Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of Exercise Self-efficacy Scale Among Secondary School Students in China

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Date 2025 Feb 9

PMID 39924573

Authors

Ling Qin

Walter King Yan Ho

Selina Khoo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) is widely used to assess individuals' exercise self-efficacy through self-reporting. It includes one factor and 18 items that gauge one's confidence in exercising under various conditions, such as when tired, stressed, or in unfavourable weather. Evidence indicates that differences in the original factor structure and psychometric properties were observed across different populations, including school-age students, university students, and adults. This study examined the factor structure, reliability, convergent validity, and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the ESES among secondary school students. Data from 856 students (age: M = 13.80, SD = 0.94) were analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to identify the best-fitting factor structure. The reliability and convergent validity were tested using the collected data. Configural, metric, and scalar invariances, as well as the likelihood ratio test, were tested for measurement invariance. A 14-item, two-factor structure of the ESES, consistently demonstrated the best fit among secondary school students. The two-factor structure showed strong internal consistency reliability (McDonald's Omega of 0.921 and 0.843) and satisfactory convergent validity (average variance extracted values of 0.582 and 0.478, composite reliability values of 0.917 and 0.845). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (likelihood ratio test, p > 0.01) revealed scalar measurement invariance across sex, ethnic backgrounds, grades, and school locations. These findings suggest that the 14-item, two-factor Chinese version of the ESES is suitable for use with secondary-school students. Future studies could confirm these findings by examining the 14-item, two-factor ESES in diverse samples, considering ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age range.

References

Katzmarzyk P, Barreira T, Broyles S, Champagne C, Chaput J, Fogelholm M . Relationship between lifestyle behaviors and obesity in children ages 9-11: Results from a 12-country study. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015; 23(8):1696-702. DOI: 10.1002/oby.21152. View

Owen C, Nightingale C, Rudnicka A, Sattar N, Cook D, Ekelund U . Physical activity, obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors in 9- to 10-year-old UK children of white European, South Asian and black African-Caribbean origin: the Child Heart And health Study in England (CHASE). Diabetologia. 2010; 53(8):1620-30. PMC: 2892063. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-010-1781-1. View

Sabo A, Kueh Y, Kuan G . Psychometric properties of the Malay version of the self-efficacy for exercise scale. PLoS One. 2019; 14(5):e0215698. PMC: 6499426. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215698. View

Bandura A . Social cognitive theory: an agentic perspective. Annu Rev Psychol. 2001; 52:1-26. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1. View

Hakim A, Wang S, Widiantoro F, Hannan M, Wang C, Fetzer S . The Indonesian Version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale: Cross-cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Testing. Asian Nurs Res (Korean Soc Nurs Sci). 2020; 14(5):300-305. DOI: 10.1016/j.anr.2020.08.008. View

Ting L, Kuan G, Arifin W, Cheng K . Psychometric Properties of the Self-Efficacy Scale among Undergraduate Students in Malaysia. Malays J Med Sci. 2019; 26(3):119-128. PMC: 6613467. DOI: 10.21315/mjms2019.26.3.10. View

Faigenbaum A, MacDonald J, Stracciolini A, Rebullido T . Making a Strong Case for Prioritizing Muscular Fitness in Youth Physical Activity Guidelines. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2020; 19(12):530-536. DOI: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000784. View

Guthold R, Stevens G, Riley L, Bull F . Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2019; 4(1):23-35. PMC: 6919336. DOI: 10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30323-2. View

Bandura A . Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychol Rev. 1977; 84(2):191-215. DOI: 10.1037//0033-295x.84.2.191. View

10.

Schmalbach I, Bastianon C, Afifi W, Franke G, Hinz A, Petrowski K . Factor structure and psychometric properties of the german version chronic uncertainty scale (CU-20). BMC Psychol. 2023; 11(1):173. PMC: 10228435. DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01206-2. View

11.

Hickey M, Owen S, Froman R . Instrument development: cardiac diet and exercise self-efficacy. Nurs Res. 1992; 41(6):347-51. View

12.

Webster K, Feller J . Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in the Adolescent Athlete. J Athl Train. 2023; 57(9-10):955-960. PMC: 9842114. DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-0543.21. View

13.

Pelletier L, Shanmugasegaram S, Patten S, Demers A . Self-management of mood and/or anxiety disorders through physical activity/exercise. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2017; 37(5):149-159. DOI: 10.24095/hpcdp.37.5.03. View

14.

Shin Y, Jang H, Pender N . Psychometric evaluation of the exercise self-efficacy scale among Korean adults with chronic diseases. Res Nurs Health. 2001; 24(1):68-76. DOI: 10.1002/1098-240x(200102)24:1<68::aid-nur1008>3.0.co;2-c. View

15.

Algheryafi R, Bevans K, Hiremath S, Lai J, Tucker C . Enhancing the Content Validity of Self-Reported Physical Activity Self-Efficacy in Adolescents: A Qualitative Study. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2022; 34(4):519-527. DOI: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000945. View

16.

Resnick B, Jenkins L . Testing the reliability and validity of the Self-Efficacy for Exercise scale. Nurs Res. 2000; 49(3):154-9. DOI: 10.1097/00006199-200005000-00007. View

17.

Farren G, Zhang T, Martin S, Thomas K . Factors related to meeting physical activity guidelines in active college students: A social cognitive perspective. J Am Coll Health. 2016; 65(1):10-21. DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2016.1229320. View

18.

Everett B, Salamonson Y, Davidson P . Bandura's exercise self-efficacy scale: validation in an Australian cardiac rehabilitation setting. Int J Nurs Stud. 2009; 46(6):824-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2009.01.016. View

19.

Murphy J, McGrane B, White R, Sweeney M . Self-Esteem, Meaningful Experiences and the Rocky Road-Contexts of Physical Activity That Impact Mental Health in Adolescents. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(23). PMC: 9735864. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315846. View

20.

Lee L, Perng S, Ho C, Hsu H, Lau S, Arthur A . A preliminary reliability and validity study of the Chinese version of the self-efficacy for exercise scale for older adults. Int J Nurs Stud. 2008; 46(2):230-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2008.09.003. View