Rahmani Masoumeh, van Mulukom Valerie, Farias Miguel
School of Social and Cultural Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
Brain, Belief and Behaviour Lab, Centre for Trust, Peace, and Social Relations, Coventry University, Coventry, UK.
Mindfulness (N Y). 2023;14(7):1689-1704. doi: 10.1007/s12671-023-02164-x. Epub 2023 Jun 21.
The beliefs and expectations people bring into mindfulness practice can affect the measurement outcomes of interventions. The aim of this mixed-method study was to examine the key beliefs in the powers of mindfulness-understood as non-judgmental awareness of the present moment-to transform the individual and the society, and to develop and validate the Belief in the Powers of Mindfulness Scale (BPMS).
In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with mindfulness meditators ( = 32), including follow-up interviews ( = 22). Qualitative data were analysed through a thematic narrative approach. Participants ( = 458) completed a questionnaire that included the new scale.
Participants' key beliefs were thematically analysed in three transformation themes: interpersonal relationships and compassion, peace and violence, and the inner world-themes were encapsulated in the BPMS. Ideas presented in each theme were undergirded by a host of ideologies, epistemic claims, and metaphysical assumptions about the nature of mind, self, and reality-which are predicated by broader cultural trends such as expressive individualism, perennial philosophy, and New Age sentiments and ideals. The BPMS showed strong internal consistency and convergent validity, and individuals who were older and more spiritual practised mindfulness more often and for longer, and self-reported greater mindfulness skills, and scored higher on the BPMS.
Findings illustrate the persisting importance of attending to people's beliefs and expectations in mindfulness interventions and further the call for a contextual approach that accounts for cultural factors. The newly developed BPMS may assist with the measuring of peoples' beliefs and expectations.
人们带入正念练习的信念和期望会影响干预措施的测量结果。这项混合方法研究的目的是检验关于正念力量的关键信念（正念被理解为对当下的非评判性觉察）如何改变个人和社会，并开发和验证正念力量信念量表（BPMS）。
对正念冥想者（n = 32）进行了深入的半结构化访谈，包括后续访谈（n = 22）。通过主题叙事方法对定性数据进行了分析。参与者（n = 458）完成了一份包含新量表的问卷。
参与者的关键信念按照三个转变主题进行了主题分析：人际关系与同情心、和平与暴力以及内心世界——这些主题都包含在BPMS中。每个主题中呈现的观点都受到了一系列关于心灵、自我和现实本质的意识形态、认知主张和形而上学假设的支持——这些假设是由诸如表现主义个人主义、永恒哲学以及新时代情感和理想等更广泛的文化趋势所预测的。BPMS显示出很强的内部一致性和收敛效度，年龄较大且更具精神性的个体更频繁、更长时间地进行正念练习，自我报告的正念技能更强，在BPMS上的得分也更高。
研究结果说明了在正念干预中关注人们的信念和期望的持续重要性，并进一步呼吁采用一种考虑文化因素的情境方法。新开发的BPMS可能有助于测量人们的信念和期望。
