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Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS)

Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) Test

Understand your mindfulness strengths in about 8 minutes, including noticing, describing, staying present, and accepting without judgment. Get clear, targeted feedback from 39 items to guide growth, coaching, or clinical care.

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Questions: 398 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

26,354 views

3,016 completions

2,561 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

26/45

Accepting Without Judgment (AWJ)

Measures how well you can experience thoughts and emotions without judging them or trying to avoid or change them.

Low

Moderate

High

9 – 23: Low | 24 – 36: Moderate | 37 – 45: High

A score of 26 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a developing ability to accept inner experiences without strong self-criticism, with some judgment still occurring at times.

example score

31/50

Acting With Awareness (AWA)

Mindful Action measures how consistently you stay focused on what you are doing in the present moment rather than running on autopilot.

Low

Moderate

High

10 – 22: Low | 23 – 34: Moderate | 35 – 50: High

A score of 31 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting you often act with awareness but may still slip into autopilot in some routine or distracting situations.

example score

12/40

Describing (D)

Measures how well you can identify and put your internal experiences (thoughts, feelings, sensations) into words.

Low

Moderate

High

8 – 21: Low | 22 – 33: Moderate | 34 – 40: High

A score of 12 falls in the Low range, suggesting less consistent ability to label and describe internal experiences in words.

example score

46/60

Observing (O)

Observation measures how well you notice and attend to internal experiences (sensations, thoughts, emotions) and external stimuli in the present moment.

Lower observation

Moderate observation

Higher observation

12 – 29: Lower observation | 30 – 43: Moderate observation | 44 – 60: Higher observation

A score of 46 falls in the Higher observation range, suggesting you tend to notice sensations, emotions, and environmental details relatively clearly and often.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Therapy and coaching clients

41%OF USERS

People in counseling or coaching use it to pinpoint which mindfulness skills are strong and which need practice for stress, mood, or emotion regulation.

Mindfulness and meditation learners

34%OF USERS

People building a mindfulness habit take it to get clear feedback on observing, describing, staying present, and self-acceptance.

Psychology students and researchers

25%OF USERS

Students and researchers use it to measure mindfulness components in studies, class projects, or clinical assessments.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Acceptance Without Judgment (AWJ)

Average

35.3

Normal range

30.8 — 39.8

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Mindful Action (MA)

Average

26.9

Normal range

19.8 — 34

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Description (D)

Average

25.1

Normal range

19.1 — 31.2

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Observation (O)

Average

45.2

Normal range

39 — 51.3

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures mindfulness skills across four areas: observing, describing, acting with awareness, and nonjudgmental acceptance.

How long does it take to complete and how many items are included?

Completion typically takes about 8 minutes. It contains 39 items.

How should items be answered?

Select the response option that best reflects typical experience and behavior. Answer all items and avoid spending too much time on any single item.

What do the scores mean?

Scores are calculated for each of the four skill areas and may also be summarized overall. Higher scores generally indicate stronger skills in the measured area.

Is this a diagnostic test?

No; it is a self-report measure of skills and tendencies. Results should be interpreted alongside other clinical or research information.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) Test - Symptoms and Signs

cbt awareness

The measure is designed to assess mindfulness-related skills in everyday functioning. The Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) is a self-report questionnaire that provides a structured profile across multiple facets of mindfulness.

It includes 39 items and typically requires about 8 minutes to complete. Items query the frequency of experiences and behaviors consistent with observing internal and external experiences, describing subjective states, acting with awareness, and adopting a nonjudgmental stance toward thoughts and emotions.

Scores from the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) may be used in clinical or research settings to characterize relative strengths and areas for intervention planning, to monitor change over time, or to support case formulation in mindfulness-informed treatments. The version referenced is attributed to psytests.org (2024).

Author: psytests.org (2024)

Literature: Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., & Allen, K. B. Assessment of mindfulness by self-report: The Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills. Assessment. 2004.

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