The psychometric properties of the exercise dependence scale among South African university students.

Background: Exercise dependence is a maladaptive pattern of exercise that can lead to physical and psychological impairment. This phenomenon can be assessed using the Exercise Dependence Scale (EDS-R). However, the reliability and validity of the scale have yet to be established for the South African context. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to verify the factorial structure and reliability of the Exercise Dependence Scale among South African university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 486 university students (176 males and 303 females, 4 non-binary and 3 participants not willing to disclose their gender) with a range of ages between 18 and 62 (23±6 years) who were invited to complete an online questionnaire comprising a demographic questionnaire and the EDS-R. Results: Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the seven-factor model of the EDS-R, with all subscales demonstrating acceptable to high internal consistency (α=0.75-0.94). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit indices (Comparative fit index = 0.96, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.95, Root mean square error of approximation = 0.06, 90% CI: 0.05-0.070, Standardised root mean square error residual = 0.05). Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study indicate an acceptable fit index, confirming the 7-factor structure of the EDS-R. However, it would be beneficial to remove item 10 from this scale for the South African content or consider rephrasing items 10 and 19. Further research is needed to investigate and verify the factorial structure of the EDS-R in the South African context.