Measures of Mindfulness.docx

Although alternative methods have been proposed, mindfulness is predominantly measured by means of self-assessment instruments. Until now, several scales have been published and to some degree also psychometrically validated. The number of scales reflects the widespread research interest. While some authors have started to compare the underlying concepts and operationalizations of these scales, up to now no overview has been presented describing, contrasting, and evaluating the different methodological approaches towards measuring mindfulness including questionnaires and alternative approaches. In light of this, the present article summarizes the state of mindfulness measurement. Recommendations on how current measurement practice may be improved are provided, as well as recommendations as to what measurement instruments are deemed to be most appropriate for a particular research context.

Mindfulness, 2012

The present study describes the development of and results obtained from the first version of a new mindfulness scale: the Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences beta (CHIME-β). The aim of the present analysis was to investigate two relevant open questions in mindfulness assessment: (1) the coverage of aspects of mindfulness and (2) the type of interrelationships among these aspects. A review of the aspects of mindfulness assessed by eight currently available mindfulness questionnaires led to the identification of nine aspects of mindfulness. The CHIME-β was constructed in order to cover each of these aspects in a balanced way. Initially, principal component and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as reliability and validity analyses, were performed in the entire sample (n0313) of individuals from the general population and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) groups. The factor structure that emerged from this analysis was further investigated in meditation-trained individuals (n0 144) who had just completed an MBSR intervention. Results suggested a four-factor structure underlying the nine aspects proposed. The relationship between these mindfulness factors appears to be influenced by the degree of meditation experience. In fact, the mindfulness factors showed a greater interconnectedness among mediationtrained participants. Finally, data suggest that a nonavoidant stance plays a central role in mindfulness, while the capacity to put inner experiences into words may be related to mindfulness rather than a component of the construct.

Assessment, 2004

Assessment of mindfulness is essential to understanding its relationships with psychological functioning. Currently, mindfulness is most often assessed with self-report questionnaires. Although additional work is required, mindfulness questionnaires have reasonable psychometric properties and are making important contributions to the understanding of mindfulness and its effects on health and wellbeing. For example, measurement of mindfulness as a multidimensional construct shows that present-moment awareness can be unhelpful unless accompanied by a nonjudgmental, nonreactive stance; moreover, nonjudgment and nonreactivity may be only weakly related to present-moment awareness in people with no meditation experience. Differences between psychological and Buddhist conceptions of mindfulness, though often a source of criticism of mindfulness questionnaires, are argued here to be inevitable and not necessarily problematic.

During recent years, mindfulness-based approaches have been gaining relevance for treatment in clinical populations. Correspondingly, the empirical study of mindfulness has steadily grown, thus the availability of valid measures of the construct is critically important. This paper gives an overview of the current status in the field of self-report assessment of mindfulness. All eight currently available and validated mindfulness scales (for adults) areevaluated, with a particular focus on their virtues and limitations and on differences among them. It will be argued that none of these scales may be a fully adequate measure of mindfulness, as each of them offers unique advantages but alsodisadvantages. In particular, none of them seems to provide a comprehensive assessment of all aspects of mindfulness in samples from the general population. Moreover, some scales may be particularly indicated in investigations focusing on specific populations such as clinical samples (CAMS, SMQ) or meditators (FMI).Three main open issues are discussed: 1) the coverage of aspects of mindfulness in questionnaires, 2) the nature of the relationships between these aspects and 3) the validity of selfreport measures of mindfulness. These issues should be considered in future developments in the selfreport assessment of mindfulness.

This paper describes the development of the Lee's Inventory of Mindfulness Skill (LIMS). The initial 95 items were constructed based on the conceptualized five elements of mindfulness. The scale was completed by 160 students in HELP University. Items with corrected item-total correlations lower than .3 were eliminated. The remaining items were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis constraining the process to five factors. The new scale consisted of 42 items and has five subscale: Attention and Awareness, Here and Now Concentration, Describing and Labelling, Acceptance and Non-reactivity, and Mindlessness. The final scale has good internal consistency. A scoring system was also developed. Further suggestions for further validation are discussed. Readers are allowed to use the scale for academic, research and clinical purposes.

Background The Five-Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF) is a new, brief measure for the assessment of mindfulness skills in clinical and nonclinical samples. The construct validity of the FFMQ-SF has not been previously assessed in community samples. Aims The present study investigated the factor structure of the Italian version of the FFMQ-SF. Method Structured equation modeling was used to test the fit of three alternative models in a sample of highly educated adults (n = 211). Results A hierarchical model with a single second-order factor loaded by observing, describing, and acting with awareness (i.e., the mindfulness “what” skills) performed slightly better than both a five-factor model with correlated factors and a hierarchical model with a general second-order factor. The FFMQ-SF scores were significantly higher than those reported in both Dutch depressed patients and Australian undergraduate students for all facets (but nonreactivity for the Australian sample). Conclusions Data support the multifaceted nature of mindfulness skills. Because of its brevity and simplicity of use, the FFMQ-SF is a promising questionnaire in longitudinal and clinical research. This questionnaire can serve as a guideline to help clinicians assess and monitor mindfulness skills acquisition, strengthening, and generalization, and prioritize mindfulness skills that need immediate attention.

Assessment of mindfulness is essential to understanding its relationships with psychological functioning. Currently, mindfulness is most often assessed with self-report questionnaires. Although additional work is required, mindfulness questionnaires have reasonable psychometric properties and are making important contributions to the understanding of mindfulness and its effects on health and wellbeing. For example, measurement of mindfulness as a multidimensional construct shows that present-moment awareness can be unhelpful unless accompanied by a nonjudgmental, nonreactive stance; moreover, nonjudgment and nonreactivity may be only weakly related to present-moment awareness in people with no meditation experience. Differences between psychological and Buddhist conceptions of mindfulness, although often a source of criticism of mindfulness questionnaires, are argued here to be inevitable and not necessarily problematic.

Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 2008

Psychological Assessment, 2013

The goal of the present research was to develop and test a novel conceptual model and corresponding measure of state mindfulness-the State Mindfulness Scale (SMS). We developed the SMS to reflect traditional Buddhist and contemporary psychological science models of mindfulness not similarly reflected in extant published measures of the construct. Study 1 exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a higher order 2-factor solution encompassing 1 second-order state mindfulness factor, and 2 first-order factors, one reflecting state mindfulness of bodily sensations and the other state mindfulness of mental events. Study 2 provided cross-sectional evidence of the convergent, discriminant, and incremental convergent validity of SMS scores with respect to other measures of state and trait mindfulness. Study 3, a randomized control experimental mindfulness intervention study, yielded a number of key findings with respect to SMS stability as a function of time and context, construct validity, incremental sensitivity to change in state mindfulness over time, and incremental predictive criterionrelated validity. Findings are discussed with respect to the potential contribution of the SMS to the study of mindfulness as a statelike mental behavior, biopsychobehavioral research on the mechanisms of mindfulness, and clinical evaluation of mindfulness.

Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2006

In this study, the authors both developed and validated a self-report mindfulness measure, the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS). In Study 1, participants were individuals with and without meditation experience. Results showed good internal consistency and two factors, Curiosity and Decentering. Most of the expected relationships with other constructs were as expected. The TMS scores increased with increasing mindfulness meditation experience. In Study 2, criterion and incremental validity of the TMS were investigated on a group of individuals participating in 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction programs. Results showed that TMS scores increased following treatment, and Decentering scores predicted improvements in clinical outcome. Thus, the TMS is a promising measure of the mindfulness state with good psychometric properties and predictive of treatment outcome.