The Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment (NADA): New tools to assess nondual traits and states of consciousness occurring within and beyond the context of meditation.

• DOI: 10.1037/pas0000615
• Publication Date: 2018-07-30T14:16:29Z
• Authors: Adam W. Hanley; Yoshio Nakamura; Eric L. Garland
• Keywords: Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Male; Principal Component Analysis; Adolescent; Consciousness; Awareness; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Meditation; 0302 clinical medicine; Humans; Female; Students; Mindfulness; Aged

This manuscript details the development of two measures nondual awareness, Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment-Trait (NADA-T) and Assessment-State (NADA-S).Principal component analysis (N=528) revealed two, interpretable dimensions NADA-T: self-transcendence bliss.Bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling, conducted in three independent samples (N=338, N=221, N=166), indicated that both NADA-T were components a second-order awareness construct.Convergent validity was observed between theoretically aligned constructs, including interdependent self-construals dispositional mindfulness.Given theoretical relationships mindfulness, additional analyses examined relationship mindfulness practice awareness.Results practitioners reported higher scores than non-practitioners, frequency positively associated with awareness.To assess immediate effect meditation on items retained final version modified to create NADA-S.A randomized controlled experiment (N=53) comparing participants receiving induction (i.e., body scan) those an attention control group state effects using alternate forms NADA-S.Thus, appears be psychometrically sound, representing novel, standardized instrument capable facilitating quantitative investigation awareness.Furthermore, NADA-S may useful for measuring fluctuations states evoked during other contemplative techniques designed transform consciousness.