A Psychometric Evaluation of the Dutch Revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire.

The Dutch 30-item Revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) is a reliable and valid tool for assessing mystical experiences induced by psychedelics. In an online survey of 322 Dutch-speaking adults who retrospectively reported profound psychedelic experiences, confirmatory factor analyses supported both a four-factor structure and a model with a total score as a second-order latent variable. Factor scores showed good internal reliability (alpha between .81 and .94) and were higher among participants who reported having had a mystical experience, supporting construct validity. MEQ30 scores also predicted meaningfulness, spiritual significance, and positive changes in well-being, life satisfaction, and behavior, offering preliminary evidence of predictive validity.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In the Netherlands, scientific interest in psychedelics and their subjective effects has been increasing. The present study examined the reliability, construct and predictive validity of the Dutch 30-item Revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30), a self-report measure that has been used to assess subjective and mystical experiences occasioned by psychedelics. In an online survey, 322 Dutch-speaking adults retrospectively reported on profound experiences with psychedelics. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that both a four-factor structure and the same model extended with the MEQ30-total score as a second-order latent variable fit the data. Factor scores showed good internal reliability (α = between .81 and .94) and were significantly higher in participants that beforehand endorsed having had a mystical experience compared to those that did not, providing evidence for the construct validity of the questionnaire as a measure for self-reported mystical experiences. Additionally, MEQ30 scores significantly predicted the meaningfulness and spiritual significance of the psychedelic experience, as well as self-reported positive changes in well-being, life satisfaction and behavior, providing preliminary evidence for the predictive validity of the Dutch MEQ30. Findings suggest the reliability and validity of the Dutch MEQ30 and support the use of the scale in future studies on the subjective effects of psychedelics.