Responding mindfully to unpleasant thoughts and images: Reliability and validity of the Southampton mindfulness questionnaire (SMQ)

Objective To assess the reliability and validity of the Southampton mindfulness questionnaire (SMQ), a 16‐item measure of mindful awareness of distressing thoughts and images. Methods A total of 256 people participated, comprising a non‐clinical community sample of 134 (83 meditators and 51 non‐meditators) and a clinical sample of 122 people with a current distressing psychosis. To assess concurrent validity, non‐clinical participants and half clinical participants (total 197 participants) completed the mindful attention awareness scale (MAAS). Predicted links were assessed with affect, and 59 patients completed a validated measure to assess link between mindfulness and intensity of ‘delusional’ experience. Results The scale has a single factor structure, was internally reliable, significantly correlated with the MAAS, showed expected associations with affect, and distinguished among meditators, non‐meditators and people with psychosis. Conclusions The data support use of the SMQ in clinical practice and research to assess mindful responding to distressing thoughts and images.