements, continue to impede individual autonomy amongst athletes. Keywords: Traumatic brain injury, executive function, anticipation, soccer, temporal occlusion, Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test (BSAT), collegiate, semi-professional, pattern detection, rehabilitation