Date of Award
5-2000
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Educational Leadership
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine if gender and/or practice setting were related to certified athletic trainers' perceptions of gender equity and specifically to barriers to professional advancement by women. This study was used to examine the perceptions of gender equity as viewed by NATA-certified athletic trainers of both genders working in three different practice settings: the secondary school setting, the college/university setting, and the clinical/hospital setting. A total of 600 individuals were selected for the sample, 100 each of men and women from each of the three settings.
The findings of this study revealed that perceptions of barriers differed to a statistically significant degree between male and female athletic trainers on 11 of the 12 dependent variables (socialization, advancement opportunities, dual careers, role conflict, administrative capabilities, mobility, experience, age, recruitment practices, hiring practices, and communication). Female respondents scored higher on those questions than males, indicating that women were more likely to perceive barriers than were men. There were no significant differences between practice setting and the 12 dependent variables (socialization, career aspirations, advancement opportunities, dual careers, role conflict, administrative capabilities, mobility, experience, age, recruitment practices, hiring practices, and communication).
The conclusions from this study indicate that issues of gender equity and barriers to advancement in athletic training parallel those in other professions and work settings, that women perceive those barriers in ways different than men, and that the practice setting does not influence such perceptions. The profiles and perceptions of male and female athletic trainers found in this study support the work of Carol Gilligan who postulated that the male voice has been seen historically as the societal norm. They also affirm other findings reported in the literature review that barriers to professional advancement by women are perceived to exist in a variety of professions and work settings. In athletic training, as in society in general, women do not have the same status as do men and see barriers differently than men.
Recommended Citation
Booth, Cynthia L., "Certified Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of Gender Equity and Barriers to Advancement in Selected Practice Settings" (2000). Theses and Dissertations. 945.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/945