Perceptions of Leadership Opportunities and Effectiveness Among Athletic Trainers: A Comparison Across Racial and Ethnic Groups.

Abstract

Context: Diverse representation in athletic training leadership is essential for fostering inclusion and innovation in the profession. Despite efforts to enhance leadership diversity, disparities persist, underscoring the need to explore barriers to leadership and the effectiveness of leadership in meeting the needs of athletic trainers (ATs).

Objective: To examine racial and ethnic differences in ATs' desire, pursuit, and attainment of leadership positions in the profession in addition to perceptions of current leadership effectiveness.

Design: Cross-sectional, web-based survey.

Participants: A purposeful sample of 1,173 racially and ethnically diverse ATs from an organized professional network followed by a random sample of 6,000 members of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA). A total of 488 participants completed the survey for a 14.7% response rate.

Data collection and analysis: Data were collected via a web-based survey, including 7 demographic items, 4 Likert-scale items, and 5 open-ended questions. Independent samples Kruskal-Wallis tests, chi-square tests, and ANOVA tests were used to compare differences between subgroups, with pairwise testing conducted using the Bonferroni correction.

Results: Irrespective of race and ethnicity, most ATs expressed desire for and pursuit of leadership positions in the profession. 56.5% of ATs reported attaining such roles, primarily at departmental or institutional levels. African American ATs perceived greater barriers to attaining leadership positions due to their race and ethnicity and felt their needs were less met by current leadership as compared to white counterparts.

Conclusions: Systemic biases and in-group favoritism may impede attainment of leadership positions in athletic training organizations and influence perceptions of leadership effectiveness for racial and ethnic minority ATs. Consequently, there is a pressing need for intentional efforts to diversify leadership within athletic training and foster more inclusive leadership. Implementing strategies, such as diversifying selection processes and promoting allyship, are critical to ensuring equitable opportunities and advancing diversity within leadership.