Author(s): MACDONALD, D., RATHWELL, S., PIERCE, S., FERREIRA, M., GONÇALVES, I.O., DIAS, L., CAMIRÉ, M., SANTOS, F., Institution: UNIVERSITY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, Country: CANADA, Abstract-ID: 488

Introduction
Researchers have long been interested in understanding the influence of sport on youth development. However, much research has done so by identifying specific variables and investigating their impact on participants, which has hindered scholars’ ability to consider the youth sport context from a more holistic perspective. Using a Delphi methodology and scholars from six continents, Vella and colleagues (2025) identified 82 indicators of quality youth sport contexts. This approach aimed to qualify the dimensions of quality youth sport contexts. The identification of these indicators served as a springboard to the current study, which aimed to develop a tool capable of assessing the presence of the indicators across a range of youth sport contexts.
Methods
The 82 quality youth sport indicators were developed into items intended to measure the youth sport context. A total of 53 items were developed, with 34 being targeted at athlete perceptions through Likert-scale questions. The remaining 19 items, which are addressed by yes/no questions, are aimed at program administrators and were not part of the current analyses. A total of 667 Portuguese-speaking youth sport participants completed the 34 items. The participants were then randomly allocated to two independent samples. Exploratory structural equation modelling analyses were undertaken with the first sample to devise a preliminary factor structure. Structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis were used with the second sample to validate the factor structure. Reliability and validity tests were also performed on the proposed instrument.
Results
Exploratory and confirmatory analyses trimmed the 34 items into a 16-item tool measuring four factors (i.e., focus on enjoyment and positive experience, appropriate coach instruction, providing a safe climate, and long-term personal development) that showed good model fit χ2 (98) = 201.785.511, p < .001, χ2/df = 2.059, CFI = .945, TLI = .933, SRMR= .047, and RMSEA = .057 (90% confidence interval [CI] = .045, .068). Further, results demonstrated adequate validity and reliability across the measure.
Discussion
The results provide support for an athlete-focused Portuguese-language assessment tool of the quality youth sport indicators. It is recommended that the tool be used in conjunction to the program administrator items to gather a holistic understanding of the youth sport context. The intent is that this instrument will instigate further research on the indicators and lead to adaptations of the tool into different socio-cultural contexts.

Vella, S., Pierce, S., Camiré, M., Newman, T.J., MacDonald, D.J., Milistetd, M., Strachan, L., & Santos, F. (2025). What is quality youth sport programming? A Delphi study of international scholar perspectives. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2025.2455171