Mind wandering in people with Multiple Sclerosis: A psychometric study.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Mind wandering (MW) is linked to psychological issues common in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS).
• A validated tool for assessing MW in PwMS is currently lacking.
• Understanding MW is crucial for managing psychological well-being in MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To psychometrically evaluate a brief Italian version of the Mind Wandering (MW) Scale.
• To assess the structural validity, construct validity, and reliability of the MW Scale for PwMS.
• To differentiate between spontaneous (MW-S) and deliberate (MW-D) mind wandering in this population.

Main Methods:

• Explorative factor analysis (EFA) was used to determine structural validity.
• Convergent and discriminant validity were examined by correlating MW with mood and personality measures.
• Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients.

Main Results:

• EFA confirmed two distinct MW constructs (MW-S and MW-D) in PwMS.
• The scale demonstrated good validity, with approximately 79% of hypotheses confirmed.
• High internal consistency was found for both MW-S (Cronbach's α = 0.84) and MW-D (Cronbach's α = 0.88).

Conclusions:

• The MW Scale is a potentially valuable tool for measuring mind wandering in people with Multiple Sclerosis.
• Given the link between MW and MS clinical manifestations, routine assessment is recommended.
• This validated scale can support better clinical management of psychological aspects in MS.