Shinichi Nagata * and Terry Long **
(*) Indiana University-Bloomington, USA
(**) Northwest Missouri State University, USA
Citation
Nagata, S., Long, T. (2016). Examining validity of the athletic identity measurement scale in a sample of wheelchair rugby athletes. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 47(3), 282-295. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2016.47.282
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to examine the conceptual framework of and factor structures of the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) when administered to a sample of wheelchair rugby athletes. Conceptual framework was presented and the theoretical match to the existing factor structures was considered. Fifty-seven wheelchair rugby players in the United States completed the questionnaire. The results of Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs) indicated best fit for a 9- item 4-factor model (CFI = .93, IFI = .94, RMSEA = .10), yet the extent of fit was inadequate. It is argued that items of the AIMS do not account for unique contexts that influence athletic identity. Further study should reconstruct the athletic identity instrument to address the unique contexts of athletes with physical disabilities
Keywords: Athletic identity, Factor structure, Wheelchair rugby