Facilitating students’ return to school following a concussion: Perspectives of Canadian teachers and school administrators

Abstract

AbstractAn estimated 20 percent of adolescents in North America have sustained a concussion. Teachers and school administrators are responsible for supporting following concussion to return to school. The purpose of this study was to describe the perspectives of Canadian teachers and school administrators with supporting returning to school post-concussion. This qualitative study was guided by an interpretivist philosophy. Semi-structured interviews with grades 7–12 teachers (n = 13) and school administrators (n = 5) were coded inductively and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. We organized the data into five themes: 1) Educator roles differ for administrators and teachers; 2) Students’ symptoms affect their learning; 3) Students should have access to academic accommodations; 4) Students benefit from social support, compassion, and empathy; and 5) Concussion education and management processes are lagging. In Canada, teachers and administrators have different roles when supporting students returning to school after a concussion and those roles influence their engagement with the students and their awareness of students’ needs. Lack of concussion education and concussion management processes at schools may affect how students are supported following a concussion. Our findings can inform the development and implementation of supports to facilitate return to school for students following a concussion.

Keywords

• student
• concussion
• return to school
• reflexive thematic analysis
• educator
• qualitative