Development and Initial Validation of the State Four Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire.
Assessment – March 31, 2025
Source: PubMed
Summary
The newly developed State Four Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (state-4FMQ) effectively measures mindfulness, demonstrating strong psychometric properties. In two studies involving 350 undergraduates, the state-4FMQ revealed a four-factor structure closely mirroring the established Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, minus Nonreactivity. Internal consistency was high, and the questionnaire displayed convergent, predictive, and construct validity. Notably, certain facets significantly predicted momentary well-being, highlighting the state-4FMQ's utility in assessing mindfulness across diverse contexts. This tool enhances understanding of mindfulness experiences during meditation.
Abstract
The current research aimed to provide initial psychometric validation of a new multifaceted mindfulness questionnaire (referred to as the State Four Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, or the "state-4FMQ" for short) adapted from the commonly used Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (referred to as the "trait-FFMQ"). The research was divided into two pre-registered studies. In both, undergraduates partook in a 20-minute mindfulness meditation (via audio recording), and then answered questions, including the state-4FMQ, pertaining to their experience during the meditation. In Study 2, participants additionally partook in a 20-minute control condition. The state-4FMQ was developed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA; Study 1) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; Study 2). In Study 2, a short-form of the state-4FMQ was established, and several additional forms of measurement validity were tested. EFA and CFA results supported a four-factor structure, which was identical to the trait-FFMQ with the exclusion of Nonreactivity. This newly created state-4FMQ, and its short-form, showed good internal consistency as well as convergent, predictive, and construct validity. In addition, it was found that some facets, more than others, predicted momentary well-being. The validity of the state-4FMQ shows that it can be used to measure multiple facets of state mindfulness across a variety of situations.