Exercise addiction in Mexico: Psychometric properties of the Exercise Addiction Inventory and risk analysis

Adicción al ejercicio en México: propiedades psicométricas del Exercise Addiction Inventory y análisis de riesgo

Dahiana Salazar , Abril Cantú , Andrés Ceballos , Rosendo Berengüí

Suma Psicológica, (2021), 28(2), pp. 97-103.

Received 16 September 2020
Accepted 29 April 2021

https://doi.org/10.14349/sumapsi.2021.v28.n2.4

Resumen

Introducción: Las consecuencias de la adicción al ejercicio físico impactan de manera física, psicológica y social en el practicante, de forma similar a otras adicciones, pudiendo ocasionar serios problemas para su salud. En México se desconoce su incidencia y relevancia, y no se dispone de instrumentos para su evaluación. El objetivo de este artículo fue analizar las propiedades psicométricas del Exercise Addiction Inventory en el contexto mexicano, y examinar su relevancia en diferentes grupos de practicantes. Método: Participaron 487 practicantes de ejercicio físico o deporte competitivo, de edades entre 18 y 52 años, y una media de edad de 22.04 años. Se empleó el EAI, y se realizaron análisis de fiabilidad, análisis factorial confirmatorio y de invarianza factorial. También se comprobaron las diferencias entre grupos de participantes. Resultados: Los resultados demostraron la estructura unifactorial del instrumento, con índices de bondad y ajuste satisfactorios, y se confirma su invarianza factorial. La fiabilidad obtenida fue adecuada. Además, se encontraron diferencias significativas entre hombres y mujeres con relación al grado de adicción, mayor riesgo de los deportistas frente a practicantes habituales de ejercicio, y un 26.5% de participantes que obtienen puntuaciones que los sitúan en alto riesgo de adicción al ejercicio. Conclusiones: Se concluye que el EAI se muestra como un instrumento adecuado y fiable, con apropiadas propiedades psicométricas. En la población estudiada hay una tasa excesivamente alta de participantes que presentan un elevado riesgo de adicción, siendo los hombres y los deportistas los grupos con mayor susceptibilidad a padecerla.


Palabras clave:
Adicción al ejercicio, dependencia al ejercicio, comportamiento adictivo, EAI, deporte

Abstract

Introduction: The consequences of exercise addiction have a physical, psychological and social impact on the sports men and women, similar to others addictions, which can cause serious health problems. In Mexico its incidence and relevance are unknown, and there is no instrument for its evaluation. This study aims to analyse the psychometric properties of the Exercise Addiction Inventory in a Mexican context and examine its relevance to different groups of people who practice sport. Method: Participants consisted of 487 people who practice physical exercise or competitive sport, aged between 18 and 52, with a mean age of 22.04. The EAI was used, and reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and factorial invariance analysis were conducted. Differences between groups of participants were also tested. Results: The results demonstrated the unifactorial structure of instrument, with satisfactory goodness of fit indices, and its factorial invariance was confirmed. The reliability obtained was adequate. In addition, significant differences were found between men and women in relation to degree of addiction, there was a higher risk for athletes compared to regular exercise goers, and 26.5% of participants obtained scores that place them at a high risk of exercise addiction. Conclusions: It is concluded that EAI is an adequate and reliable instrument, with appropriate psychometric properties. In the studied population there is an excessively high rate of participants who present a high risk of addiction, and men and athletes are the most susceptible groups to develop an exercise addiction.


Keywords:
Exercise addiction, exercise dependence, addictive behaviour, EAI, sport

Artículo Completo
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