Factor analysis of the MEQ43 suggests non-psychedelic mystical experiences are different from psychedelic mystical experiences
Consciousness Spirituality & Transpersonal Psychology November 17, 2023 Kirsti A. Formoso 1 citation
A 25-item version of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ25) better captures non-psychedelic mystical experiences than the existing 30-item version (MEQ30). Confirmatory factor analysis showed the MEQ30 did not fit data from 136 participants who reported a non-psychedelic mystical experience. Exploratory factor analysis of the 43-item pool yielded a four-factor structure with 25 items: Sacred Unity, Noetic Quality, Time-Space Transcendence, and Ineffable and Paradoxical. The MEQ25 demonstrated excellent internal reliability (α = .93) and strong convergent validity with the M-Scale. The separate noetic quality factor is considered a salient and therapeutic aspect of mystical experience, and the refined time-space subscale better reflects theory and subjective experience of non-psychedelic mystical experiences.