Dimensions of the Mysticism Scale: Confirming the three-factor structure in the United States and Iran

Ina mostly Christian American sample (N = 1,379), confirmatory factor analy sis of Hood's (1975) Mysticism Scale verified the existence of Stace's (196 0) introvertive and extrovertive dimensions of mystical phenomenology along with a separate interpretation factor. A second study confirmed the presen ce of these three factors in not only another group of Americans (N = 188), but also in a sample of Iranian Muslims (N = 185). Relationships of the in trovertive and extrovertive factors with the interpretation factor were ess entially identical across these two cultures, but the Americans displayed a stronger association between the two phenomenology factors. In both sample s, the interpretation factor correlated positively with an intrinsic and ne gatively with an extrinsic religious orientation, and the introvertive fact or predicted psychological dysfunction. Associations of the interpretation factor with relative mental health appeared only in the Iranians. These dat a offered general support for Stace's phenomenology of mysticism, although the ineffability he linked with interpretation proved to be as much or even more a feature of the introvertive experience, as hypothesized by Hood.