Examination of the Factor Structure and Concurrent Validity of the Langer Mindfulness/Mindlessness Scale

Abstract

Langer's theory of mindfulness proposes that a mindful person seeks out and produces novelty, is attentive to context, and is flexible in thought and behavior. In three independent studies, the factor structure of the Langer Mindfulness/Mindlessness Scale was examined. Confirmatory factor analysis failed to replicate the four-factor model and a subsequent exploratory factor analysis revealed the presence of a two-factor (mindfulness and mindlessness) solution. Study 2 demonstrated that the two factors assessed discrete constructs and were not merely products of acquiescence. Support was also found for a nine-item, one-factor model comprised solely of mindfulness items. On comparing models, Study 3 suggested the superiority of the one-factor mindfulness model. Finally, a preliminary investigation of the concurrent validity of the revised nine-item Langer Mindfulness/Mindlessness Scale is presented. The current article offers researchers a revised version of a mindfulness measure derived from a cognitive perspective.

Mindful Creativity Scale (MCS): Validation of a German version of the Langer Mindfulness Scale with patients with severe TBI and controls

“…The aim of this longitudinal cohort study of 125 patients with severe TBI and controls was validation of the Langer Mindfulness Scale [36,43] in German. The results of the factor analysis and the response theory analysis indicated that the 21-item scale could be reduced to a 6-item scale for the German version, with minimal loss of information.…”

“…Langer's approach to mindfulness has been studied mostly among healthy samples thus far, yielding significant improvement in areas of life satisfaction, creativity, as well as mental and physical well-being [41,43]. Despite its importance, the exploration of mindfulness in samples of people with TBI is currently limited by the lack of validated instruments for measuring mindfulness as a trait.…”

Measuring Mindfulness: A Rasch Analysis of the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory

“…More evidence in favor of this hypothesis has been published recently. Haigh et al [44] reported, in a study related to the construction of the Langer Mindfulness/Mindlessness Scale that they were able to detect both a mindfulness and a mindlessness factor. Future research should consider that -mindfulness questionnaires‖ and -mindlessness questionnaires‖ may not assess the same latent construct.…”

Mindful Attraction and Synchronization: Mindfulness and Regulation of Interpersonal Synchronicity

“…The Langer Mindfulness Scale (LMS) was used to determine each participant's relative level of personal mindfulness. The LMS is a 21-question survey proven to be an accurate measure of relatively stable trait mindfulness (Bodner and Langer, 2001;Haigh et al, 2011). Recent efforts to refine the scale (Pirson et al, 2012) found further accuracy using a shortened 14-item version.…”