Validation of the Autonomy-Supportive Coaching Questionnaire (ASCQ) in young Spanish athletes

The main objective of this research was to validate the Autonomy-Supportive Coaching Questionnaire (ASCQ) for the Spanish context. To do so, three studies were conducted with samples of athletes, from 12 to 17 years of age. In the first study, the ASCQ exploratory factor analysis revealed the presence of two factors: Praise for autonomous behaviour and interest in athlete's input. Also, the instrument showed an adequate internal consistency and temporal stability. The second study confirmed the factor structure obtained in the first, giving adequate fit indices. Finally, in the third study, invariance across gender and the criterion validity by correlation analysis were noted. A positive correlation was found between the praise for autonomous behaviour and the athlete's intention of being physically active.