Validation of Urdu Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting (IM-P) Scale on Pakistani Mothers

Abstract

Aim of the Study: The Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale is a self-report instrument to assess mindful parenting practices. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties, including reliability and validity, of the Urdu version of the IM-P. 

Methodology: Two studies were undertaken to achieve this aim. The first study comprised 244 mothers of children under age 11 in which confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to validate the original three-factor structure of the scale. The second study included 127 mothers of children with same age range conducted to investigate the construct validity of the scale, encompassing both convergent and divergent validity. Internal consistency of the scale was also calculated.

Findings: The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the data fit the original three-factor model well (CMIN/DF = 2.65, CFI = 0.96, GFI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.08, SRMR = 0.04). The reliability coefficients for the entire scale and the three subscales were 0.85, 0.70, 0.87, and 0.74, respectively. Significant positive correlations were observed between the IM-P and measures of self-compassion and present centered attention and awareness, while negative correlations were found with parenting stress.

Conclusion: This study provided evidence that mindful parenting can be effectively assessed through three dimensions—Awareness and Present-Centered Attention in parenting, Non-judgmental acceptance in parenting, and Non-reactivity in parenting—and confirmed that the Urdu version is a reliable measure for this construct to be used with Pakistani mothers.