Mindful Attention Awareness Scale

MAAS

psychologyhealth sciencesFree for research use

A 15-item unidimensional scale measuring dispositional mindfulness as the frequency of open, receptive attention to present-moment experience (scored via inattention/absent-mindedness).

Items

Response format

6-point frequency scale

Version

1.0

Ready-to-cite methods sentence

Dispositional mindfulness was assessed with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003), a 15-item measure with good internal consistency (α ≈ .87).

Reliability & validation

Validation population

College students and community adults (Brown & Ryan, 2003)

Cronbach's α

0.87

Response anchors

Almost always · Very frequently · Somewhat frequently · Somewhat infrequently · Very infrequently · Almost never

Known limitations

Measures only the attention/awareness facet of mindfulness (not acceptance or non-judgment), and does so through reverse-worded "mindlessness" items, which some argue narrows the construct.

Original citation

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(4), 822-848.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822

Questions researchers ask

What does the MAAS measure?

A 15-item unidimensional scale measuring dispositional mindfulness as the frequency of open, receptive attention to present-moment experience (scored via inattention/absent-mindedness).

How many items does the MAAS have?

The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) has 15 items.

Is the MAAS free to use?

The MAAS is free to use for non-commercial academic research. You don't need to pay a license fee, but you should always cite the original publication.

Is the MAAS reliable?

Validation studies report Cronbach's α of 0.87. See the reliability section for the population studied and full statistics.

Who developed the MAAS, and how do I cite it?

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(4), 822-848. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822

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Library entry verified July 2026. Metadata is provided for reference; item wording is available inside Folio Surveyor, subject to each instrument's licensing.