Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS)
Also known as: TMS, TMS-13
The Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) is a 13-item self-report instrument uniquely designed to measure state mindfulness—the immediate, transient quality of mindful awareness during or immediately following a meditation session. Developed by Zindel V. Segal, Mark A. Lau, and colleagues at the University of Toronto and published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology in 2006, the TMS captures two core dimensions of state mindfulness: Curiosity and Decentering. Unlike trait measures (FFMQ, FMI) which assess habitual mindfulness, the TMS provides moment-to-moment assessment and has become essential in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and contemplative neuroscience research.
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When to use it
The TMS is uniquely suited for measuring state mindfulness during or immediately after meditation sessions, making it essential in: (1) MBCT and MBSR trials examining meditation quality as a process variable; (2) cognitive therapy research linking moment-to-moment decentering to symptom change; (3) neuroscience studies investigating brain-behavior correlations with state mindfulness; (4) clinical practice monitoring whether a client achieves sufficient mindful awareness during practice. The TMS is less appropriate for measuring trait (habitual) mindfulness; for that purpose, trait measures (FFMQ, FMI) are preferable. The TMS is also unsuitable for assessing mindfulness in non-meditative contexts (e.g., mindful eating without formal meditation instruction).
Strengths & limitations
- Unique state-level measurement: the only widely validated mindfulness measure explicitly designed for immediate post-meditation assessment, capturing moment-to-moment rather than retrospective mindfulness.
- Theoretical clarity: the two-factor structure (Curiosity and Decentering) maps onto specific psychological processes central to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and emotion regulation.
- Practical brevity: 13 items requiring only 2–3 minutes, permitting session-by-session monitoring and daily practice tracking without respondent burden.
- Process-level validity: TMS scores mediate the relationship between meditation practice and symptom reduction in MBCT, suggesting the measure captures clinically relevant mechanisms.
- State-level specificity: the TMS measures only the quality of mindfulness during meditation; it does not capture trait mindfulness or mindfulness in daily-life contexts, limiting generalization.
- Timing dependency: TMS scores depend critically on precise timing post-meditation; delayed administration (>10 minutes) may not reflect the true state mindfulness quality achieved.
- Population restriction: validation is primarily in adult meditators and clinical samples (depression, anxiety); applicability to children or non-meditative mindfulness contexts is limited.
- Modest subscale correlations: Curiosity and Decentering correlate moderately (r ≈ 0.40–0.50), suggesting partially independent dimensions that may require separate clinical interpretation.
Frequently asked
When exactly should clients complete the TMS?
Ideally within 1–5 minutes of ending meditation practice. If participants wait >10 minutes, state mindfulness decays and the TMS may no longer reflect the quality of awareness during the session. In clinical practice, administer immediately post-session or have clients complete it as the first task upon returning from a guided group meditation.
My client scores high on Curiosity but low on Decentering. What does this mean?
This pattern suggests the client is engaged and exploratory during meditation (high Curiosity) but may struggle to observe thoughts non-judgmentally—they may be analyzing or reacting to mental content rather than maintaining metacognitive distance (low Decentering). Therapeutically, this client may benefit from explicit decentering instruction (e.g., 'thoughts are like clouds passing in the sky').
Can high TMS scores predict better outcomes?
Somewhat. In MBCT for depression, individuals who show increases in TMS Decentering (≥4-point gain from baseline to mid-course) demonstrate better depressive symptom reduction and relapse protection. However, TMS is a process measure, not a predictor in isolation; it reflects whether the individual is engaging with the practice at a deeper level.
Is the TMS valid for other types of meditation (e.g., loving-kindness, body scan)?
The TMS has been primarily validated for breath-focused (Vipassana-style) meditation used in MBSR/MBCT. Loving-kindness and body-scan meditations may engage Curiosity and Decentering differently. While the measure can be applied, interpret results cautiously and consider whether the item content (which emphasizes observation of thoughts) fits the specific meditation type.
Sources
- Lau, M. A., Bishop, S. R., Segal, Z. V., Buis, T., Anderson, N. D., Carlson, L., ... & Devins, G. (2006). The Toronto Mindfulness Scale: Development and validation of a state measure of mindfulness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(12), 1445-1467. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20326 ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/mindfulness-psychology/toronto-mindfulness-scale
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
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- Freiburg Mindfulness InventoryMindfulness Psychology↔ compare
- Philadelphia Mindfulness ScaleMindfulness Psychology↔ compare