Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire (EMQ)

Abstract

The Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire (EMQ), developed by Khoury et al. in 2023, is a 24-item psychological instrument designed specifically to measure embodiment within the context of mindfulness. This measure addresses a significant gap in existing mindfulness assessments that often fail to adequately integrate the physical experience of the body.

The EMQ conceptualizes embodied mindfulness as a measurable skill or ability encompassing three core components: attention, awareness, and acceptance. These components focus on the intricate connections and associations between the mind and the body. The development process was rigorous, spanning three distinct studies, including initial item creation by graduate students and review by 10 field experts. Subsequent exploratory and confirmatory analyses refined the instrument from an initial 48 items to its final 24-item, 5-factor structure. The validation studies reported strong internal consistency, as well as robust convergent and discriminant validity, though the authors noted the absence of test-retest reliability examination as a limitation.

Keywords

Acceptance of Feelings and Bodily Sensations, Attention and Awareness of Feelings and Bodily Sensations, Awareness of the Mind-Body Connection, Body Awareness, Cognitive Measures, Connection with the Body, Detachment from Automatic Thinking, Emotion Recognition, Meditation, Mind Body Therapy, Mindfulness, Somesthetic Perception.

Authors

Khoury, Bassam, Vergara, Rodrigo C., Sadowski, Isabel, Spinelli, Christina.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire (EMQ) is to provide a dedicated, psychometrically sound measure for assessing the extent of embodied mindfulness in research and clinical settings.

By focusing on the integration of somatic experience into the mindfulness construct, the EMQ aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of how the body is utilized in mindful practice and how this integration relates to overall psychological well-being and symptom reduction.

Construct

The central construct measured by the EMQ is Embodied Mindfulness. This concept is defined not merely as a cognitive state but as a dynamic skill related to the focused attention, non-judgmental awareness, and acceptance of the body’s sensations, internal feelings, and the fundamental connection between the mind and the physical self.

This conceptualization moves beyond traditional mindfulness scales by emphasizing the importance of physical embodiment as a core component of mindful living and effective therapeutic interventions, such as Mind-Body Therapy.

Validity

The validation process confirmed both convergent validity and discriminant validity for the EMQ. Convergent validity evidence was established through three key EMQ subscales—Attention and Awareness of Feelings and Bodily Sensations, Detachment from Automatic Thinking, and Disconnection from the Body—which successfully captured the core elements typically measured in broader mindfulness assessments.

For discriminant validity, the EMQ subscales proved capable of predicting scores on measures related to psychological distress, including common symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as scores reflecting positive and negative emotions. Additionally, the subscales demonstrated predictive power regarding the total hours of meditative practice reported by respondents. Collectively, these subscales accounted for between 20% and 30% of the total variance observed in these related external measures.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire was rigorously evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients across its factor structure. The results indicated strong reliability across the measure’s factors.

The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the individual factors ranged significantly from .79 to an exceptional .97. Although internal consistency was strong, the developers acknowledged that a limitation of the initial validation study was the failure to examine the test-retest reliability of the questionnaire.

Factor Analysis

The underlying structure of the EMQ was established through a two-step process involving Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) followed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The EFA initially supported the five proposed factors, retaining 25 items after confirmation that all absolute values of factor loadings and their lower 95% confidence intervals exceeded the required 0.3 threshold.

Subsequently, the CFA confirmed the stability and integrity of the five-factor solution, refining the scale to its final count of 24 items. The CFA results indicated a good model fit, evidenced by a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of 0.87, a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of 0.07, and a Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) of 0.9. These indices confirm the high quality of the measurement model.

The five distinct factors identified in the EMQ are:

• Detachment from Automatic Thinking
• Attention and Awareness of Feelings and Bodily Sensations
• Connection with the Body
• Awareness of the Mind-Body Connection
• Acceptance (i.e., non-avoidance) of Feelings and Bodily Sensations

Instrument

Test Type: This is an original inventory/questionnaire designed for psychological assessment.

Format: The measure consists of 24 items utilizing a 5-point Likert-type scale. Responses range from 1 (almost never) to 5 (almost always). The instrument is designed for electronic administration.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human (Male and Female)

Age Group: The instrument is appropriate for individuals ranging from adolescence through older adulthood (ages 13–65+).

Population Details: The initial development and validation studies were conducted using an online sample of individuals recruited in Canada, with respondent ages spanning from 15 to 75 years.

Test Methodology: The development and validation process involved several rigorous analytical methods, including: Test Validity, Content Validity, Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, and Factor Analysis (Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis).

Keywords

Acceptance of Feelings and Bodily Sensations, Attention and Awareness of Feelings and Bodily Sensations, Awareness of the Mind-Body Connection, Body Awareness, Cognitive Measures, Connection with the Body, Detachment from Automatic Thinking, Emotion Recognition, Meditation, Mind Body Therapy, Mindfulness, Somesthetic Perception.

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Authors

Khoury, Bassam (Corresponding Author):

• Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available
• Affiliation: McGill University
• Email addresses: [email protected]
• Correspondence Address: McGill University, Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, 3700 McTavish Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1Y2

Vergara, Rodrigo C.:

• Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available
• Affiliation: Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación
• Email addresses: No data is Available

Sadowski, Isabel:

• Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available
• Affiliation: McGill University
• Email addresses: No data is Available

Spinelli, Christina:

• Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1127-9476
• Affiliation: McGill University
• Email addresses: No data is Available

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: To obtain permission for use of the instrument, it is necessary to contact the corresponding author, Bassam Khoury.

Fee: No fee is charged for the use of this test for non-commercial purposes.

Commercial: This test is explicitly stated as not being for commercial use.

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Khoury, B., Vergara, R. C., Sadowski, I., & Spinelli, C. (2023). Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire: Scale development and validation. Assessment, 30(2), 458–483. https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911211059856

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Items of the Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire (EMQ)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

This measure consists of 24 items. The specific test items are not available in the provided source material and can be found in the original publication in Table 5 on page 469.