Confirmatory factor analysis of the flow state scale in sports

Abstract

The present investigation was designed to assess the psychometric properties of the Flow State Scale (FSS) in sports using confirmatory factor analysis. It is a self‐report instrument consisting of 36 items measuring nine different factors. A series of three studies were conducted, using a total of 1083 athletes, men and women, from ten individual sports. The aim of the first study was to translate the FSS into Greek following the back‐translation procedure. The aim of the second study was to test the nine first‐order factor model according to the original structure (Jackson & Marsh, 1996). The results of this second study indicated an acceptable fit to the model. Correlations among the FSS and similar validated instruments were performed, providing further support to the factor structure of the FSS, through construct validity. The purpose of the third study was to test four alternative measurement models through confirmatory factor analysis, a nine first‐order factor model, and three hierarchical models positing one or three second‐order factors. The results of the third study indicated an acceptable fit for the nine first‐order factor model, as well as for the third hierarchical model, whereas the single hierarchical model provided a poor fit. Overall, the present investigation supported the multidimensional nine first‐order factor of the FSS in sports.

Keywords:

• flow theory
• confirmatory factor analysis
• hierarchical measurement models
• factorial validity
• construct validity