Factorial Validity and Invariance Testing of the Swedish Social Physique Anxiety Scale: Arguments for Gender-Specific Scales
in Journal of Sport and Exercise PsychologyClick name to view affiliation
This study examined the factorial validity and factorial invariance across gender of the 9-item and two 7-item previously supported unidimensional factor models of the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS; Hart, Leary, & Rejeski, 1989) in two samples of Swedish male and female university students. Results demonstrated that the Motl and Conroy (2000) 7-item model made the closest ft to data in both the male and female samples. None of the two 7-item models demonstrated invariant factor variances or item uniqueness across gender. Moreover, the factor loadings were not invariant in the Motl and Conroy models. Gender differences in SPAS factor structure, linked to cultural variations in measurement equivalence and future development of gender specific scales, are discussed.
Magnus Lindwall is with the Dept. of Psychology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
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