A Critical Review of Mindfulness Measures

Background and Purpose: Mindfulness has been associated with many positive psychological benefits. It is usually measured by self-report, and there are numerous questionnaires available to measure mindfulness in this way. The purpose of this review is to offer a summary of the available self-assessment questionnaires for measuring mindfulness, their appropriate uses, and psychometrics. Methods: CINAHL, PubMed, and PsychINFO databases were queried along with hand searching reference lists based on the indicated criteria, including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction-related mindfulness measurement tools, based on self-report and designed for use in adults. Results: Fourteen tools, published between 2001 and 2021, were included in this review. The tools varied in their orientation and have been created to measure mindfulness as a state, trait, and process. Conclusions: There is a wide variety of available tools, and each conceptualizes mindfulness in a distinct way. Understanding these details is crucial to choosing the proper tool.