article Closed Access EN 2006-01-01

The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life.

Michael F. Steger, Patricia Frazier, Shigehiro Oishi, Matthew E. Kaler

Journal of Counseling Psychology, Vol. 53, Issue 1, pp. 80–93 (2006)

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Orthopedics, University of Virginia

DOI: 10.1037/0022-0167.53.1.80

Abstract

Counseling psychologists often work with clients to increase their well-being as well as to decrease their distress. One important aspect of well-being, highlighted particularly in humanistic theories of the counseling process, is perceived meaning in life. However, poor measurement has hampered research on meaning in life. In 3 studies, evidence is provided for the internal consistency, temporal stability, factor structure, and validity of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), a new 10-item measure of the presence of, and the search for, meaning in life. A multitrait–multimethod matrix demonstrates the convergent and discriminant validity of the MLQ subscales across time and informants, in comparison with 2 other meaning scales. The MLQ offers several improvements over current meaning in life measures, including no item overlap with distress measures, a stable factor structure, better discriminant validity, a briefer format, and the ability to measure the search for meaning.