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Date of Graduation
5-15-2025
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
School of Strategic Leadership Studies
First Advisor
Ben Selznick
Second Advisor
Taylor Landers
Third Advisor
Margaret Sloan
Abstract
Athletic Training preceptorships play a crucial role in student education as they heavily influence student learning and progression in the academic program (Mazerolle et al., 2015). The problem that arises from preceptorships is the inconsistencies athletic training students experience in leadership. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate athletic training student perceptions of situational leadership as it relates to student satisfaction with the development of a measurement tool. An exploratory mixed methods design composed of a qualitative phase one, pilot testing quantitative phase two, and quantitative phase three. The qualitative phase provided insightful perspectives on preceptor leadership from the perspective of students providing support of situational leadership theory and development of a measurement tool using the priori codes of supportive behavior, directive behavior, and readiness. The developed measurement tool included 6 items for each of the three constructs as well as 4 questions for satisfaction the outcome. Pilot testing portrayed strong content validity and that the tool has good reliability. The final phase included 143 participants and found additional support for measurement tool validity and reliability. Additionally, it was found the developed items have a positive correlation and good predictive validity for the outcome of student satisfaction. This study found support for use of the measurement tool to further our theoretical understanding and expand on research related to situational leadership. Additionally, it provided support for practical implications of the measurement tool for assessment of preceptorship success and satisfaction with clinical experiences.
Included in
Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons
