THE REVISED CSAI-2 IS A BETTER MEASURE OF COMPETITIVE STATE ANXIETY

Cox, R. H., Martens, M. P., & Russell, W. D. (2003). Measuring anxiety in athletics: The Revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 25, 519-533.

Concerns were expressed about the second version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (CSAI-2). Of particular interest was a failure to use confirmatory factor analysis (cross-validation of the factor structure). College-age intramural athletes (N = 503) served as subjects to confirm the factors involved with the CSAI-2. Intercollegiate and interscholastic athletes (N = 331) were used as the factor validation sample.

The confirmatory sample analysis showed a poor fit to the advertised structure of the CSAI-2. Further factor analysis resulted in a 17-item form, with multiple-loading items being removed from the original CSAI-2. The validation sample supported the revised version as being a good fit of identified factors and items.

Implication. The Revised CSAI-2 is a better measure of competitive state anxiety than the CSAI-2 and should be preferred for research.

Return to Table of Contents for this issue.