Psychometric properties of the Sport Mental Health Continuum - Short Form scale (Sport MHC-SF): cross-cultural validation and measurement invariance of the Chinese adaptation

BACKGROUND: Sport Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (Sport MHC-SF) is an adaptation of the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form for athletes. Although validated in Western contexts, its applicability to the Chinese population remains unexplored. This study aims to validate the Chinese adaptation of the Sport MHC-SF in Chinese university athletes, evaluate its reliability and validity, and confirm its factorial structure.

METHODS: A total of 1,025 Chinese university athletes (65% male, mean age 20 ± 1.54 years) were included in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multi-group CFA (MGCFA) were conducted using Mplus 8.0 to evaluate the factorial structure and assess measurement invariance across sports levels.

RESULTS: Both the three-factor and second-order models demonstrated a good fit for the Chinese adaptation of the Sport MHC-SF. Chi-square values were 262.704 (74) and 262.705 (74), respectively, with a comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.968, a Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) of 0.961, a standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) of 0.027, and a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.050 (90% CI: 0.043-0.056). Measurement invariance across ranked and non-ranked athletes was confirmed, with minimal changes in fit indices (ΔCFI ≤ 0.01, ΔTLI ≤ 0.01, ΔRMSEA ≤ 0.015) from configural to strict invariance.

CONCLUSION: The Chinese adaptation of the Sport MHC-SF scale has strong construct validity, reliability, and measurement invariance, making it a reliable tool for future research on the well-being of Chinese athletes. This study fills a critical gap in cross-cultural validation, offering a foundation for future research and practical applications in sports psychology among Chinese athletes.