Revision and validation of the physical activity and leisure motivation scale among youth in China

Liang Hu *, Tony Morris ** and Jiaying Lyu ***

(*) Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Zhejiang University, China
(**) Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, Victoria University, Australia
(***) Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, Zhejiang University, China

Citation

Hu, L., Morris, T., Lyu, J. (2019). Revision and validation of the physical activity and leisure motivation scale among youth in China. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 50(1), 38-62. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2019.50.038

Abstract

This research aims to develop and examine the psychometric properties of a youth measure of motives for participation in physical activity and leisure, based on the adult Physical Activity and Leisure Motivation Scale (PALMS).In Study 1, 232 Chinese adolescents participated. Internal consistency of the seven sub-scales and total scale was good. We identified seven factors that corresponded to the PALMS sub-scales. We further removed the least strong item in each factor, producing seven 4-item sub-scales for the 28-item final version of the PALMS for youth, termed the PALMS-Y. In Study2, the PALMS-Y was tested in 434 Chinese adolescents. The 7- factor model represented a parsimonious interpretation of the data and demonstrated good internal consistency for sub-scales and the total scale, as well as satisfactory discrimination between motives. The PALMS-Y is recommended for examining factors that influence motives, as well as the impact of motives on physical activity, in youth.

Keywords: Motivation, Scale development, validation, Youth Physical activity