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Introduction: The clinical use of mindfulness has increased recently, and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) has become one of the most used tools to measure it. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of mindfulness training and analyzing the psychometric properties of the MAAS scores in a clinical sample using the Rasch Model., Methods: One hundred and ninety-nine participants with mood-anxiety clinical symptoms were recruited. The experimental group (n=103) received mindfulness training, and the control group (n=96) a conventional outpatient treatment for the same duration. The pre-post MAAS scores were analyzed to test the effectiveness of training, the psychometric properties of the scores, and differential item functioning (DIF) using the Rating Scale Model (RSM)., Results: Misfit in items 9 and 12, DIF in item 9, and Spanish translation problems in the items 5, 9 and 12 were observed. The repetition of the analysis without these items was decided. Appropriate dimensionality, fit and reliability values were obtained with the short version, MAAS-12., Conclusions: Contrary to previous studies, the MAAS was sensitive to treatment-associated change. However, the commonly used MAAS has some translation and metric problems, and should be revised. MAAS-12 is a better scale than MAAS but suffers from construct under-representation. Constructing tools from a coherent theoretical perspective is suggested, so that all mindfulness facets are represented., (Copyright © 2013 SEP y SEPB. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.)

Generally speaking, this paper comments on the role of qualitative methods in scientific psychology. To begin with, general and special methodology are defined; then, the main uses of qualitative methods are described and the focus of the paper on the study of meaning and of abstract concepts in the context of embodied cognition is justified. It is emphasized that three uses of qualitative methods converge in the study of embodied cognition: (1) classification, given that it is centered on concepts, (2) discovery, because theories are not yet well articulated and inductive effort is required, and (3) the study of meaning. The final recommendation is to profit from the opportunity of constructing special techniques that the transformation of cognitive psychology is favoring; in this context, varieties of emotion become a privileged object of study.

This study examines the psychometric properties of a depression questionnaire. The goal was to improve the technical quality of traditional measures of depression in Spanish youth. 310 participants, aged 18-24 years, filled in the self-report questionnaire. The data were analyzed by means of the Rasch model. Results show that model fit, average item reliability (.97), and average person reliability (.88) are high. After deleting four indicators showing misfit and 12 showing sex bias, the resulting scale measures clinical depression objectively. Using this scale, the expected sex-related differences are found.