Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Sport Anxiety Scale-2

Jinrui Zhang; Zhiwen Zhang; Shuo Peng; Arsaythamby Veloo; Richard Peter Bailey; Wee Hoe Tan

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1260253

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Sport Anxiety Scale-2

Front Psychol. 2023 Oct 31:14:1260253. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1260253. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Jinrui Zhang¹, Zhiwen Zhang^{2

3}, Shuo Peng^{3

4}, Arsaythamby Veloo⁵, Richard Peter Bailey³, Wee Hoe Tan³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Education, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, China.
² School of General Education, Chongqing Institute of Engineering, Chongqing, China.
³ Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁴ Faculty of Arts and Physical Education, The Open University of Henan, Zhengzhou, China.
⁵ School of Education and Modern Languages, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Malaysia.

Abstract

Introduction: The Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) is a validated measure of sports trait anxiety, with promising psychometric properties. However, its cross-cultural applicability in Chinese samples remains unexplored. Thus, the primary objectives of this study were twofold: to translate the SAS-2 into Chinese and assess the psychometric properties of the Chinese version.

Methods: In Study 1, we initiated the translation of the SAS-2 into Chinese. This assessment involved bilingual Chinese students proficient in both English and Chinese. Additionally, we conducted a cross-linguistic measurement invariance analysis. In Study 2, we delved into the psychometric properties of the Chinese SAS-2 using a sample of Chinese student athletes. This examination encompassed an evaluation of its factor structure, convergent and discriminant validity, and measurement invariance across genders.

Results: Our findings in Study 1 indicated no significant differences in item scores between the Chinese SAS-2 and the English version, and measurement invariance across languages. In Study 2, we uncovered that the Chinese SAS-2 and its factors exhibited excellent reliability, with Cronbach's alpha values exceeding 0.80. Confirmatory factor analyses upheld the original three-factor model, demonstrating acceptable model fit indices (CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.08). Furthermore, all three factors of the Chinese SAS-2 displayed significant and positive correlations with athlete burnout and State-Trait anxiety. Additionally, this study elucidated the mediating role of Concentration Disruption (Somatic anxiety and Concentration Disruption) in the relationship between the Trait (State) anxiety, and athlete burnout. Moreover, we identified measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the SAS-2 across genders. Finally, female college athletes exhibited significantly higher scores in somatic anxiety and worry compared to their male counterparts.

Discussion: In sum, our findings affirm that the Chinese version of the SAS-2 demonstrates robust reliability and correlates effectively with related criteria, thus validating its suitability for use in a Chinese context.

Keywords: Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2); competitive anxiety; confirmatory factor analyses; cross-cultural adaptation; psychometrics.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.