Abstract
Identity Theorists (McCall, 1966) purport that the prominence of a given role is of great importance as it is associated with the likelihood of enacting behaviours linked with that role. This study was designed to examine select reliability and validity properties of the Coach Identity Prominence Scale (CIPS) – a new instrument designed to measure the prominence of the coaching role. 454 (males = 265; females = 186) coaches ranging from 15 - 80 (M = 39.85; SD = 13.10) years of age participated in the study and reported coaching between 1 - 60 (M = 14.10; SD = 10.58) years. Participants completed an online survey that included an initial set of 13 CIPS items and 3 items (a = .79) that assessed commitment to coaching. After examining a series of CFA models, the 13 CIPS items were reduced to an eight item (a = .93) measurement model which yielded standardized factor loadings that averaged .80, and zero standardized residual covariance scores that exceeded |2.00|. Fit index scores for the CFA were as follows; ?2 = 108.44; CFI = .97; RMSEA = .10; SRMR = .03. A structural model that examined the pathway from coach commitment to coach identity prominence provided support for the nomological validity of the CIPS; ß = .77 (p < .001); ?2 = 178.32, CFI = .96; RMSEA = .08; SRMR = .03. Considering the results from the present study, initial support was provided for the internal consistency, factorial validity, and nomological validity of the Coach Identity Prominence Scale.Acknowledgments: This research was supported by a scholarship granted to the lead author by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.