Spanish validation of the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) in parents of individuals with ASD
Ana Pizarro-Carmona, Cristina Nunes, Sofia Baena, Lucía Jiménez
Frontiers in Psychology September 23, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1932970 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional validation study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 118 |
| Population | Spanish parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (74 mothers and 44 fathers) |
| Measures | Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), family quality of life, parenting alliance, satisfaction with life, parenting stress |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The 15-item Spanish version of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) showed a single-factor structure with excellent internal consistency and evidence of convergent and divergent validity among Spanish parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Measurement invariance by gender was supported at configural and metric levels, but only partial scalar invariance was confirmed. |
Abstract
Introduction: The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) is a widespread instrument to assess individual differences in the frequency of mindful states over time, and it has been validated in a variety of populations, countries, and settings. Nevertheless, validation with parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) still remains a gap in the current research field.
Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to validate the MAAS in Spanish parents of individuals with ASD ( N = 118; 74 mothers and 44 fathers), assessing its psychometric properties and factor structure, invariance according to gender, convergent validity considering family quality of life, parenting alliance and satisfaction with life measures and divergent validity with parenting stress.
Results: The confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a single-factor model with excellent internal consistency. Measurement invariance according to gender showed satisfactory results in configural and metric analyses, but only partial scalar invariance was confirmed. Moreover, there was evidence for convergent and discriminant validity, with significant relationships between the measures in the expected directions.
Discussion: The findings suggest that the 15-items version of the MAAS is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to assess mindfulness attention among Spanish parents of individuals with ASD.
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 10
- 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
- Psychometric properties of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) in a first-episode psychosis sample. Psychological Assessment February 1, 2022
- The effects of mindfulness-based self-compassion training on stress, psychological resilience, and well-being in parents of autistic children: a randomized controlled study Current Psychology June 27, 2025
- Effects of mindfulness meditation interventions on depression in older adults: A meta-analysis Aging & Mental Health July 15, 2020
and 5 more in the library