Development and validation of the Coaching Athlete Purpose Scale (CAPS)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Coaching Athlete Purpose Scale (CAPS), designed to measure alignment between coaching purpose and the athlete-centered outcomes of competence, confidence, connection, and character (the 4Cs). Following literature review, a pool of items was developed and submitted for content validation to a panel of experts. These items were tested in four independent studies with intercollegiate coaches in the United States (N = 1347). In Study 1, initial factor structure was examined through exploratory factor analysis. In Study 2, the factorial structure was confirmed and the scale was further optimized for length. Confirmatory factor analyses were used in Studies 2, 3, and 4 to further assess psychometric properties and to test measurement invariance across sex, NCAA Division, employment status, and position. The final items of the scale were tested using a correlated-factor model, a bifactor model, and a second-order model within both the confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling (i.e., Full-ESEM and Set-ESEM) frameworks. Overall, results provided strong evidence of construct validity and reliability, suggesting the 15-item CAPS as a practical research and formative assessment tool for checking alignment between coaching purpose and athlete-centered outcomes.