Table 2 Means and standard deviations of the items of psychology flexibility

1

I tried to make peace with my negative thoughts and feelings rather than resisting them

3.47

1.12

31

I tried to distract myself when I felt unpleasant emotions

3.59

1.27

2

I experienced myself as separate from my changing thoughts and feelings

2.47

1.41

32

When I had a bad memory, I tried to distract myself to make it go away

3.61

1.32

3

I opened myself to all of my feelings, the good and the bad

4.13

1.23

33

When something upsetting came up, I tried very hard to stop thinking about it

3.43

1.38

4

I made room to fully experience negative thoughts and emotions, breathing them in rather than pushing them away

3.48

1.31

34

If there was something I didn’t want to think about, I would try many things to get it out of my mind

3.83

1.25

5

When I had an upsetting thought or emotion, I tried to give it space rather than ignoring it

3.51

1.34

35

When unpleasant memories came to me, I tried to put them out of my mind

3.67

1.31

6

I was attentive and aware of my emotions

4.52

1.07

36

I did most things mindlessly without paying much attention

2.38

1.06

7

I was in tune with my thoughts and feelings from moment to moment

4.47

1.04

37

I did most things on “automatic” with little awareness of what I was doing

2.79

1.17

8

I was in touch with the ebb and flow of my thoughts and feelings

4.46

1.01

38

Most of the time, I was just going through the motions without paying much attention

2.39

1.03

9

I paid close attention to what I was thinking and feeling

4.68

1.05

39

I floated through most days without paying much attention

2.91

1.33

10

I strived to remain mindful and aware of my own thoughts and emotions

4.34

1.11

40

I went through most days on autopilot without paying much attention to what I was thinking or feeling

2.48

1.08

11

Even when I felt hurt or upset, I tried to maintain a broader perspective

3.88

1.23

41

I thought some of my emotions were bad or inappropriate and I shouldn’t feel them

3.23

1.35

12

I carried myself through tough moments by seeing my life from a larger viewpoint

4.14

1.25

42

I criticized myself for having irrational or inappropriate emotions

2.88

1.48

13

When I was scared or afraid, I still tried to see the larger picture

3.69

1.32

43

I believed some of my thoughts are abnormal or bad and I shouldn’t think that way

3.23

1.46

14

When something painful happened, I tried to take a balanced view of the situation

3.86

1.29

44

I told myself that I shouldn’t be feeling the way I’m feeling

3.14

1.48

15

I tried to keep perspective even when life knocked me down

3.91

1.28

45

I told myself I shouldn’t be thinking the way I was thinking

3.15

1.49

16

I was able to let negative feelings come and go without getting caught up in them

3.07

1.19

46

Negative thoughts and feelings tended to stick with me for a long time

3.21

1.46

17

When I was upset, I was able to let those negative feelings pass through me without clinging to them

2.96

1.24

47

Distressing thoughts tended to spin around in my mind like a broken record

3.01

1.50

18

When I was scared or afraid, I was able to gently experience those feelings, allowing them to pass

3.28

1.19

48

It was very easy to get trapped into unwanted thoughts and feelings

3.05

1.41

19

In tough situations, I was able to notice my thoughts and feelings without getting overwhelmed by them

3.22

1.26

49

When I had negative thoughts or feelings, it was very hard to see past them

3.31

1.38

20

I was able to step back and notice negative thoughts and feelings without reacting to them

3.24

1.19

50

When something bad happened, it was hard for me to stop thinking about it

3.76

1.32

21

I was very in touch with what is important to me and my life

4.65

1.03

51

When life got hectic, I often lost touch with the things I value

2.57

1.18

22

I stuck to my deeper priorities in life

4.79

1.06

52

My priorities and values often fell by the wayside in my day-to-day life

2.37

1.15

23

I tried to connect with what is truly important to me on a daily basis

4.58

1.07

53

The things that I value the most often fell off my priority list completely

2.30

1.13

24

My deeper values consistently gave direction to my life

4.63

1.10

54

When times got tough, it was easy to forget about what I truly value

2.21

1.12

25

Even when it meant making tough choices, I still tried to prioritize the things that were important to me

4.48

1.09

55

I didn’t usually have time to focus on the things that are really important to me

2.40

1.08

26

Even when times got tough, I was still able to take steps toward what I value in life

4.45

1.12

56

Negative feelings easily stalled out my plans

3.02

1.31

27

Even when I stumbled in my efforts, I didn’t quit working toward what is important

4.33

1.30

57

Negative feelings often trapped me in inaction

2.89

1.35

28

Even when life got stressful and hectic, I still worked toward things that were important to me

4.29

1.17

58

Getting upset left me stuck and inactive

3.16

1.34

29

I didn’t let setbacks slow me down in taking action toward what I really want in life

4.24

1.15

59

Unpleasant thoughts and feelings easily overwhelmed my efforts to deepen my life

2.89

1.32

30

I didn’t let my own fears and doubts get in the way of taking action toward my goals

4.15

1.20

60

Negative experiences derailed me from what’s really important

2.81

1.27