Selection Criteria and a Battery of Specific Physical Fitness Tests for Vietnamese University Students: A Case Study of Elective Basketball Courses

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to establish scientific criteria and identify an appropriate battery of specific physical fitness tests with adequate reliability and validity for Vietnamese university students enrolled in elective basketball courses.

Methods: The study employed document analysis, expert consultation using a two-round Delphi process involving 30 experts, and a pedagogical experiment with 120 university students, comprising 60 males and 60 females. Test–retest reliability was evaluated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r), while empirical validity was examined through correlations between test performance and actual game performance. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to optimize the test battery.

Results: Five fundamental criteria for test selection were identified: specificity, reliability, validity, feasibility, and safety. From an initial pool of 24 basketball-specific tests, seven tests met the predefined expert-consensus criterion and were subsequently evaluated for reliability and validity. Six tests demonstrated acceptable test–retest reliability, whereas the 20-m single-leg hop test showed insufficient reliability and was excluded. Of the remaining six tests, five demonstrated satisfactory empirical validity, while the 4 × 10-m shuttle run failed to meet the predefined validity criterion. The final battery therefore comprised five tests: (1) 30-s defensive shuffle; (2) 20-m variable-speed dribble sprint; (3) standing vertical jump to touch the backboard; (4) 20-s wall pass test; and (5) 1-min self-rebounding shooting test. The selected tests demonstrated high reliability (r> 0.80) and validity (r> 0.60). A 10-point evaluation scale based on the normal distribution (M ± SD) was also established.

Conclusion: The five-test battery satisfies the predefined scientific and practical criteria and provides a feasible approach for assessing basketball-specific physical fitness among university students participating in elective basketball courses in Vietnam.