FACTOR VALIDITY OF THE ATHLETIC IDENTITY MEASUREMENT SCALE IN A MAINLAND CHINESE SAMPLE

ABSTRACT Introduction The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) is a multi-dimensional instrument for measuring athletic identity and has been validated in different cultural samples around the world, except in mainland China. Objective This study aimed to test the validity of the mainland Chinese version of AIMS. Methods The sample consisted of 205 athletes, including 150 student athletes and 55 retired athletes. Validation of the factor structure and internal consistency was tested by performing confirmatory factor analyses and calculating Cronbach’s alpha on eight different models proposed in the literature. Results The results indicated that the 7-item 2-factor model fit best in retired athlete samples, while the 7-item 3-factor model fit best in student athlete samples, according to stringent fitting criteria. Conclusion Based on the data analysis, it is proven that the 7-item multidimensional structure of AIMS is valid for the mainland Chinese culture. Level of evidence II; Comparative study.