Predictors of perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury

Whether individuals take steps to protect themselves against sport-related injury may depend on their perceived susceptibility to injury (Williams-Avery & MacKinnon, 1996). However, little is known about the determinants of perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury. The purpose of the present study is to identify the relations of previous experiences with injury, neuroticism, and passion with perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury among competitive runners. One hundred and seventy competitive runners reported the number of injuries sustained during the last year and completed the neuroticism scale of the NEO-PIR and the Passion Scale. Separate regression analysis revealed that previous experiences with injury, neuroticism, and obsessive passion were significant positive predictors of perceived susceptibility, whereas harmonious passion was significantly and negatively related to perceived susceptibility. When considered simultaneously, previous experiences, neuroticism, and obsessive passion explained unique variance in perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury. This study revealed that perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury is dependent on several distinct variables. Thus, to be effective, injury preventive actions aimed at runners' behaviour modification need to take into account that runners' perceived susceptibility to sport has multiple predictors.

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