Development and initial validation of the Partnership Scale-DanceSport Couples

Abstract

IntroductionDanceSport is described as a dance involving a male–female partner. It is important to comprehend the partnership between dance couples so that their competitive performance can be effectively supported. However, only a few studies have verified the influence of partnership between DanceSport couples on competitive performance and explored its psychological mechanism to provide means to deal with the partnership. The reason was that there was a lack of appropriate assessment tools.AimsThis multi-study outlines the development, content, and construct validity of a novel, mixed-method tool to assess DanceSport partnership.MethodsThe development of the Partnership Scale-DanceSport Couples (PS-DSC) included four studies and data from four samples of Chinese elite dancers (N = 914 total). In stage 1, outlined in study 1, PS-DSC items were generated and then refined using the feedback provided by academics, sports coaches, and elite dancers. In stage 2, outlined in studies 2 and 3, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to examine the structure of the PS-DSC items. In stage 3, outlined in study 4, composite reliability, discriminant validity, and convergent validity were assessed. The result of this process was a 13-item three-factor instrument. Based on these initial findings, the PS-DSC provided the first valid and reliable way of measuring partnerships between DanceSport couples.ConclusionThis study has taken the promising first step in developing a tool to comprehensively measure partnerships between DanceSport couples.

Association between obligatory instrumental ties and competitive performance in DanceSport couples and mediation of athlete engagement: An actor–partner interdependence mediation model

“…Obligatory Instrumental Ties (OIT), refers to the reciprocal behavior tendency of elite dancer couples based on the principle of obligation ruled by "renqing" to maintain their partnership in the entire process of taking DanceSport competition as the goal, which contains obligation and instrument factors 14 . As mentioned above, it is determined by the purpose of competitive sports to expect to win the competition.…”

“…Therefore, sports dancers may also develop mental states or behaviors that is not conducive to cooperative training or competition in speci c situations because of the utilitarianism that exists between dance couples. As one professional elite dancer mentions: "We are not a couple, we are ghting together for a common goal, but I still hope not to look too much utilitarian, we are all friends" 14 . So, a dancer's obligatory instrumental ties may not play partner effects on the partners' competitive performance.…”

“…The Obligatory Instrumental Ties in the Partnership Scale-DanceSport Couples (PS-DSC) is adopted for the current research 14 . The questionnaire consists of 5 items, namely "Cooperate with my partner will get closer to my goal", "Cooperate with my partner will make me grow professionally" "Cooperate with my partner will achieve my goal" "Cooperate with my partner promote my ability" and "I obligately follow the training plan agreed with my partner" and Cronbachs α is 0.879.…”

“…In all, a high-quality obligatory instrumental ties between DanceSport couples forms a high-quality partnership between the couples 14 . In the Chinese context, a high-quality obligatory instrumental ties refers to the tendency of elite dancers to maintain high-quality reciprocal behaviors in their partnership based on the principle of obligation ruled by "renqing" during the whole process of aiming at DanceSport competitions, which contains a high level of sense of obligation and utilitarian factors 14 . It is mostly determined by the purpose of competitive sports to expect to win the competition.…”

“…As Cheng Dan, the champion of China's ballroom dance professional group, recalled: "We did not want to be eliminated, and instead of the best players, we were more active in this eld of competition." So, partners often exhibit a high degree of reciprocity and interaction 16 , and the partnership is always taken as an instrument to obtain bene ts 14 . When describing the ideal dance partnership, an elite dancer suggests a partner who can help them improve their dancing skills, and obtain excellent competitive performance is perfect 16 .…”