Adaptation to Spanish and psychometric study of the Flow State Scale-2 in the field of musical performers

Abstract

Flow is a positive and optimal state of mind, during which people are highly motivated and absorbed in the activity they are doing. It is an experience that can occur in any area of life. One of the measurement instruments which is most commonly used to evaluate this construct is the Flow State Scale-2 (FSS-2). This instrument has been used in different languages, mainly in the field of sport. In this research work, the FSS-2 has been translated into Spanish and administered to 486 musicians from different regions of Spain in order to examine the psychometric properties. A version which uses six dimensions from the original questionnaire has been used—those that constitute the experience of flow—and four alternative models have been analysed (Six related factors model, two second order factor models and a bifactor model).The results revealed that the dimension time could be controversial and more research could be needed. In general terms, the six-factor model (RMSEA = .04; GFI = .99; AGFI = .99) and a second-factor one (RMSEA = .033; GFI = .99; AGFI = .99) are solutions consistent with previous studies and show that the questionnaire can be considered a reliable (Alphas of the dimensions range from .81 to .94; Omegas from .86 to .97; and mean discrimination of the dimensions from .64 to .88) and useful tool, both in clinical and educational contexts, as well as an instrument for the evaluation of this construct in future research. However, the results of this study also suggest that flow can be explored in greater depth in musicians, taking into account that the writing of the original items was based on the experience of athletes and that the role of time in flow needs to be investigated.