Meaning in life: Clinical relevance and predictive power

Abstract

The clinical relevance of the meaning in life construct is examined by evaluating its ability to predict patients' general and psychological well-being and their post-treatment functioning. Evidence is obtained for the notion that meaning in life (a) would affect both positive and negative aspects of well-being, (b) that it would be related to improvement during psychotherapy, and (c) that it would predict the outcome of psychotherapy, independently of patients' pre-treatment levels of well-being. The findings not only support the clinical relevance of the meaning in life concept, but they also favour the construct validity of the Life Regard Index, an instrument that was designed to measure the relevant construct. It is concluded that the neglected meaning in life issue deserves greater therapeutic and scientific consideration. Clinical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Personal goals, life meaning, and virtue: Wellsprings of a positive life.

“…Many goals are trivial or shallow and, although necessary for daily functioning, have little capacity to contribute to a sense that life is meaningful. Psychologists are beginning to warm to the concept of personal meaning (Wong & Fry, 1998) and are gradually recognizing that despite its somewhat vague and boundless nature, the topic can be seriously and fruitfully investigated (Debats, 1996;Ryff, 1989;Wong & Fry, 1998). The scientific and clinical relevance of the personal meaning construct has been demonstrated in the adjustment literature, in which indicators of meaningfulness (e.g., purpose in life, a sense of coherence) predict positive functioning (French & Joseph, 1999;Robak & Griffin, 2000), whereas indicators of meaninglessness (e.g., anomie, alienation) are regularly associated with psychological distress and pathology (Baumeister, 1991;Keyes, 1998;Seeman, 1991).…”

Measuring Meaning in Life

“…The PIL can be further criticised for failing to distinguish between theorised components of meaning in life and the theorised sources from which it is derived. Certain items appear to measure specific beliefs and value-outlooks, such as a sense of responsibility, control, and productivity (Battista and Almond 1973;Debats 1996;Garfield 1973). Whilst the LRI was developed in response to such concerns, its multi-dimensionality at the second-order level implies that it may also tap content that is peripheral to the meaning in life construct.…”

Resorting to Internet: A look at university students’ problematic Internet use through meaning in life, self-efficacy and self-esteem

“…On the other hand, the more search for meaning in life increases (Steger, Mann, Michels & Cooper, 2009) the more anxiety, depression level and health risking behaviors increase (Marco et al, 2015), and level of psychological and pysical well being decreases (Steger et al, 2006;Steger et al, 2009). Meaning in life reported by individuals addicted to smoking, substance, alcohol, and drugs is found to be lower compared to those not addicted to such (Nicholson et al, 1994;Thege, Urban & Kopp, 2013;Waisberg & Porter, 1994) and meaning in life plays a facilitating role in psychotherapy (Debats, 1996). Furthermore, positive relationship between the Internet addiction and stressful life events (Whang et al, 2003), family problems (Lam, Peng, Mai & Jing, 2009), psychological traumas (Dalbudak, Evren, Aldemir & Evren, 2014), and academic problems (İskender & Akın, 2010;Odacı, 2011) gives the idea that problematic Internet use can be considered as a problem of meaning in life.…”