Validation of the Sport Passion Measurement Scale of Park Golf Participants

This study applied the Rasch Rating Scale Model(RSM) to verify the validity of a measurement scale for exercise passion among park golf participants. The main conclusions are as follows. First, the five-point response scale was found to be inappropriate due to insufficient step calibration intervals in the mean measurement values. In contrast, the four-point scale satisfied the frequency and threshold criteria, demonstrating better fit. Second, the results of the Rasch principal component analysis of residuals showed that both the first contrast and the disattenuated correlations between clusters met the criteria, indicating that the scale has a unidimensional structure. Third, the item fit analysis revealed that items 4 and 9 were misfitting based on the infit mean square and point-biserial correlation criteria. Fourth, the differential item functioning(DIF) analysis by gender showed that items 2, 5, 8, and 13 functioned differentially between males and females. Fifth, after removing the misfitting and DIF items, the remaining eight items(1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, and 14) demonstrated acceptable PSI and ISI values, confirming the validity and consistency of measurement in distinguishing item difficulty and respondent ability. In conclusion, the Park Golf Exercise Passion Scale developed in this study—consisting of eight items, a four-point response format, and a unidimensional structure—can be presented as a valid and reliable measurement tool. Therefore, this scale can be effectively utilized by field instructors and program managers to assess the exercise passion levels of older park golf participants and to design customized motivational and participation strategies.