Conceptualization and Development of the Sources of Enjoyment in Youth Sport Questionnaire

Abstract

This study was designed to test the sources of enjoyment in youth sport model proposed by Scanlan and Lewthwaite (1986) through the development of a quantitative measuring instrument using content and construct validation methods. In the 1st stage, items were developed through a review of the literature in youth sport, and item-content relevance was established through an expert panel. The Sources of Enjoyment in Youth Sport Questionnaire (SEYSQ) was tested using an exploratory factor analysis of 286 athletes aged 12 to 18, from which 6 interpretable factors emerged. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on the 28-item questionnaire with 896 athletes of the same ages on a 6-factor model of interest, which was tested against a single-factor and 4-factor model of enjoyment. Two secondary factor analyses were conducted on higher order enjoyment models, in which the 6 sources were hypothesized to be explained by a larger set of factors. Initial support was found for the 6-factor and both higher order factor structures. Internal consistency of the SEYSQ was supported through alpha reliability and composite reliability methods. The practical implications of the findings are discussed in relation to how sport programs can be structured to maximize the enjoyment and motivation of youth sport athletes.