The State of Empirical Research on Logotherapy and Existential Analysis

Thir, Michael; Batthyány, Alexander

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-29424-7_7

Cited by 15 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Central to our understanding of forgiveness and meaning is that both processes are healthy, adaptive forms of coping with life events and circumstances deemed stressful. Indeed, making sense of one's life has been shown to be connected with improved mental and physical health (Cohen et al, 2016 ; Thir and Batthyány, 2016 ; Musich et al, 2018 ), and this is equally true for individuals in late life as in younger individuals (Steger et al, 2009 ). Results of a meta-analysis show that meaning is also inversely related to post-traumatic stress disorder symptom severity (Schäfer et al, 2019 ), and an additional meta-analysis shows that meaning is connected to a broad range of improved mental health and well-being outcomes including depression, satisfaction with life, pain, cognitive function, health-related quality of life, and several other health outcomes in older adults (Koelen et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Adulthood, COVID-19-Related Stress Perceptions, Meaning in Life, and Forgiveness as Predictors of Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2021

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The purpose of this study was to examine multiple direct and indirect pathways of the association between older age and mental health through COVID-19-related stress perceptions, meaning in life, and forgiveness of situations. Participants were 1,382 U.S. adults who were part of the Harvard Digital Lab for the Social Sciences panel who volunteered to complete a 12 min survey in the spring of 2020. The sample had an average age of 56 years, was slightly more male (55%) than female (44%) or other (2%), mostly White (88%), well-educated (70% bachelors degree or more), and middle-income ($60,000–$75,000 annually). Measures included: COVID-19-related stress perceptions (e.g., concerns about infection, job, lack of necessities), presence of and search for meaning in life, forgiveness of situations, psychological distress, hopelessness, and optimism. A latent mental health variable was created that was comprised of psychological distress, hopelessness, and optimism. All hypothesized direct effects were in evidence, and all but one indirect effect were observed. Specifically, older age was related to better mental health through higher presence of meaning and lower search for meaning. Older age was also related to better mental health through a serial indirect pathway from lower COVID-19-related stress perceptions to higher presence of and lower search for meaning and higher forgiveness of situations to mental health. The proposed model was largely supported and confirms existing theory and research on aging, positive psychological processes, and mental health. Findings also offer new insights on the unique potential role of forgiveness of situations and its theoretical relevance to offending situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study offers a beginning for theorists, researchers, and practitioners to consider the connections between aging and mental health and the intricate interconnections between stress appraisal and positive coping resources that may serve to support it.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Adulthood, COVID-19-Related Stress Perceptions, Meaning in Life, and Forgiveness as Predictors of Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2021

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“…The scientific literature on logotherapy is more extensive than might be inferred from the relatively small number of references to this treatment in clinical publications on adolescent depression. Recently, Thir and Batthyány 5 provided a comprehensive review of the state of empirical research on logotherapy, to which interested readers are referred. Briefly, open trials of logotherapy across diverse cultures have variously been associated with measurable reductions in depressive symptoms, resolution of hopelessness, restoration of patients’ sense of purpose, and an increased sense of agency and subjective well-being.…”

Section: Logotherapymentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 3 Like other stress states, existential conflicts are not intrinsically pathological—they invoke the need for specific types of mastery, which, in the logotherapy tradition, is fostered by social connectedness and a sense of purpose. 4 , 5 Logotherapy seeks to meld elements contemporarily associated with positive psychology—goal-setting, hope, self-efficacy, engagement in life—with the serious deliberation of existential questions and use of one’s capacity for freedom of will.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementing Logotherapy in Its Second Half-Century: Incorporating Existential Considerations Into Personalized Treatment of Adolescent Depression

Baumel

Constantino

2020

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psych

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“…He argued that life can have meaning even in the most miserable circumstances, and that the motivation for living comes from finding that meaning. [ 8 9 10 ]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of Logotherapy on Death Anxiety, Hope, Depression, and Proper use of Glucose Control Drugs in Diabetic Patients with Depression

2021

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Background: Logotherapy encourages the individual to find meaning in life, which is recognized as the driving force of every individual in their lifetime. Diabetes, caused by the impairment in metabolism of glucose, fat, and protein, is associated with lack of secretion or dysfunction of insulin. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of logotherapy on death anxiety, hope, depression, and proper use of glucose control medication in diabetic patients with depression. Methods: The population in the present quasiexperimental pretest–posttest study with control group is comprised of diabetic patients with depression attending Baghban Endocrine Clinic in Sari. A sample of 40 diabetic patients (20 in the trial and 20 in the control group) entered the study. Data were collected using Templer Death Anxiety Scale, Miller Hope Scale, Beck's Depression Inventory, and Medication Adherence Scale. Covariance analysis was used to evaluate the effectiveness of logotherapy on death anxiety, hope, depression, and proper use of glucose control medication, where P value lower than 0.05 is considered significant. Results: Death anxiety and depression of diabetic patients with depression were reduced by following logotherapy training, and their hope was increased. The results confirmed the effectiveness of logotherapy training on death anxiety, hope, and depression in diabetic patients with depression ( P < 0.05). Logotherapy was effective on proper use of blood- glucose drugs in depressed diabetic patients and 19% of changes in scores of proper use of medication were caused by the effectiveness of logotherapy ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Logotherapy appears to be a suitable psychological treatment for diabetic patients with depression.

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The State of Empirical Research on Logotherapy and Existential Analysis

Cited by 15 publications

References 51 publications

Late Adulthood, COVID-19-Related Stress Perceptions, Meaning in Life, and Forgiveness as Predictors of Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Late Adulthood, COVID-19-Related Stress Perceptions, Meaning in Life, and Forgiveness as Predictors of Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Implementing Logotherapy in Its Second Half-Century: Incorporating Existential Considerations Into Personalized Treatment of Adolescent Depression

Effectiveness of Logotherapy on Death Anxiety, Hope, Depression, and Proper use of Glucose Control Drugs in Diabetic Patients with Depression

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