Replicability of the psychometric properties of trait-levels measures of spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering

Recent research on individual differences in mind wandering have shown that two different forms, spontaneous and deliberate, can be distinguished and measured with the Mind Wandering-Spontaneous (MW-S) and the Mind Wandering-Deliberate (MW-D) scales. In this study we tested whether the psychometric properties of Italian versions of these scales replicated across two common administration methods (paper-and-pencil and online survey). We also investigated their construct validity with respect to other self-report measures of MW and daydreaming, and measures of attentional control (AC). These measures were completed by 123 psychology students using the paper-and-pencil versions and by 165 online participants. The factor structure of the MW scales and their correlations with the other measures were replicated almost perfectly across administration methods. A confirmatory factor analysis performed on data from 270 community participants further supported the replicability of the factor structure of the MW and AC scales. Albeit moderately correlated, the MW-S and the MW-D scales showed discriminant validity, since the former had significantly higher correlations with the other MW and AC measures, but not with daydreaming. These findings further supported the distinctiveness of the two forms of MW and suggested that in correlational studies the administration method is unlikely to affect results.