Maladaptive exercise: A psychometric investigation.

Abstract

There are multiple conceptualizations of maladaptive exercise with each being assessed by different measures. This has led to challenges in integrating the literature. Better understanding of the underlying processes of maladaptive exercise is needed to better conceptualize the construct. The present study used data from two independent samples, a college student sample (n = 497), identified primarily as female (72%), male (22%), White (38%), and Black (22%), and a sample recruited for their exercise engagement (n = 500), identified primarily as female (41%), male (56%), White (57%), and Black (20%). All participants completed self-report measures, including measures of maladaptive exercise (i.e., the Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised, Exercise Addiction Inventory-3, and Compulsive Exercise Test) and assessments of focal criterion variables for the problematic behavior (i.e., impulsivity, compulsivity, and eating disorder pathology). We used exploratory factor analysis to examine the overlapping and distinct content across measures of maladaptive exercise. We then examined correlations between the focal criterion variables and the measures of maladaptive exercise and latent factors. In both samples, the exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor solution reflecting tolerance and structure, impairment, exercise worries, and affect regulation. Our findings highlight the overlapping and distinct qualities of the varying assessment instruments and how those qualities map onto the potential underlying processes of maladaptive exercise. Future work should continue to refine the features of a broad definition of maladaptive exercise and develop a self-report measure that integrates the content from the existing measures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).