Bio
Dr. Erica Beidler joined the Department of Athletic Training as an Assistant Professor in July 2016. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from Mercyhurst University (2011), and her Master of Education degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Athletic Training and Sports Medicine at the University of Virginia (2012). Dr. Beidler completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Athletic Training and Sport Psychology at Michigan State University (2016). Dr. Beidler is a licensed athletic trainer through the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine, and a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association, the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society, and the Sport Neuropsychology Society. She also serves an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training, the Concussion Expert for the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society’s Concussion Education Task Force, a Peer Support Provider for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s ATs Care Support Program, and a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation’s Student Writing Committee.
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Dr. Beidler's research agenda focuses on the intersection of psychological, social, and cultural factors that impact the patient’s concussion experience. Although there is a tremendous amount of concussion information currently available, researchers are just starting to scratch the surface of what there is to learn about this invisible injury. Following a concussion, there are many factors that can contribute to a patient’s understanding of their injury and how they navigate the recovery process back to school and sport, oftentimes wrestling with the judgement and misunderstanding of others as they watch from the sideline. While not yet fully understood, how an individual thinks and feels about concussions may largely impact their future healthcare decisions and outcomes. Overall, Dr. Beidler’s mission as a scholar is to increase the disclosure of suspected concussions and decrease the frequency of persisting symptoms after concussion by promoting the adoption of transdisciplinary, equitable, whole-person healthcare practices geared towards creating more positive concussion injury experiences for patients, spanning from pre-injury awareness initiatives through post-injury management.
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Sample of Publications
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Beidler E, Bretzin AC, Schmitt AJ, Phelps AL. Factors associated with parent and youth athlete concussion knowledge. Journal of Safety Research. 2022;80:190-197. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2021.12.002
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Beidler E, Welch Bacon C, Hattrup N, Powers C, Saitz L, Valovich McLeod T. Going beyond the state law: Investigating high school sport-related concussion protocols. Journal of Athletic Training. 2022;57(1):32-43. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0505.20
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Wallace J, Beidler E, Register-Mihalik J, Hibbler T, Bretzin A, DeMedal S*, Kerr Z. Examining concussion nondisclosure in college athletes using a health disparities framework and consideration of social determinants of health. Journal of Athletic Training. 2022;57(1):16-24. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0054.21
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Beidler E, Schmitt A, Matta M, Griger C. Diagnosed and nondisclosed sport-related concussion: A comparison study by ADHD status in collegiate student-athletes. Journal of Attention Disorders. 2022;26(4):606-615. doi:10.1177/10870547211015432
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McAllister-Deitrick J, Beidler E, Wallace J, Anderson MÇ‚. Concussion knowledge and reporting behaviors among collegiate athletes. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2022;32(1):56-61. doi:10.1097/JSM.0000000000000833
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Bretzin A, Anderson M, Bhandari N, Schmitt A, Beidler E. Concussion nondisclosure in youth sports. Journal of Athletic Training. Published online January 19, 2022.
doi:10.4085/1062-6050-534-21
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Beidler E, Donnellan MB, Pontifex M, Nogle S, Kontos A, Covassin T. The relationship between impulsivity, sensation seeking, and concussion history in collegiate student-athletes. Athletic Training and Sports Health Care. 2021; 13(6):e402-e412.
doi:10.3928/19425864-20210519-01.
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Beidler E, Bogar K, Wallace J, McAllister-Deitrick J, Anderson M, Schatz P. The burden of unsubstantiated messaging: Collegiate student-athletes chronic traumatic encephalopathy mechanism beliefs. Brain Injury. Published online September 9, 2021.
doi:10.1080/02699052.2021.1972146
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Beidler E, Eagle S, Wallace J, Anderson M, Schmitt A, O’Connor S, Kontos A. Anxiety-related concussion perceptions of collegiate athletes. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. Published online June 25, 2021. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2021.06.011
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Wallace J, Beidler E, Kerr Z, Hibbler T, Anderson M, Register-Mihalik J. Assessing differences in concussion symptom knowledge and sources of information among Black and White collegiate student-athletes. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. 2021;36(3):139-148. doi:10.1097/HTR.0000000000000672
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Anderson M, Petit K, Wallace J, Covassin T, Beidler E. Factors associated with concussion non-disclosure in collegiate student-athletes. Journal of Athletic Training. 2021;56(2):157-163. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0102-20
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Beidler E, Wallace J, Alghwiri A, O’Connor S. Collegiate athletes’ concussion awareness, understanding, and reporting behaviors in different countries with varying concussion publicity. Journal of Athletic Training. 2021;56(1):77-84. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0575.19