Spanish adaptation and validation of the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI)

Background: The purpose of this study was to validate the Addiction Exercise Inventory (EAI) in the Spanish context. Method: Five hundred and eighty-four university students participated in the study, completing a questionnaire that assessed exercise addiction, exercise frequency and intensity. Results: The results supported the factor structure of the EAI model. An alpha value of.70 and high level of temporal stability (ICC =.92) were obtained. The structure of the model was invariant across gender. A group of 87 students (14.9%) obtained a total score equal to or higher than 24 in the EAI and were classified as being at risk of exercise addiction. Students exercising more than three days per week at high intensity obtained higher scores in exercise addiction than students exercising at low-medium intensity, regardless of their frequency. Conclusions: The findings of this study showed the reliability and validity of the EAI in a Spanish context, providing a practical instrument that allows screening for exercise addiction.