Using Item Response Theory to Explore the Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM)

Abstract

The Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM) was specifically developed to assess mindfulness in children and adolescents. This study’s main aim was to explore the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the CAMM using item response theory (IRT). We investigated how well each item of the CAMM concurred in measuring mindfulness in children and adolescents, the reliability of the scale in measuring different levels of a trait, and whether items showed gender and age differential item functioning (DIF). The scale’s validity was tested by investigating the relationships of CAMM scores with emotion regulation, life satisfaction, and attention and depression problems. Our results confirmed the unidimensional structure of the scale and generated evidence that with a few exceptions, the items were able to discriminate well among respondents with different levels of the trait being measured and adequately covered the spectrum of the latent trait. Satisfactory information values were obtained for a substantial range of the trait, indicating that the Italian version of the CAMM is adequately reliable across the continuum of the trait. The entire scale appeared to be gender and age invariant and evidence of validity was provided. Using IRT, the current study provides information about the psychometric adequacy of the Italian version of the CAMM in measuring mindfulness in young people.