PHYSICAL SELF-CONCEPT IN PRIMARY EDUCATION. A PROPOSAL FOR A MEASUREMENT TOOL

This research has two main goals: (a) setting up a valid and reliable tool under the form of a questionnaire to measure physical self-concept; and (b) checking the factor structure of that questionnaire "Physical Self on Primary Students" (PSPS) through a factor analysis. Accordingly, we drew up a tool consisting of 20 items that was delivered to 330 students during an initial pilot stage, and to 692 students during a second stage, all of them being 5th and 6th primary grade students. The results reveal the existence of a four dimensional mode, since the indexes found in the confirmatory factorial analysis show a reasonably suitable adjustment of the model. Thus, the GFI index provides values of .827 and .773 for the AGFI. At the same time, the c2 provides a value of 1043.64 (P =.000) with 104 degrees of freedom. The value of the IFC is .862, close to the subjective cut-off point to consider it a model of fair representation of the observed data. PSP-PS showed as a valid and reliable tool, easy to apply to primary students. It could contribute to detect, prevent and/or intervene in students with low self-esteem.