## Summary: The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) is a psychological assessment tool that measures mindfulness, a mental state of heightened awareness of the present moment. The MAAS includes 15 items and is commonly used within both clinical and research settings to evaluate individuals' mindfulness in their daily lives, assisting clinicians in understanding and enhancing psychological well-being. It is particularly noted for its application across diverse populations, providing insights into the mindfulness aspect of mental health.
## Instructions: Clinicians are to provide participants with the MAAS, which contains 15 statements that describe day-to-day experiences centered on mindfulness. Respondents are instructed to use a 1-6 frequency scale to reflect how often they have the experiences mentioned in the statements. The scale range is as follows: 1 indicates 'almost always', while 6 signifies 'almost never'. Participants should focus on their actual experiences rather than aspirational thinking, regard each statement on its own merit, and respond honestly and spontaneously.
## Scoring Methodology: Scoring the MAAS involves calculating the mean of the responses across all 15 items. Lower aggregate scores correspond to a higher tendency towards autopilot behaviors and inattention, while higher scores are indicative of greater mindfulness, characterized by enhanced conscious awareness and attention to the present moment.
## Citation(s) and/or Authors: The creation of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) is credited to the following authors and their research: - Brown, K.W. & Ryan, R.M. Key references for the MAAS include: - Brown K.W. & Ryan R.M. (2003). "The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, pp. 822-848. - Carlson, L.E. & Brown, K.W. (2005). "Validation of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale in a cancer population." Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 58, pp. 29-33.
Item # | Question | Almost Always | Very Frequently | Somewhat Frequently | Somewhat Infrequently | Very Infrequently | Almost Never |
1 | I could be experiencing some emotion and not be conscious of it until some time later. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
2 | I break or spill things because of carelessness, not paying attention, or thinking of something else. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
3 | I find it difficult to stay focused on what’s happening in the present. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
4 | I tend to walk quickly to get where I’m going without paying attention to what I experience along the way. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
5 | I tend not to notice feelings of physical tension or discomfort until they really grab my attention. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
6 | I forget a person's name almost as soon as I've been told it for the first time. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
7 | It seems I am “running on automatic” without much awareness of what I’m doing. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
8 | I rush through activities without being really attentive to them. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
9 | I get so focused on the goal I want to achieve that I lose touch with what I'm doing right now to get there. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
10 | I do jobs or tasks automatically without being aware of what I'm doing. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
11 | I find myself listening to someone with one ear, doing something else at the same time. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
12 | I drive places on ‘automatic pilot’ and then wonder why I went there. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
13 | I find myself preoccupied with the future or the past. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
14 | I find myself doing things without paying attention. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
15 | I snack without being aware that I’m eating. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |