Deconstructing the Self: Type of Meditation and Frequency of Practice Thresholds Associated with a Deconstructed Self

Abstract

Objectives: The psychometric properties of the Spanish versions of the Quiet Ego Scale (QES), the Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment (NADA), and the Ontological Addiction Scale (OAS‑24) were examined. Methods: The analyzed sample was composed of 242 adults from the Spanish general population. Factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity were tested, along with invariance across genders and meditation experience. A composite self-function index was developed to compare participants with high- and low-ego functioning.Results: Confirmatory models supported a bifactor structure for the QES (CFI=.93, TLI=.90, RMSEA=.104) and the NADA (CFI=.97, TLI=.96, RMSEA=.12) and a one‑factor structure for the OAS‑24 (CFI=.92, TLI=.91, RMSEA=.08), with good internal consistency. Further, QES, NADA, and OAS‑24 scores were invariant across gender and meditation experience, enabling valid comparisons: women scored higher on the QES (p=.020), with no gender differences in the NADA or the OAS‑24. Meditators reported higher QES and NADA (p<.001) and lower OAS‑24 (p=.002) scores than non‑meditators. Finally, low‑ego individuals were more likely to meditate (87.5% vs. 42.9%), had greater lifetime practice (median ≈ 852 vs. 127 hours), and devoted more time to values‑based and deconstructive techniques. An optimal threshold of 376 lifetime hours to discriminate low‑ vs. high‑ego profiles was identified (AUC=.81; sensitivity=.65; specificity=.88). Conclusions: Findings provide positive evidence about the psychometric properties of the Spanish adaptations of the QES, the NADA, and the OAS-24. Further, the amount and type of meditation needed to achieve a “deconstructed self” is identified. Preregistration: This study is not preregistered.

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