Abstract
Although considerable research indicates that mental energy is an important factor in many domains, including athletic performance (Cook and Davis, 2006), athletic mental energy (AME) has never been conceptualized and measured. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conceptualize and develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess AME. In Study 1, a focus group interview established the initial framework of AME. Study 2 used a survey to collect athletes' experiences of AME and develop a scale draft titled “Athletic Mental Energy Scale (AMES).” In Study 3, we examined the psychometric properties and the underlying structure of AMES via item analysis, internal consistency, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In Study 4, we used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine AMES's factorial validity; and examined concurrent and discriminant validity by examining correlations with athletes' life stress, positive state of mind, and burnout. In study 5, we examined the measurement invariance of the 6-factor, 18-item AMES with Taiwanese and Malaysian samples. Study 6 examined the predictive validity by comparing AMES scores of successful and unsuccessful martial artists. Across these phases, results showed a 6-factor, 18-item AMES had adequate content validity, factorial structure, nomological validity, discriminant validity, predictive validity, measurement invariance, and reliability. We suggest future studies may use AMES to examine its relationships with athletes' cognition, affect, and performance. The application of AMES in sport psychology was also discussed.
Highlights
Energy is a commonly-used word in research and general on the conversation
With exploratory factor analysis (EFA) parameters set at five factors and factor loadings exceeding 0.30 for solutions (Tabachnick and Fidell, 2007), 34 items were selected in the model
The two rounds of EFA showed that the 6factor, 25-item Athletic Mental Energy Scale (AMES) had the best solution for the factor structure and reliability
Summary
Energy is a commonly-used word in research and general on the conversation. By its simplest definition, energy is “the capacity for doing work (Giancoli, 2009, p. 172).” Energy is important to human life because it allows us to satisfy our needs. Nutrition scientists are interested to examine what type of supplement enhances human mental energy. Results found sucromalt improves men’s mental energy after 4– 5 h of supplement and a delay in mental fatigue. To evaluate whether a chronic treatment of tryptophan-rich protein hydrolysate improves middle-aged women’ emotional processing, mental energy levels, and reaction, Mohajeri et al (2015) recruited 59 middle-aged women consumed tryptophanrich protein hydrolysate by 0·5 g twice per day for 19 days. Similar studies related to supplement of diverse nutrition on mental energy can be found in the studies of Ginkgo biloba (e.g., Kennedy et al, 2007; Snitz et al, 2009), Ginseng (e.g., Kennedy et al, 2004), Glucose (Reay et al, 2006), and Omega-3 (e.g., Johnson et al, 2008; Rogers et al, 2008)
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