Using genetic algorithms to abbreviate the Mindfulness Inventory for Sport: A substantive-methodological synthesis

Abstract

Objectives. To demonstrate the use of machine-learning for reducing questionnaire response burden, we created multiple, shorter versions of the Mindfulness Inventory for Sport. We then tested the reliability and validity of scores derived from these shorter versions in athletic populations. Design. We used genetic algorithms to shorten the measure, and both cross-sectional and longitudinal data to test psychometric properties. Method. We collected data from 859 undergraduate exercise science students and 118 golfers. We used 75% of the student sample to shorten the measure, and the rest of the data to test the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity, and factorial validity. For criterion validity, we explored relationships between the subscales and other measures of mindfulness, golf handicaps, and an objective measure of putting accuracy. Results. Genetic algorithms efficiently generated stable solutions to shortening the measure. Reliability decreased as the measure become shorter-especially between three and two items per subscale-but remained acceptable. Validity metrics for shorter versions were as good, and sometimes better, than the full questionnaire. Awareness and refocusing subscales demonstrated weak associations with golf handicap for long and short versions. Non-judgment showed no significant associations, and no subscales significantly predicted putting performance. Conclusions. Genetic algorithms provide efficient solutions to reducing questionnaire response burden for athletes.

The well-being profile (WB-Pro): Creating a theoretically based multidimensional measure of well-being to advance theory, research, policy, and practice.

“…The GA implement the principles of biological evolution (e.g., mutation, crossover, and selection based on fitness) in a computational framework to find a suitable short form of the long form that is reliable, valid, and preserves most of the variance in the data of the original questionnaire (Sahdra, Ciarrochi, Parker, & Scrucca, 2016; Yarkoni, 2010). The GA have been used to abbreviate long forms of several psychological constructs, including personality traits (Yarkoni, 2010), psychopathy (Eisenbarth, Lilienfeld, & Yarkoni, 2015), experiential avoidance (Sahdra et al, 2016), body image (Basarkod, Sahdra, & Ciarrochi, 2018), and mindfulness in sports (Noetel, Ciarrochi, Sahdra, & Lonsdale, 2019). For present purposes, we constructed two versions of WB-Pro-Short, one based on the best five items, and another based on the best 15 items subject to the constraint that at least one item was included from each of the 15 WB-Pro factors (To download short and long versions see https://ippe.acu.edu.au/research/research-instruments/wb-pro for long and short versions of the instrument).…”

Psychometric Properties of the Mindfulness Inventory for Sport (German Version)

“…Considering options of further modifications of the MIS-D, especially to meet the demand of briefer versions in order to decrease response burden and increase the number of constructs to be measured in parallel, we would like to point out the option of genetic algorithms like Noetel et al (2019a) applied to the original MIS ( Thienot et al, 2014 ). This approach represents an innovative method to abbreviate questionnaires, but as large modifications could effect the theoretical integrity of a model resulting in a new instrument, an independent sample is required and should therefore be taken under consideration for future research.…”

“…Mindfulness as a construct takes over different roles in the sports context and can therefore act as a predictor as well as a mediator or moderator between performance predictors and performance itself and in terms of this knowledge as an outcome of respective interventions ( Noetel et al, 2019a ). Consequently, reliable and validate assessment tools, such as the MIS, are assumed to be beneficial for a variety of different research questions in the context of mindfulness in sports.…”

High school students’ tenacity and flexibility in goal pursuit linked to life satisfaction and achievement on competencies tests.

“…The GA implement the principles of biological evolution (e.g., mutation, crossover, and selection based on fitness) in a computational framework to select the items for a new abbreviated measure, which tends to fit better and has less noise than the original measure (Sahdra et al, 2016; Yarkoni, 2010). The GA have been employed to create reliable and valid short forms of several psychological constructs, including personality traits (Yarkoni, 2010), psychopathy (Eisenbarth et al, 2015), experiential avoidance (Sahdra et al, 2016), body image (Basarkod et al, 2018), mindfulness in sports (Noetel et al, 2019), and multidimensional well-being (Marsh et al, 2020).…”