Adapting the Emotion Regulation Scale for Athletes for Use with Referees and Examining Its Psychometric Properties

Abstract

This study has aimed to adapt the Emotion Regulation Scale for Athletes (ERSA) developed by Tingaz and Altun (2021) for referees. Materials and Methods: Using the convenience sampling method, 355 class referees actively serving within the basketball and handball federations in 2021-2022 were included in the study. Of the referee group, 52.11% (n=185) were basketball referees, 32.11% (n=114) were Football referees, and 15.77% (n=56) were handball referees. There were 35 (9.86%) female and 320 (90.14%) male referees. The mean age and seniority of the participants were 31.12 and 10.21 years, respectively. Data analysis was done using the SPSS 21 and AMOS programs. Principal component analysis and varimax rotation techniques were used to test the scale's construct validity. Criterion validity was calculated with Pearson's correlation coefficient. As a result, a two-factor structure with eigenvalues greater than one emerged. Internal consistency coefficients were calculated as .83 for the Cognitive Reappraisal and .76 for the Suppression. The CFA analysis revealed x2/df=1.603, RMSEA=.07, CFI=.96, GFI=.93, RMR=.10 NFI=.90, and IFI=96. Overall, the study suggested that the Emotion Regulation Scale for Referees (ERSR) was a valid and reliable tool to measure emotion regulation among referees.