Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness: Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version.

Author: Machorrinho J1,2, Veiga G1,2,3, Fernandes J1, Mehling W4, Marmeleira J1,2,3
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>1 Department of Sport and Health, School of Sciences and Technology, University of Évora, Portugal. <sup>2</sup>2 Comprehensive Health Research Centre, University of Évora, Portugal. <sup>3</sup>3 Research Centre in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, Évora, Portugal. <sup>4</sup>4 Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Conference/Journal: Percept Mot Skills.
Date published: 2018 Nov 19
Other: Volume ID: 31512518813231 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1177/0031512518813231. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 157


Interoceptive awareness involves several mind-body dimensions and can be evaluated by self-report with the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), which has been translated and validated in several countries and is being used in research and clinical contexts. This study systematically translated the MAIA with six additional items using a focus group and evaluated its psychometric properties in a respondent sample of 204 Portuguese university students (52% females; M = 21.3, SD = 3.9 years). Based on exploratory factor analysis, we refined the tool into a 33-item version and tested it in a separate sample ( n = 286; 63% females; M = 21.3, SD = 4.7 years). We then conducted confirmatory factor analysis and examined test-retest reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. We confirmed an acceptable model fit for this Portuguese version (MAIA-P) with 33 items and seven scales; it showed good construct validity and acceptable temporal reliability, The MAIA-P appears to be valuable for assessing self-reported interoceptive awareness in Portuguese healthy adults.

KEYWORDS: MAIA; interoception; psychometrics; translating; validation

PMID: 30451581 DOI: 10.1177/0031512518813231