Factor Structure and Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Prison Samples: A Bass-Ackwards Approach

The present study examined the factor structure and construct validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ; Baer et al., 2006) in two adult male prison samples from England and Wales (N = 318, Mage = 33.00, SD = 9.53) and Italy (N = 360, Mage = 40.53, SD = 12.20). Bass-Ackwards analysis revealed results generally consistent with the originally intended FFMQ five-factor structure in the England and Wales sample, whereas a four-factor structure (excluding the Describe factor) was the best solution in the Italian sample. Structural problems occurred in both samples, such as negative item-total correlations, items loading on non-target factors, and inconsistent inter-correlations among factors, including negative inter-correlations. Structural equation modeling suggested adequate construct validity with measures of anger, well-being, self-esteem, emotion regulation, dissociation, and impulsivity, but limited discriminant validity across subscales. The findings offer reassurance about the general consistency of results obtained with the original FFMQ subscales in terms of construct validity, while suggesting that inherent issues with FFMQ items may prevent identification of an optimal modeling solution that works across samples. Mindfulness assessment and interventions in prison should embrace multi-method and holistic attention to the broader construct rather than focus on specific components.