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Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Nonattachment Scale (NAS) and Its Relationship with Mindfulness, Decentering, and Mental Health

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Abstract

Nonattachment is a Buddhism-rooted construct, which can be defined as the relative absence of fixation on ideas, images, or sensory objects, as well as an absence of internal pressure to get, hold, avoid, or change circumstances or experiences. The present study was aimed at exploring the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Nonattachment Scale (NAS) and at delimitating the relationship between the NAS and measures of mindfulness, decentering, and negative emotional symptoms. Pooling the NAS data from Spanish meditators (n = 335) and nonmeditators (n = 270), we performed an exploratory factor analysis and then estimated the fit of two competing models (one-factor model vs. one-factor model + method effects) via confirmatory factor analysis. Data analyses showed that the Spanish version of the NAS is unifactorial in nature and has excellent internal consistency. As expected, high (positive) significant correlations were found between NAS and mindfulness and decentering measures, as well as high significant (negative) relations between NAS and depression, anxiety, and stress scores. Positive relations were also observed between NAS and variables of meditation practice. Large differences among the meditative, nonmeditative, and clinical groups (n = 39 patients with borderline personality disorder) were observed regarding NAS scores. Scores on the NAS were significant predictors of negative emotional symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) and, especially, resilience. Furthermore, NAS provided a unique contribution in the regression models, going beyond mindfulness facets and decentering. In conclusion, the Spanish version of the NAS is a psychometrically sound instrument with a promising future in the field of mindfulness and meditation research and in clinical settings.

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Acknowledgments

This study was in part supported by CIBERSAM, CIBEROBN, REDIAPP (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, ISCIII; RD12/0005/0006 and RD12/0005/0008), and PROMOSAM (Red de Excelencia PSI2014-56303-REDT). We are also grateful to ISCIII for two grants for research projects on health (PI13/00134 and PI15/00383) that are co-financed with European Union ERDF funds. The third author (JVL) has a Miguel Servet contract awarded by the ISCIII (CP14/00087).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Teaching, Research, and Innovation Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, C/Dr. Antoni Pujadas 42, 08830, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Albert Feliu-Soler & Juan V. Luciano

  2. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain

    Albert Feliu-Soler, Joaquim Soler & Matilde Elices

  3. Servei de Psiquiatria, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica-Sant Pau (IIB-SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain

    Joaquim Soler & Matilde Elices

  4. Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Joaquim Soler

  5. Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (RedIAPP), Barcelona, Spain

    Juan V. Luciano & Javier García-Campayo

  6. Departament de Personalitat, Avaluació i Tractaments Psicològics, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain

    Ausiàs Cebolla

  7. CIBER de Fisiopatología de la obesidad y la nutrición (CIBEROBN), Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Ausiàs Cebolla

  8. Programa de Cognición, Facultad de Psicología, Instituto de Fundamentos y Métodos en Psicología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Matilde Elices

  9. Mente Aberta—Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, Department of Preventive Medicine, Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Marcelo Demarzo

  10. University of Zaragoza and Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain

    Javier García-Campayo

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  1. Albert Feliu-Soler
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  2. Joaquim Soler
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  3. Juan V. Luciano
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  4. Ausiàs Cebolla
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  5. Matilde Elices
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  6. Marcelo Demarzo
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  7. Javier García-Campayo
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Correspondence to Juan V. Luciano.

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Feliu-Soler, A., Soler, J., Luciano, J.V. et al. Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Nonattachment Scale (NAS) and Its Relationship with Mindfulness, Decentering, and Mental Health. Mindfulness 7, 1156–1169 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-016-0558-0

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