Open AccessGetting In: Safe Water Entry Competencies
Author(s) -
Kevin Moran,
Jennifer D. Blitvich,
Lauren A. Petrass,
Keith McElroy
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of aquatic research and education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.227
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1932-9997
pISSN - 1932-9253
DOI - 10.25035/ijare.13.02.04
Subject(s) - water safety , competence (human resources) , jumping , psychology , applied psychology , medical education , medicine , social psychology , physiology , ecology , water quality , biology
In high income countries, jumping and diving into water are a small but persistent cause of death and serious injury especially among male youth and young adults. Although water entries maintain a high media profile, little is known about what entry competencies and underlying water safety knowledge youth bring to this practice. Undergraduates enrolled in aquatics (N= 76) completed a survey before attempting 7 entry jumping and diving tasks. While safety attitudes and self-reported behaviours were generally good, considerable variation in practical entry competence was evident. Most completed a deep-water compact jump (87%) and PFD jump (88%) with ease. Many completed a crouch dive (57%) and standing dive (53%) into deep water with ease, but only 33% completed a standing dive from a block/bulkhead (height) with ease. Ways of addressing weaknesses in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours are discussed and recommendations made to enhance the teaching of safe water entry.