Development and validation of the Mindfulness Insight Scale

Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) that incorporate components of traditional Buddhist practices are widely used in Western countries. However, most MBIs omit a central Buddhist idea that mindfulness promotes three crucial insights (the inevitability of suffering, impermanence, and interconnection) that are alleged to enhance human functioning. To enable testing hypotheses about insight, we developed the Mindfulness Insight Scale (MIS) with three adult samples: n = 365 Thai residents (sample 1), n = 429 Thai residents (sample 2); and n = 484 UK residents (sample 3). Analysis with sample 1 showed a two-level structure of six factors loaded onto by 3 higher order factors, the latter corresponding to the three Buddhist insights. Analyses with samples 2 and 3 replicated this model in both Thai and UK participants. In testing convergent and divergent validity with samples 2 and 3, the MIS had most of the expected associations with conceptually related constructs. To test discriminant validity, the insights of samples 1 and 2 (Thai residents, who have much exposure to Buddhist teaching) were compared with sample 3 UK residents (who do not). As expected, Thai residents had higher insight than UK residents. Findings support the MIS as a useful measure of Buddhist insights.