Supporting coach-led dual career guidance for student-athletes: validation of the web-based Japanese version of the dual career competency questionnaire for athletes

Introduction The concept of a dual career, which emphasizes the integration of athletic and academic pursuits, has become increasingly central to athlete development policies worldwide. Although the Dual Career Competency Questionnaire for Athletes (DCCQ-A) has been psychometrically validated in multiple European contexts, Japan still lacks a culturally adapted and scalable tool to assess student-athletes' dual-career competencies. Therefore, this study aimed to address this gap by developing and validating a web-based Japanese version of the DCCQ-A (DCCQ-AJ) to facilitate empirical research and provide evidence-based educational interventions. Methods Data were collected via an online survey from 1,035 university student-athletes ( M = 19.82, SD = 1.12). The original 29-item DCCQ-A was translated following a back-translation protocol and evaluated across two dimensions perceived importance and perceived possession of competencies spanning four theoretical domains. Content validity was assessed using content validity coefficients (CVC); item discrimination was evaluated via good–poor (G–P) analysis. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to verify the factorial structure. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha, and paired-sample t-tests were used to assess discrepancies between perceived importance and possession levels. Results All items demonstrated strong content validity, and G–P analysis indicated significant item discrimination ( p < .001). CFA confirmed the four-factor structure with good model fit indices. Internal consistency was acceptable to excellent across subscales. Descriptive statistics indicated that perceived importance scores (e.g., M = 3.95–4.08) consistently exceeded perceived possession scores (e.g., M = 3.62–3.99). Paired-sample t -tests revealed statistically significant differences across all domains ( t = 5.38–15.01, p < .001), with small-to-moderate effect sizes (Cohen's d = 0.17–0.47). These results underscore meaningful gaps between what student-athletes value and what they perceive themselves as possessing, indicating domains in need of targeted support. Conclusion The DCCQ-AJ is a psychometrically sound web-based instrument for assessing dual-career competencies among Japanese student-athletes. Its scalability and structural equivalence to the original DCCQ-A render it suitable for cross-cultural comparative studies and longitudinal monitoring. This tool has practical utility for researchers and institutions aimed at evaluating and enhancing dual-career support frameworks in higher education and elite sports contexts.