Validation of the Dutch Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory in Patients With Medical Illness
Fieke Z. Bruggeman-Everts, Marije Liesbeth van der Lee, Elisabeth F. M. van ‘t Hooft, Ivan Nyklíček
Sage Open April 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1177/2158244017705936 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Psychometric validation study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 272 |
| Population | Dutch-speaking cardiac patients (n = 114) and severely fatigued cancer survivors (n = 158) |
| Measures | Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key points | The Dutch Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory showed good whole-scale internal consistency in both patient groups (alpha .827 and .851) and clinical sensitivity in both. A two-factor model (Acceptance and Presence) fit well in the cancer survivor sample, though the Presence subscale was weak in cardiac patients (alpha .577). The authors conclude the instrument is acceptable for measuring mindfulness in patients who have experienced a life-threatening illness. |
Abstract
Most validation studies of the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) involved healthy subjects. Validation in patients who suffer from a life-threatening medical illness is needed, to investigate the FMI’s validity in medical psychology research and practice. Psychometric properties of the Dutch FMI were examined in two patient groups of two different studies: (Sample 1) cardiac patients ( n = 114, M age = 56 ± 7 years, 18% women) and (Sample 2) severely fatigued cancer survivors ( n = 158, M age = 50 ± 10 years, 77% women). Confirmatory factor analysis (studied only in Sample 2) provided good fit for the two-factor solution (Acceptance and Presence), while the one-factor solution provided suboptimal fit indices. Internal consistency was good for the whole scale in both samples (Sample 1 α = .827 and Sample 2 α = .851). The two-factor model showed acceptable to good internal consistency in Sample 2 (Presence: α = .823; Acceptance α = .744), but poor to acceptable in Sample 1 (Presence subscale: α = .577, Acceptance subscale: α = .791). Clinical sensitivity was supported in both samples, and construct validity (studied only in Sample 1) was acceptable. The Dutch FMI is an acceptable instrument to measure mindfulness in patients who experienced a life-threatening illness in a Dutch-speaking population.