How do we know if you flow? The development and initial validation of a new psychometric measure of flow in sport and exercise.
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1
Department of Psychological Science, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Australia
Aim: Positive experiences are important for sustained participation in sport and exercise. The optimal psychological state of flow has also been understood to have significant links to enhanced motivation, performance, wellbeing, and self-esteem. While flow has been studied extensively in sport and exercise, questions have been raised recently regarding existing measures such as the Flow State Scale-2 (FSS-2), for example, in terms of discriminant validity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and provide initial validation of a new questionnaire for measuring flow states in sport and exercise which addresses the issues in the existing measures. Method: An initial pool of 42 items was developed based on qualitative studies of flow in sport and exercise. Following review by an expert panel, this pool was revised and reduced to 39 items. A total of 211 participants (107 males, 99 females) with a mean age of 33.4 years (SD = 12.39) completed demographic details, the FSS-2, as well as the new flow scale, after completing a form of sport or exercise. Results: An exploratory factor analysis of the 39-items will be conducted. In order to determine which items and factors to retain, Kaiser’s criterion will be followed. A follow-up Cronbach’s reliability analysis will be conducted on the reduced items and factors, and only items and factors with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient above .8 will be retained, indicating a reliable measure. Once the number of factors and items have been finalised through exploratory factor analysis, the new flow scale will be compared against the FSS-2, to examine convergent and discriminate validity.
Conclusions: This study seeks to provide initial evidence that the new flow scale is a valid and reliable measure of the flow in sport and exercise, which overcomes issues recently raised about existing measures.
Keywords:
Flow,
Clutch,
scale development,
Flow State Scale-2,
new flow scale
Conference:
15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference , Coffs Harbour, Australia, 4 Oct - 5 Oct, 2018.
Presentation Type:
Research
Topic:
Abstract for 15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference
Citation:
Muscat
EV and
Swann
C
(2019). How do we know if you flow? The development and initial validation of a new psychometric measure of flow in sport and exercise..
Front. Psychol.
Conference Abstract:
15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference .
doi: 10.3389/conf.fpsyg.2018.74.00025
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Received:
18 Sep 2018;
Published Online:
27 Sep 2019.
*
Correspondence:
Miss. Ellen V Muscat, Department of Psychological Science, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia, e.muscat.10@student.scu.edu.au