The meaning in life questionnaire: psychometric properties with individuals with serious mental illness in an inpatient setting

Viktor Frankl theorized that an absence of meaning in one’s life can result in boredom and apathy—the “existential vacuum”—and attempts to avoid or “escape” the vacuum can include short-acting distracting behaviors. This study investigated whether the presence of meaning (PM) or the search for meaning are associated with alcohol, drug, and cigarette use by young adults, and whether boredom mediates those relationships. Hundred and seventy-six young adults completed the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and provided information about cigarette and illicit drug use over the preceding year. The results partly support Frankl’s model: higher PM was associated with lower alcohol/other drug use and boredom mediated those relationships, but PM was not related to cigarette smoking. Contrary to Frankl’s model, no relationship was found between search for meaning and alcohol, drug, or cigarette use. This suggests that psychological interventions that assist individuals who use drugs or alcohol to identify meaning or purpose in their lives might reduce levels of drug and alcohol use. The process of searching for meaning may not have substantial direct impact on levels of substance use, but once some meaning was established there may be decreased impetus to continue using drugs and alcohol.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire and Dispositional Hope Scale With Latina/o Students

The Journal of Humanistic Counseling ◽

10.1002/johc.12051 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 56 (3) ◽

pp. 166-179 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

JAVIER CAVAZOS VELA ◽

JAMES IKONOMOPOULOS ◽

A. STEPHEN LENZ ◽

YVETTE HINOJOSA ◽

KARLA SALDANA

Keyword(s):

Meaning In Life ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Dispositional Hope ◽

Meaning In Life Questionnaire

Download Full-text

Relationship between meaning in life and death anxiety in the elderly: self-esteem as a mediator

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-019-1316-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jiaxi Zhang ◽

Jiaxi Peng ◽

Pan Gao ◽

He Huang ◽

Yunfei Cao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Meaning In Life ◽

Death Anxiety ◽

The Elderly ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Study Data ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Life And Death ◽

Meaning In Life Questionnaire ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Death anxiety is a common phenomenon in all societies. Older adults may be more prone to death anxiety than their younger counterparts; however, death anxiety among older adults is not well understood. This study explores the relationship between meaning in life, self-esteem, and death anxiety in senior citizens in China. Methods A total of 283 older adults participated in this study; data were collected via the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Death Anxiety Scale. Results Results show that the dimensions of meaning in life, presence of meaning (r = − 0.43, p < 0.01), search for meaning (r = − 0.31, p < 0.01), and self-esteem (r = − 0.54, p < 0.01) were each negatively correlated with death anxiety. Regression analysis reveals that meaning in life significantly predicted self-esteem and death anxiety (F = 45.70, p < 0.01; R2 = 0.33). Path analysis indicated that self-esteem either completely or partially mediated the effects of meaning in life on death anxiety in older adults. Conclusions Overall, meaning in life appears to be significantly correlated with death anxiety in older adults, and self-esteem can mediate this effect.

Download Full-text