Development and Initial Validation of the Mindfulness Operationalisation of Eastern Techniques (MOET): A Theory-Driven Extension of Mindfulness Assessment Based on Patañjali's Aṣṭāṅga Yoga
Esther Nena Moszeik
Research Square September 11, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-10796238/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional online study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 200 |
| Population | Online participants |
| Measures | Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-D), Big Five Inventory–Short Form (BFI-K) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The MOET, a theory-driven multidimensional mindfulness measure based on Patañjali's eightfold path, yielded a seven-factor structure with acceptable to excellent internal consistency (α = .71–.91). It correlated positively with an established mindfulness measure (FFMQ-D, r = .59) and showed differential associations with Big Five personality traits (r = −.65 to .53), which the authors interpret as preliminary support for construct and nomological validity. |
Abstract
Abstract Mindfulness is predominantly operationalised in Western psychology as an attentional and acceptance-based construct, whereas classical contemplative traditions conceptualize it as a multidimensional process encompassing ethical, embodied, attentional, and spiritual development. To address this gap, the present study introduces the Mindfulness Operationalisation of Eastern Techniques (MOET), a theory-driven multidimensional self-report instrument grounded in Patañjali's eightfold path (Aṣṭāṅga Yoga). The study examined the factorial structure and initial construct validity of the MOET. In a cross-sectional online study, 200 participants completed the MOET, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-D), and the Big Five Inventory–Short Form (BFI-K). Exploratory factor analysis (principal axis factoring with Promax rotation) yielded a seven-factor solution representing ethical, embodied, attentional, and spiritual dimensions of mindfulness. From an initial pool of 139 items, 72 items entered the final EFA, of which 54 were retained for the final scale. The resulting MOET-54 subscales demonstrated acceptable to excellent internal consistencies (Cronbach's α = .71-.91). Convergent validity was supported by significant positive correlations with the FFMQ-D (overall r = .59, p < .01), whereas ethical and spiritual dimensions showed weaker or more selective associations, supporting discriminant validity. Furthermore, differential associations with the Big Five personality traits (r = − .65 to .53) supported the instrument's nomological validity. Overall, the findings provide preliminary support for the MOET as a theory-driven multidimensional measure that extends current mindfulness assessment by explicitly incorporating ethical, embodied, and spiritual dimensions derived from Patañjali's eightfold path. Future studies should replicate the factor structure in independent samples and confirm the model using confirmatory factor analysis.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
and 2 more in the library