The 2nd annual Interdisciplinary Approach to
Philosophical & Psychological Issues Conference

“Mindfulness: Defining and Measuring from a Biopsychosocial Perspective”
Elise Labbé-Coldsmith
University of South Alabama

Mindfulness is becoming a well-known, evidence-based practice for psychological and health disorders. Most of these studies describe mindfulness as a secular practice, even though mindfulness is based on Buddhist meditation practice. Mindfulness involves fostering a nonjudgmental, clear and openhearted view of current experience. Mindfulness meditation and other mindfulness exercises can deepen and maintain attention to the present moment. Social scientists and neuroscientists, in order to define and study mindfulness from an empirical perspective, are proposing models of mindfulness. These models will be presented and discussed. Ludwig and Kabat-Zinn (2008) report on several recent studies that found participating in mindfulness meditation was associated with increases in immune system functioning, regulation of brain functioning involving positive emotions and endocrine functioning. They also note many studies on mindfulness practice over the past 30 years that demonstrate reductions in pain and stress ratings and increases in coping and quality of life. Shapiro and Carlson (2009) point out that there are over 300 different published scientific articles on mindfulness with many more on the way. Drawing on the abundance of new mindfulness research, we will present a biopsychosocial perspective on defining and measuring mindfulness. In recent years, there has been new mindfulness questionnaires published. Examples of current mindfulness measures are the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale, Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills, Toronto Mindfulness Scale, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory. Grossman (2008) and other developers of these questionnaires outline a variety of concerns regarding the proliferation of mindfulness measures. Some of these concerns include the difficulty in defining mindfulness and sometimes lack of background in Buddhist meditation by researchers who create these assessments. Psychometric issues including conceptual and validity concerns are outlined to help stimulate the sharing of ideas regarding defining and evaluating mindfulness.