Revisiting the English Short Measure for Adult Playfulness (SMAP): An Investigation of Reliability, Validity, and Cross-Cultural Comparisons

Adult playfulness describes the personality of the quick initiation and strong intensity of enjoyable experiences coupled with the frequency of engaging in playful behaviors. In addition to examining the reliability and validity of the Short Measure for Adult Playfulness (SMAP), we compared the psychometric properties of the SMAP across (a) 4- and 7-point answer formats; (b) German and English language versions; and (c) gender. The SMAP and criterion validity measures were distributed across three independent samples from Canada (<i>N</i>_total = 1,177) and a German sample (<i>N</i> = 660). Results supported a unidimensional solution with strong factor loadings for all items (>.50 across all samples) and high test-retest reliability (<i>r</i> = .67, BF₁₀>100). In item response theory analyses, high discrimination parameters were found across the latent continuum. Although both the four-point and seven-point Likert scale versions showed robust item properties, the seven-point Likert scale version yielded more precise measurement of higher playfulness (θ > 1.50). No significant differential item functioning was located across gender or language. Finally, results supported external construct validity <i>via</i> associations with broad personality traits, humor, and orientations to happiness. The present investigation provides support for the reliability and validity of the English SMAP for concise adult playfulness measurement.