Reliability and Validity of the Sport Personality Assessment
A reliable test gives consistent results. A valid test measures what it claims to measure.
The Sport Personality Assessment was designed with both in mind and is reviewed continuously
as new data arrive.
When you step on a scale, you expect the number to be roughly the same each time.
Psychological measurement follows the same logic. Below is a plain-language overview of how we
evaluate consistency and accuracy for the four Sport Personality pillars: 
Drive, 
Competitive Style,
Cognitive Approach, and 
Social Style.
Reliability: Consistency Across Results
We evaluate internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha, which estimates how closely related
the items are within a scale. Values above 0.70 indicate acceptable reliability, while values
above 0.80 are considered good. All four pillars of the Sport Personality Assessment meet or
exceed these standards.
| Dimension | Items | Cronbach’s α | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive (COG) | 10 | 0.846 | Good |
| Competitive (COMP) | 10 | 0.774 | Acceptable |
| Drive / Motivation (DRIVE) | 10 | 0.806 | Good |
| Social (SOC) | 10 | 0.847 | Good |
Estimates based on pilot data from more than 500 athlete completions in 2025.
In practice, athletes who respond a certain way to one item tend to respond similarly
to related items within the same scale, indicating stable and coherent measurement.
Validity: Measuring What Matters in Sport
Construct validity
The four pillars are grounded in established frameworks from sport and personality psychology,
including Self-Determination Theory and Achievement Goal Theory. Item groupings align with the
intended constructs when examined statistically.
Convergent patterns
- Higher Intrinsic Drive relates to greater enjoyment and self-directed persistence.
- Higher Other-Referenced competitiveness aligns with emphasis on rankings and public performance.
- Tactical profiles associate with planning and situational awareness indicators.
- Collaborative profiles associate with communication preferences and team cohesion.
Predictive signals
Early coach observations suggest that profiles mirror training behavior, pressure response,
and communication style in practice. Longer-term validation work is in progress to strengthen
these links with performance outcomes.
Factor Structure
Statistical testing supports the intended four-pillar model of the Sport Personality Assessment.
Items designed to measure each pillar cluster together coherently and remain distinct from the
other pillars, indicating that the scales capture separate, meaningful dimensions of athlete
psychology (Drive, Competitive Style, Cognitive Approach, Social Style).
In plain terms: the questions for each pillar tend to “move together” as a group and measure a
single concept, while staying clearly differentiated from the other pillars. This is the expected
pattern for concise, applied sport-psychology instruments.
Continuous Refinement
Reliability and validity are not one-time checks. We monitor item performance, score distributions,
and cross-scale relationships on an ongoing basis to keep results stable and fair across sports,
genders, and levels of experience.
Summary at a Glance
Key References
- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior.
- Nicholls, J. G. (1984). Achievement motivation and performance. Psychological Review, 91(3), 328–346.
- Vallerand, R. J. (2008). On the psychology of passion. Canadian Psychology, 49(1), 1–13.
- Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology.
- Smith, R. E., & Smoll, F. L. (1990). Cognitive-behavioral interventions with youth athletes. Sport Psychologist, 4(1), 31–47.
The Sport Personality Assessment demonstrates solid reliability (α ≈ 0.77–0.85) and encouraging
validity across all four pillars. It is designed to be scientifically sound and practically useful
for athletes, coaches, and sport-psychology professionals.
