The Mysticism Scale – Research Form D (M Scale)
A 32-item self-report instrument designed to assess an individual's intense mystical experiences, characterized by a sense of unity and/or religious interpretation.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The The Mysticism Scale – Research Form D (M Scale) was developed by Ralph W. Hood, Jr. (1975). It is designed to measure Mystical Experience. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 32 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Extrovertive Mysticism, Religious Interpretation, Introvertive Mysticism.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Extrovertive Mysticism | 6,8,10,12,15,19,24,27,28,29,30,31 | 12 |
| Religious Interpretation | 5,7,9,13,14,16,17,18,20,22,25,26 | 12 |
| Introvertive Mysticism | 1,2,3,4,11,21,23,32 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: -2 = Definitely not true of my own experience or experiences, -1 = Probably not true of my own experience or experiences, 0 = I cannot decide (?), 1 = Probably true of my own experience or experiences, 2 = Definitely true of my own experience or experiences.
The scale includes 16 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 32 to 160. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low reported mystical experience: 32 – 74
- Moderate reported mystical experience: 75 – 117
- High reported mystical experience: 118 – 160
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha coefficients: Extrovertive Mysticism = .76, Introvertive Mysticism = .69, Religious Interpretation = .76.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.