Meaning and Purpose in Life

A sense of meaning in life can be understood as how we “comprehend, make sense of, or see significance in [our] lives, accompanied by the degree to which [we] perceive [our]selves to have a purpose, mission, or overarching aim in life.”^[1]

Having a strong sense of meaning in life is positively associated with life satisfaction, subjective wellbeing, high self-esteem and lower levels of substance abuse.^[2] On the other hand, those who struggle to identify a purpose in life are more likely to suffer from psychological distress, often manifesting as depression and anxiety, and experience increased feelings of hopelessness characterized by a “negative belief and expectation about the future”.^[3,4]

Religion is often cited as a key aspect of finding meaning, however there is nothing intrinsic to religion that excludes finding meaning elsewhere. Rather, people find meaning through religious activities such as prayer, meditation, spiritual introspection, social gathering, and shared community.^[2] These practices provide frameworks for understanding existence and purpose, offering profound connections to something greater than oneself.

Many people discover meaning through secular pursuits such as art, relationships, career accomplishments, experiencing awe, and performing acts of kindness. The search for meaning exists beyond religious boundaries and manifests in diverse personal experiences and philosophies.

The questionnaire presented below assesses two aspects of meaning: presence of meaning and search for meaning. At the end of the questionnaire, we will give some brief advice on how to interpret your results. This tool can be used to provide some insight into how the pursuit and presence of meaning in your life is currently affecting your wellbeing, and to track how these aspects of your life are changing over time.

Come back and track your progress

• This questionnaire can be taken at intervals to track how the presence or lack of meaning in your life is affecting you over time. This can be helpful in identifying other aspects of your life and circumstances that influence your ability to find and identify meaning.

Disclaimer 

This questionnaire is used in a wide variety of research and clinical settings, but is not designed to give specific advice or diagnoses. It is best used as a starting point for identifying whether or not a lack of purpose is having an impact on your wellbeing, and for tracking how this changes over time. To address any issues brought up by this assessment, the best course of action is to reach out to qualified mental health professionals who will be able to offer personalized guidance and counselling. Discussing these matters with family members, close friends or other confidants is another way to start dispelling feelings of isolation or frustration.

References

1. Steger, M. F. (2009). Meaning in life. In S. J. Lopez (Ed.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology (2nd ed., pp. 679–687). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
2. Steger, M. F., & Frazier, P. (2005). Meaning in life: One link in the chain from religiousness to well-being. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(4), 574-582. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.4.574
3. Sun, F., Wu, M., Yao, Y., Chiang, C., & Lu, C. (2022). Meaning in life as a mediator of the associations among depression, hopelessness and suicidal ideation: A path analysis. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 29(1), 57-66. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12739
4. Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53(1), 80-93. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.53.1.80
5. Li, J., Dou, K., & Liang, Y. (2021). The relationship between presence of meaning, search for meaning, and subjective well-being: A three-level meta-analysis based on the meaning in life questionnaire. Journal of Happiness Studies, 22(1), 467-489. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-020-00230-y