I. Ability Scales: Athletic Ability Beliefs: Conceptions of the Nature of Athletic Ability Questionnaire Version 2 (CNAAQ-2)

Background

It is known that pre-existing belief systems can affect a person’s cognition, affect and behaviour in achievement settings. Research has shown that beliefs are associated with goal orientations, self-regulation, effort exertion, achievement, and enjoyment (e.g., Dweck, 1999; Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Wang & Biddle, 2001). In the academic domain, Dweck (1986, 1999) has presented a model of implicit theories of intelligence to explain the general conceptualisation of goals. Sarrazin et al. (1996) developed the Conceptions of the Nature of Athletic Ability Questionnaire (CNAAQ) to study self-theories of sport ability drawing from Dweck’s theoretical work (Dweck, 1986, 1990). Recently, Biddle, Wang, Chatzisarantis, and Spray (2003) examined the psychometric properties of the CNAAQ using a large UK sample (n = 3321). Their results supported a multidimensional hierarchical structure, whereby confirmatory factor analysis identified two higher-order factors underpinned by beliefs that athletic ability is stable and a gift (entity) and beliefs that ability is open to improvement and can be developed through learning (incremental). The revised questionnaire was named the Conceptions of the Nature of Athletic Ability Questionnaire Version 2 (CNAAQ-2). These researchers established that the higher-order entity and incremental beliefs are important predictors of intrinsic interest and a motivation in PE and sport.

Abstract

The present study examined the cross-cultural validity of the Conceptions of the Nature of Athletic Ability Questionnaire Version 2 (CNAAQ-2) using two samples of secondary school students from the United Kingdom (n = 784) and Singapore (n = 647). The factorial invariance and structural latent mean differences were investigated. Confirmatory factor analyses of both samples supported a structure comprising two higher-order factors of entity and incremental beliefs underpinned by beliefs that athletic ability is stable and a gift (entity) and is open to improvement and can be developed through learning (incremental). The pooled data analysis provided evidence for the cross-cultural applicability of the measurement model. Multigroup analysis demonstrated invariance of the factor forms, factor loadings, factor variances, and factor covariances. However, the latent mean structures of all dimensions measured by the CNAAQ-2 were not equivalent for the UK and Singaporean samples, suggesting that there may be cultural influences in terms of mean scores of the constructs in children.

Scales and Subscales

Incremental beliefs and entity beliefs. The subscales of incremental beliefs include learning (3 items, e.g., to be successful in sport you need to learn techniques and skills, and practice them regularly) and improvement (3 items, e.g., how good you are at sport will always improve if you work at it). The subscales of entity beliefs include stable (3 items, e.g., it is difficult to change how good you are in sport) and gift (3 items, e.g., to be good in sport you need to be naturally gifted).

References

Biddle, S. J. H., Wang, C. K. J., Chatzisarantis, N. L. D., & Spray, C. M. (2003). Motivation for physical activity in young people: Entity and incremental beliefs about athletic ability. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21, 973–989. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410310001641377

Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41, 1040–1048. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0003-066X.41.10.1040

Dweck, C. S. (1999). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality, and development. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor & Francis.

Dweck, C. S., & Leggett, E. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological Review, 95, 256–273. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-295X.95.2.256

Sarrazin, P., Biddle, S. J. H., Famose, J. P., Cury, F., Fox, K., & Durand, M. (1996). Goal orientations and conceptions of the nature of sport ability in children: A social cognitive approach. British Journal of Social Psychology, 35,399–414.

Wang, C. K. J., & Biddle, S. J. H. (2001). Young people s motivational profiles in physical activity: A cluster analysis. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 23, 1–22.

Citation

Wang, C. K. J., Liu, W. C., Biddle, S. J. H., & Spray, C. M. (2005). Cross-cultural validation of the Conceptions of the Nature of Athletic Ability Questionnaire Version 2.        Personality and Individual Differences, 38, 1245-1256.