The Physical Activity Class Satisfaction Questionnaire (PACSQ) in Greek educational context: Psychometric properties

Background: The Greek bibliography does not provide researchers with a credible measurement instrument that can estimate satisfaction as a multi-dimensional concept, in the frame of a physical education lesson. Objective: The main aim of this study was to cross-validate the Greek version of the Physical Activity Class Satisfaction Questionnaire (PACSQ) in a Greek educational context. The internal consistency of the PACSQ was also examined as well as the levels of satisfaction, gender, and grade of studies as factors that differentiate lesson satisfaction from lesson attendance. Methods: A total of 459 elementary school students (220 boys and 239 girls) aged between 11 and 12 years, across the country joined in the study. The Greek version of PACSQ was used. The statistical analysis included descriptive analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis and discriminant and convergent validity, and one-way multivariate analysis of variance. Results: The results of the confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the hypothesized model produced a significant χ2 (3311.55), normed fit index (.95) and comparative fit index (.96). The root mean square error of approximation (.62) was also considered to assess the degree of fit of the model. Composite reliability (≥ .879) and variance extracted (≥ .586) of all dimensions of the PACSQ demonstrated an acceptable reliability coefficient. Conclusions: From the analysis of the results, we came to the following conclusions. The PACSQ constitutes an instrument credible enough to measure the satisfaction of elementary school male and female students. Students seem to be quite satisfied by the cognitive process. Gender is a differentiation factor only as far as Normative Success is concerned. Students in the 6th grade (12 years old) appear to be more satisfied by their participatiοn in a physical education lesson.