Psychometric properties of three scales related to soccer team fan identity

Authors

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/cpd.687631
Keywords: fan identity, sports involvement, self-expression, attachment to the team, psychometric study

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of three scales related to the identity of soccer team fans: involvement/importance with the team, self-expression, and attachment to the team. A quantitative, non-experimental, repeated cross-sectional, and correlational design was used. The sample consisted of 1,642 fans of the Tigres and Monterrey teams in the MX League, whose data were collected during the 2023 Clausura and Apertura tournaments. The instruments used were based on the scales proposed by Alexandris and Tsiotsou (2012), linguistically adapted to the Mexican context. The database was randomly divided into two subsamples (60/40) to evaluate the internal structure using exploratory structural equation models (ESEM) and confirmatory models (CFA). The results showed that, when analyzing the scales together, the factorial solutions presented cross-loadings and conceptual overlaps between dimensions, making it difficult to interpret them as a single integrated measure of fan identity. In contrast, when the scales were analyzed independently, a clearer and more coherent factorial structure was observed for each instrument. Internal consistency indices were high in all cases (α between .957 and .983; ω between .964 and .989), and convergent validity was adequate according to the mean variance extracted values. However, some high correlations between factors suggest a partial conceptual delimitation between the dimensions analyzed. In conclusion, the scales of involvement/importance, self-expression, and attachment to the team show better psychometric performance when used as independent instruments to analyze different facets of the psychological relationship between fans and their soccer teams.

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Published
22-04-2026
How to Cite
Ceballos-Medina, O., Morales-Sánchez, V., Medina-Rodríguez, R. E., Rodénas-Cuenca, L. T., & Morquecho-Sánchez, R. (2026). Psychometric properties of three scales related to soccer team fan identity . Sport Psychology Notebooks, 26(2), 152–174. https://doi.org/10.6018/cpd.687631
Issue
Section
Psicología del Deporte

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