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Context Success on the Board of Certification (BOC) examination is necessary to obtain the Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) credential. First attempt pass rates have historically been an issue in the profession. Objective The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the impact of coping, locus of control, and academic worry on first-attempt passing rates on the Board of Certification (BOC) examination. Study strategies for the BOC examination were also investigated. Design Survey-based design. Setting Participants were recruited through e-mails sent to Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited entry-level program directors that were forwarded to recent program graduates, who then accessed the survey instrument via the web link located within the original e-mail. Patients or Other Participants The research sample consisted of 145 newly graduated athletic training (AT) students, who challenged the BOC examination between April and October in 2010. Data Collection and Analysis The survey instrument included three sections of items used to measure the elements of locus of control, coping methods, and academic worry. Analyses explored the relationships between these factors and first-attempt pass rates on the BOC examination. Results Data from this exploratory study suggest that candidates experiencing psychological factors, such as high academic worry, emotion-focused coping mechanisms, and an external locus of control, have a lower first-attempt pass rate on the examination. These candidates also use multiple strategies to prepare for the exam. Conclusions The AT programs might be able to help students better prepare for the BOC examination by addressing these psychological issues and using multiple study strategies and structured preparation activities. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding. |
