The Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment (NADA): New tools to assess nondual traits and states of consciousness occurring within and beyond the context of meditation.
Adam W. Hanley, Yoshio Nakamura, Eric L Garland
Psychological Assessment December 1, 2018 DOI: 10.1037/pas0000615 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Scale development with principal component analysis, bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling, and a randomized controlled experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 528 |
| Population | Adults; three independent samples (N = 338, N = 221, N = 166) for bifactor modeling and a separate sample (N = 53) for the experiment |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 125 |
| Key findings | The Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment-Trait (NADA-T) is a psychometrically sound measure with two dimensions (self-transcendence and bliss) that together form a second-order nondual awareness construct, and the NADA-S can detect state changes in nondual awareness following mindfulness meditation. |
Abstract
This article details the development of two measures of nondual awareness, the Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment-Trait (NADA-T) and the Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment-State (NADA-S). Principal component analysis (N = 528) revealed two, interpretable dimensions of the NADA-T: self-transcendence and bliss. Bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling, conducted in three independent samples (N = 338, N = 221, N = 166), indicated that both NADA-T dimensions were components of a second-order nondual awareness construct. Convergent validity was observed between the NADA-T and theoretically aligned constructs, including interdependent self-construals and dispositional mindfulness. Given theoretical and observed relationships between nondual awareness and mindfulness, additional analyses examined the relationship between mindfulness practice and nondual awareness. Results indicated that mindfulness practitioners reported higher NADA-T scores than nonpractitioners, and mindfulness practice frequency was positively associated with nondual awareness. To assess the immediate effect of meditation practice on nondual awareness, items retained in the final version of the NADA-T were modified to create the NADA-S. A randomized controlled experiment (N = 53) comparing participants receiving a mindfulness induction (i.e., body scan) with those in an attention control group revealed state effects of mindfulness on nondual awareness using two, alternate forms of the NADA-S. Thus, the NADA-T appears to be psychometrically sound, representing a novel, standardized instrument capable of facilitating quantitative investigation of nondual awareness. Furthermore, the NADA-S may be useful for measuring fluctuations in nondual states of awareness evoked during mindfulness meditation practice and other contemplative techniques designed to transform consciousness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 80
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- A neurophenomenological approach to non-ordinary states of consciousness: hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics Trends in Cognitive Sciences December 22, 2022
- Validation of the Psychological Insight Scale: A new scale to assess psychological insight following a psychedelic experience. Journal of Psychopharmacology January 5, 2022
- Positive Psychological States in the Arc from Mindfulness to Self-Transcendence: Extensions of the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory and Applications to Addiction and Chronic Pain Treatment Current Opinion in Psychology January 14, 2019
and 75 more in the library
Cites 23
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- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 18 more in the library