Stacy L. Gnacinski

Functional Movement Screen Factorial Validity and Measurement Invariance Across Sex Among Collegiate Student-Athletes

Abstract Gnacinski, SL, Cornell, DJ, Meyer, BB, Arvinen-Barrow, M, and Earl-Boehm, JE. Functional Movement Screen factorial validity and measurement invariance across sex among collegiate student-athletes. J Strength Cond Res 30(12): 3388–3395, 2016—The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a screening tool used to evaluate functional movement quality and subsequent musculoskeletal injury risk. Despite recent research on the factorial validity of the FMS, no confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has been conducted to examine measurement invariance across sex among student-athletes. The primary purpose of the current study was to confirm the factor structure of the FMS measurement model in a collegiate student-athlete population. It was hypothesized that the 1-factor model would demonstrate better model fit than the recently proposed 2-factor model. The secondary purpose of the study was to examine FMS measurement invariance across sex using the previously identified measurement model. It was hypothesized that FMS measurement invariance would hold across sex. Male (n = 88) and female (n = 88) collegiate student-athletes completed FMS screening during the off-season. Factorial validity was examined using CFA procedures, and model parameters were estimated using maximum likelihood estimation. Measurement invariance was examined by comparison of fit indices between hierarchically constrained models. Results revealed support for both the 1- and the 2-factor models; however, the 2-factor model failed to fit the data significantly better than the 1-factor model. Results also indicated that measurement invariance did not hold across sex, indicating that the FMS sum score construct is not measured equivalently in male and female populations. Collectively, results provide evidence for the use of the unidimensional FMS sum score among collegiate student-athletes, yet prompt caution because it relates to the evaluation of sex differences in sum or movement pattern scores.

Examining the Merit of Grit in Women's Soccer: Questions of Theory, Measurement, and Application

The purpose of the current study was to examine the factorial validity of existing grit measures and to examine differences in the grit level of athletes across performance tiers (i.e., collegiate, professional, Olympic). Female soccer players (N = 305) of varying competitive levels completed measures of grit. Results revealed preliminary support for the 8-item Grit Scale factorial validity, as well as a significant age-adjusted difference in grit level between Division I and Division II collegiate athletes. Taken together, study results prompt questions regarding the theoretical underpinnings, and consequent measurement, of the grit construct in sport psychology practice.

Measures of health, fitness, and functional movement among firefighter recruits.

Aim. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between various health and fitness measures and Functional Movement Screen™ (FMS™) scores among 78 firefighter recruits. Methods. Relationships between FMS™ scores and age, body mass index (BMI), sit and reach (S&R) distance, estimated maximal aerobic capacity (V˙O2max), estimated one-repetition maximum squat (1RM-Squatmax), and plank endurance (%Plankmax) were examined. Results. Total FMS™ scores were significantly correlated with BMI (r = −0.231, p = 0.042), estimated 1RM-Squatmax (r = 0.302, p = 0.007), and %Plankmax (r = 0.320, p = 0.004). Multiple regression analyses indicated that this combination of predictors significantly predicted (F(3, 74) = 5.043, p = 0.003) Total FMS™ score outcomes and accounted for 17% of the total variance (R2 = 0.170). In addition, logistic regression analyses indicated that estimated 1RM-Squatmax also significantly predicted (χ2 = 6.662, df = 1, p = 0.010) FMS™ group membership (≤14 or ≥15). Conclusion. These results suggest that the health and fitness measures of obesity (BMI), bilateral lower extremity strength (estimated 1RM-Squatmax), and core muscular endurance (%Plankmax) are significantly associated with functional movement patterns among firefighter recruits. Consequently, injury prevention programs implemented among firefighter recruits should target these aspects of health and fitness.

Influence of body mass index on movement efficiency among firefighter recruits

BACKGROUND Previous research has demonstrated links between musculoskeletal injury risk and measures of obesity and movement efficiency among the firefighter population. However, the influence of obesity on movement efficiency among firefighter recruits remains uninvestigated. OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of obesity on movement efficiency measures among firefighter recruits. METHODS Measures of obesity were collected among 73 male firefighter recruits. Participants were grouped into standard body mass index (BMI) categories (normal, overweight, obese). Differences in Total Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores and Y-Balance Test (YBT) composite scores were examined between BMI categories. In addition, the relationships between measures of obesity and movement efficiency were also examined. RESULTS No significant differences in movement efficiency measures were identified between BMI categories (p > 0.05). However, significant bivariate correlations were identified between BMI (kg/m2) and Total FMS score (r = -0.235, p = 0.045), as well as between fat-free mass (FFM) and Total FMS score (r = -0.231, p = 0.049), when examined among all participants. CONCLUSIONS BMI may influence measures of movement efficiency among firefighter recruits to a lesser extent than among other previously examined populations. Future research should examine the influence of other unexamined physiological variables on movement efficiency.

Factorial validity and measurement invariance of the Perceived Susceptibility to Sport Injury scale

The Perceived Susceptibility to Sport Injury (PSSI) scale is a measure that has recently surfaced in the sport injury literature. The factor structure of the PSSI scale has not been subjected to a rigorous factor analysis; thus, the factorial validity of the measure in athlete populations is unknown. To establish the validity of the PSSI scale in sports medicine research, the purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance across gender of the PSSI scale. Male and female intercollegiate athletes (N = 217) completed the PSSI scale during the off‐season. The factor structure was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedures and maximum likelihood estimation. The measurement invariance analysis was conducted via comparisons of fit indices within a series of hierarchically constrained models. Results of the CFA yielded a very good fit of the measurement model: χ2 (2) = 4.535, P = 0.104; RMSEA = 0.076; SRMR = 0.018; CFI = 0.995; NNFI = 0.985. Results of the measurement invariance analysis demonstrated strict invariance across gender, and no significant latent mean differences emerged between men and women. Study results support the factorial validity of the PSSI scale for use in future sports medicine research.