Athletic Identity Measurement Scale

What it measures

Measures the degree to which a person identifies with the athlete role — the strength and exclusivity of their cognitive, affective, and behavioural commitment to sport. Strong athletic identity predicts sport commitment and motivation but also increases vulnerability to psychological distress following injury or retirement. One of the most cited scales in sport psychology.

Response format

Likert (1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Representative items

• I consider myself an athlete.
• I have many goals related to sport.
• Most of my friends are athletes. (Social Identity)
• Sport is the most important part of my life. (Exclusivity)
• I feel bad about myself when I do poorly in sport. (Negative Affectivity)

Usage notes & scoring

Three subscale scores and total. Higher total = stronger athletic identity. Strong athletic identity motivates commitment but creates vulnerability to distress following injury, deselection, or career transition. Widely used in sport injury psychology, career transition, and dual career research.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Brewer, B.W., Van Raalte, J.L., & Linder, D.E. (1993). Athletic identity: Hercules muscles or Achilles heel? International Journal of Sport Psychology, 24(2), 237–254.

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