Enhanced awareness and attention: Unidimensional or multidimensional Construct? Factor structure and psychometric properties of Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) in Iran

Author
Mehdi Reza Sarafraz
Shiraz university
Abstract
Abstract:

There has been substantial interest in mindfulness as an approach to reduce cognitive vulnerability to stress and emotional distress in recent years, and mindfulness meditation practices have been incorporated into several interventions that are now widely available in medical and mental health settings. However, thus far mindfulness has not been defined operationally. Among the important questions that can be studied is whether mindfulness should be described as a multifaceted construct and, if so, how the facets should be defined. Several current descriptions of mindfulness suggest a multidimensional nature. The aim of the present study was to investigate the factor structure and psychometric properties of Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) in Iran. 247 Iranian university student (188 women, 53 men and 6 undefined) filled following scales: FFMQ (Baer, Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer, & Toney, 2006), Integrative Self-Knowledge (Ghorbani, Watson, & Hargis, 2008), BSCS(Tangney, Baumeister, & Boone, 2004) , Rumination Scale (Trapnell & Campbell, 1999), Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ; (Meyer, Miller, Metzger, & Borkovec, 1990), Vitality Scale (Ryan & Frederick, 1997), symptom checklist (Bartone 1995), perceived stress(Cohen, Kamarack, & Mermelstein, 1983) & Anxiety and Depression Scale(Costello & Comrey, 1967). The second order CFA showed that five-factor structure of FFMQ in first order and one-factor in second order did not fit the data well and EFA proved five-factor structure in first order and two-factor in second order of the scale that fit the data well. These results point toward conceptual distinction between facets of mindfulness. Mindfulness facets were shown to be differentially correlated in expected ways with several other constructs and to have convergent and divergent validity. Findings suggest that conceptualizing mindfulness as a multifaceted construct is helpful in understanding its components and its relationships with other variables, and suggested a need for reviewing the research and theory of mindfulness due to exposed facets.
Keywords
َAttention
Awareness
Mindfulness
Facets of Mindfulness
Factor structure
Psychometrics properties
References
Baer, R. A. (2003). Mindfulness Training as a Clinical Intervention: A Conceptual and Empirical Review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125-143.
Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., Hopkins, J., Krietemeyer, J., & Toney, L. (2006). Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness. Assessment, 13(1), 27-45.
Bartone , B. (1995). Stress & illness among military air disaster disease. Journal of mental & nervosa, 55, 310-328.
Bishop, S. R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N. D., Carmody, J., et al. (2004). Mindfulness: A Proposed Operational Definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11(3), 23-241.
Bohlmeijer, E., Prenger, R., Taal, E., & Cuijpers, P. (2010). The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on mental health of adults with a chronic medical disease: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 68(6), 539-544.
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present Mindfulness and Its Role in Psychological Well-Being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822-848.
Carlson, L. E., Speca, M., Patel, K. D., & Goodey, E. (2003). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65, 571–581.
Carmody, J., Reed, G., Kristeller, J., & Merriam, P. (2008). Mindfulness, spirituality, and health-related symptoms. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 64(4), 393-403.
Cohen, S., Kamarack, T., & Mermelstein, R. A. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Psychology, 24, 355-396.
Costello, C., & Comrey, A. L. (1967). Scales for measuring depression and anxiety. Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 66, 303-313.
Davidson, R. J., Kabat-zinn, J., Schumacher, J., Rosenkranz, M., Muller, D., & Santorelli, S. F., et al. (2003). Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65, 564-570.
Ghorbani, N., Cunningham, C. J. L., & Watson, P. J. (2010). Comparative analysis of integrative self-knowledge, mindfulness, and private self-consciousness in predicting responses to stress in Iran. International journal of psychology, 45(2), 147-154.
Ghorbani, N., Watson, P. G., & Hargis, M. B. (2008). Integrative Self-knowledge scale:Correlations and incremental validity of a cross-cultural measure developed in Iran and United States. The journal of psychology, 142(4), 395-412.

Ghorbani, N., Watson, P. J., & Weathington, B. L. (2009). Mindfulness in Iran and the United States- Cross-Cultural Structural Complexity and Parallel Relationships with Psychological Adjustment. Current Psychology, 28, 211-224.
Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., & Walach, H. (2004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57, 35-43.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and commitment therapy: An experiential approach to behavior change. New York: Guilford.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1993) Mindfulness meditation: Health benefits of an ancient Buddhist practice. In D.Goleman & J. Gurin (Eds.), Mind/Body Medicine (pp. 259–275). Yonkers, NY:Consumer Reports Books.
Ledesma, D., & Kumano, H. (2009). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cancer. Meta analysis. Psycho-Oncology, 18, 571–579.
Linehan, M. M. (1993a). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford.
Linehan, M. M. (1993b). Skills training manual for treating borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford.
McCracken, L. M., & Velleman, S. C. (2010). Psychological flexibility in adults with chronic pain: A study of acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based action in primary care. Pain, 148, 141–147.
Meyer, T. J., Miller, M. L., Metzger, R. L., & Borkovec, T. D. (1990). Development and validation of the penn state worry questionnaire. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 28(6), 487-495.
Parks, G. A., Anderson, B. K., & Marlatt, G. A. (2001). Relapse prevention therapy. In T. J. P. N. Heather, & T. Stockwell (Ed.), International handbook of alcohol dependence and problems (pp. 575-592). New York: John Wiley

Reibel, D. K., Greeson, J. M., Brainard, G. C., & Rosenzweig, S. (2001). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health-related quality of life in a heterogeneous patient population. General Hospital Psychiatry, 23, 183–192.
Ryan, R. M., & Frederick, C. (1997). On Energy, Personality, and Health: Subjective Vitality as a Dynamic Reflection of Well-Being. Journal of Personality, 65(3), 529-565.
Schütze, R., Rees, C., Preece, M., & Schütze, M. (2010). Low mindfulness predicts pain catastrophizing in a fear-avoidance model of chronic pain. Pain, 148, 120–127.
Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2002). Mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy for depression: A new approach to preventing relapse. New York Guilford.
Surawy, C., Roberts, J., & Silver, A. (2005). The Effect of Mindfulness Training on Mood and Measures of Fatigue, Activity, and Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome on a Hospital Waiting List: A Series of Exploratory Studies. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 33, 103-109.
Tangney, J. P., Baumeister, R. F., & Boone, A. L. (2004). High Self-Control Predicts Good Adjustment, Less Pathology, Better Grades, and Interpersonal Success. Journal of Personality 72(2), 272-324.
Trapnell, P. D., & Campbell, J. D. (1999). Private self-consciousness and the five-factor model of personality: Distinguishing rumination from reflection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(2), 284-304.