The Nature of Coupling with Intercollegiate Athletic Departments: Undergraduate Atheletic Training Education Program Directors' Perceptions

Context: Coupling theory, based on a tight-loose continuum, describes the nature of a connection, relationship, or interaction between entities. Understanding the nature of an ATEP's relationship with intercollegiate athletic departments is important to their growth and responsiveness to environmental change. Objective: To determine program directors' general perceptions of coupling, as well as perceptions of coupling relative to personnel, physical resources, and financial resources. Design: Descriptive, exploratory. Setting: CAATE accredited undergraduate ATEPs. Participants: The participants were 151 program directors from CAATE accredited undergraduate ATEPs. Data Collection and Analysis: Program directors were queried regarding their perceptions of coupling between the ATEP and the host institution's athletic department relative to 5 subscales: general perceptions, personnel, equipment, facilities, and financial resources.Descriptive statistics were used to provide institutional and program director profiles. Composite means were used to determine the perceived degree of coupling relative to the 5 subscales. ANOVA (post-hoc analysis, p < 0.05) and independent paired samples t tests determined differences in program directors' perceptions of coupling based on individual and institutional characteristics. Results: Program directors perceived moderate generalized, equipment, and personnel coupling, and slight coupling relative to facilities and financial resources. Significant differences were related to years of program direction experience, role orientation, institutional athletic affiliation, school or college affiliation, and funding source. Conclusions: Program directors perceive a tighter degree of generalized coupling than coupling specific to equipment, facilities, personnel, or financial resources. Institutional and program director characteristics may influence perceptions of coupling.