Development and preliminary validation studies of the Mindfulness Skills in Teaching Questionnaire among music teachers

Objectives. Educational research increasingly highlights the transformative role of mindfulness in driving educational change, with positive impacts on teaching and learning across diverse settings. However, its application in specialized contexts such as one-to-one music instruction remains underexplored, partly due to a lack of validated measures tailored for practicing music teachers. This study aimed to develop and validate the Mindfulness Skills in Teaching Questionnaire (MSTQ) among instrumental and vocal music teachers.Method. A total of 385 music teachers participated in two studies. In Study 1 (N = 126), an experimental 25-item version of the MSTQ was subjected to exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to examine its factor structure. In Study 2 (N = 259), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) validated the structure of the final MSTQ 18-item version. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed. Additional measures included TALIS 2018 items (job satisfaction, self-efficacy), the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale–Revised (adapted for teaching), and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form to evaluate construct validity.Results. The MSTQ showed good internal consistency. Test-retest reliability over three weeks showed adequate stability. EFA supported a 2-related-factor structure: Teacher Intrapersonal Mindfulness and Teacher Interpersonal Mindfulness. CFA demonstrated excellent model fit and acceptable reliability. MSTQ scores were positively correlated with well-being indicators and negatively with burnout. Comparison with the CAMS-R confirmed the MSTQ’s domain specificity.Conclusions. The MSTQ offers a psychometrically sound tool for assessing mindfulness in one-to-one music teaching and holds promise for informing music teacher training and professional development initiatives.