Turkish Validity and Reliability of Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness in Youth

Interoceptive awareness is defined as the processing of internal bodily signals and one's tendency to perceive these signals. In our study, it is aimed to conduct Turkish adaptation, reliability, and validity analysis of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness in Youth (MAIA-Y).

275 young people between the ages of 11-17 participated in our study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to confirm the factor structure of the Turkish version of MAIA-Y (MAIA-YT). Divergent validity was evaluated with Pearson correlation matrix plot. Internal consistency was determined using the "Cronbach's alpha" value. Paired sample t test or Wilcoxon test, Spearman's Correlation Coefficient, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) value and Bland-Altman graphical approach were used to evaluate test-retest reliability. The significance value was set at a p-value of <0.05.

In our study, the fit measures are determined as χ²/df=1.612, CFI=0.898, GFI=0.869, TLI=0.882, IFI=0.901 and RMSEA=0.047, according to CFA. In accordance with the Pearson correlation matrix plot, there is a negative relationship between MAIA-YT subscales and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for internal consistency were found to be between 0.303-0.792 for the subscales of MAIA-YT and 0.793 for the whole scale, and in general the MAIA-YT was found to have reliable internal consistency. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability were found between 0.515-0.731. According to the Bland Altman graphs, the agreement between the test-retest results was found to be at a reliable level.

The MAIA-YT is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluation of interoceptive awareness in Turkish adolescents.