Development of a Self-perceived Soccer Competence Scale

Hisataka Ambe, Daisuke Matsumoto, Eriko Sakamoto,
Koji Murase and Masaru Ochiai

[Received August 11, 2011 ; Accepted July 20, 2012] 

The purpose of this study was to develop a self-rating scale capable of measuring the selfperceived
soccer competence of soccer players. A total of 206 Japanese male college soccer
players completed a questionnaire based upon 60 items selected from a preliminary study.
Exploratory factor analysis was applied to obtain a factor structure of self-perceived soccer
competence. Participants were also asked to score their own abilities as soccer players out of
a possible hundred. The players’ self-evaluated soccer ability scores were used as a criterion
variable. Exploratory factor analysis yielded 10 subscales for the scale: situationally specifi c
passing and ball control skill, speed, dribbling skill, physical strength, endurance, defending
skill, leadership, motivation, long kick skill and heading skill. The scale contained individual
ball techniques and group skill (situationally specific passing and ball control, leadership,
dribbling skill, defending skill, long kick skill and heading skill), physical fitness (speed,
physical strength and endurance) and mental toughness (motivation), thus it seems that the
scale covered enough area to evaluate a soccer player’s self-perceived soccer competence.
Additionally, the players who had displayed lower soccer ability scores showed signifi cantly
lower scores on the self-perceived soccer competence scale as compared to players who had
displayed higher soccer ability scores. This result suggests that the criterion-referenced
validity of the scale developed was verifi ed. The results showed that the self-perceived soccer
competence scale has the potential to multi-dimensionally and precisely reflect the soccer
competence of Japanese college soccer players.


Keywords: Soccer competence scale, Japanese college soccer players, Criterion-referenced validity

[Football Science Vol.10, 18-27, 2013]


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