Increased wakefulness as measured by the WAKE-16 is related to mindfulness and emotional self-regulation in experienced Buddhist meditators.
Progress in Brain Research January 1, 2024 Christine Flatten, Damisela Linares Gutierrez, Sebastian L. Kübel et al. 1 citation
A newly developed German questionnaire called the Inventory of Secular/Spiritual Wakefulness (WAKE-16) was tested in 36 expert meditators who primarily meditate in silence and 36 demographically matched non-meditators. Meditators scored significantly higher on the WAKE-16, indicating the instrument can distinguish between groups and thus has construct validity. Meditators also scored higher on mindfulness subscales of presence and acceptance, as well as on emotion regulation and body-related symbolization of emotions. Among meditators, wakefulness correlated with mindfulness, accepting one's own emotions, and experiencing overwhelming emotions; among non-meditators, only the correlation with accepting one's own emotions was significant. The findings support the WAKE-16 as a valid measure of wakefulness, defined as an expansive, stable state involving transformed vision, identity, and relationship to the world.