[Mood state indicators for adolescent athletes based on POMS multidimensional model].

Area of Science:

• Sports Psychology
• Psychometrics

Context:

• The Profile of Mood States (POMS) is a widely used psychological instrument.
• Existing POMS versions may be lengthy for specific populations like young athletes.
• Adolescent athletes' mood states are crucial for performance and well-being.

Purpose:

• To develop and validate a shorter version of the POMS tailored for young Spanish athletes.
• To ensure the selected items are understandable, conceptually relevant to mood factors, and maintain factor integrity.
• To provide a psychometrically sound mood assessment tool for this demographic.

Summary:

• A 33-item POMS was developed using data from 106 male soccer players aged 14-15.
• Item selection prioritized subject comprehension, conceptual similarity to factors, and a minimum of 4 items per factor.
• The PROXSCAL scaling procedure ensured items closely represented their respective mood factors.
• The resulting instrument measures seven mood factors: Tension, Depression, Anger, Vigour, Fatigue, Confusion, and Friendliness.

Impact:

• Provides a brief, reliable mood assessment for adolescent athletes.
• Facilitates easier and more frequent mood monitoring in sports psychology research and practice.
• Supports the understanding of mood-performance relationships in young athletes.