Development of the Langer Mindfulness Scale---Youth Version

The literature on mindfulness is composed of two perspectives and multiple operational definitions. Many theories, self-report scales, and interventions have been related to a mindfulness definition that is based in an Eastern tradition of meditation mindfulness, where mindfulness involves a person's attention to and exploration of intrinsic thoughts, feelings, and moods. Ellen Langer's construct of mindfulness comes from a social-psychological perspective and involves engagement with and awareness of the environment, the ability to take multiple perspectives, and the ability to revise mindsets. This can be thought of as cognitive flexibility and complexity, which are useful skills for adolescents.;This paper reviews differing mindfulness perspectives, their applications, and the ways in which they are currently measured. It then addresses the need for a mindfulness scale that is appropriate for adolescent populations and reports on the development of the Langer Mindfulness Scale-Youth Version (LMS-Y). Results show that reliability estimates for the measure, including internal consistency and item-total correlations, are very good. Validity was assessed through structural, concurrent, and divergent validity. Structural analysis demonstrated the presence of two factors: Flexibility and Engagement. Further work is needed to strengthen the structural validity of the scale. Concurrent validity demonstrates that the LMS-Y is positively correlated with positive self-concept and has a negative relationship with cognitive rigidity. This preliminary step in the development of the LMS-Y shows that this assessment tool has promise for use in research and clinical work.