Assessing the bodily felt sense: a study of the Chilean Spanish version of the Focusing Manner Scale
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Date
2025
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Abstract
https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2025.2553554
The Focusing Manner Scale (FMS) assesses the extent to which individuals practice focusing attitudes, facilitating broader research on mental health and well-being. This study aimed to validate the Chilean Spanish version of the English-language FMS developed by Aoki & Ikemi, through a community sample (n = 501) and a sample composed mainly of university students (n = 59). The exploratory factor analysis showed three factors: Global focusing abilities, Difficulty in contacting the experiencing, and Finding a comfortable distance from the experiencing. These three factors differ from those in the original version of the FMS, which was not confirmed in the confirmatory factor analysis. FMS showed the expected associations with different theoretically related constructs: significant and positive correlations with quality of life, interoceptive awareness, and self-esteem; and a negative correlation with alexithymia. The correlation of the total FMS with vagal tone was positive, although not significant. Finally, the FMS’s overall reliability was acceptable, though not for individual dimensions, except for Global focusing abilities. Based on these mixed results, it is concluded that the FMS’s construct validity should be further investigated, and its content validity should be reviewed, considering cultural differences in how people approach their feelings.
The Focusing Manner Scale (FMS) assesses the extent to which individuals practice focusing attitudes, facilitating broader research on mental health and well-being. This study aimed to validate the Chilean Spanish version of the English-language FMS developed by Aoki & Ikemi, through a community sample (n = 501) and a sample composed mainly of university students (n = 59). The exploratory factor analysis showed three factors: Global focusing abilities, Difficulty in contacting the experiencing, and Finding a comfortable distance from the experiencing. These three factors differ from those in the original version of the FMS, which was not confirmed in the confirmatory factor analysis. FMS showed the expected associations with different theoretically related constructs: significant and positive correlations with quality of life, interoceptive awareness, and self-esteem; and a negative correlation with alexithymia. The correlation of the total FMS with vagal tone was positive, although not significant. Finally, the FMS’s overall reliability was acceptable, though not for individual dimensions, except for Global focusing abilities. Based on these mixed results, it is concluded that the FMS’s construct validity should be further investigated, and its content validity should be reviewed, considering cultural differences in how people approach their feelings.
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Keywords
Psychometry, Experiencing, Mental health, Alexithymia, Interoception