Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Competitive Orientation Inventory

Abstract

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Competitive Orientation Inventory (Ch-MCOI) in adults from Mainland China. A total of 1121 participants (50.6% male; M = 28.86, SD = 8.70) were recruited for this study. All participants completed the Chinese versions of the MCOI, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS), the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-f), and the Competition Attitude Scale (Ch-CAS). A subsample of 239 participants (50.6% male; M = 32.04, SD = 8.13) completed the Ch-MCOI again after a two-week interval to assess test–retest reliability. Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) yielded a four-factor structure (hyper-competitive orientation, self-developmental competitive orientation, anxiety-driven competition avoidance, and lack of interest toward competition), which was further validated by confirmatory factor analyses with a satisfactory fit. Furthermore, test–retest reliability, internal consistency, and convergent and concurrent validity were also acceptable. Our findings suggest that the Ch-MCOI could be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the adaptive and maladaptive facets of competitive orientations in the Chinese-speaking population.