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The State of Empirical Research on Logotherapy and Existential Analysis

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Abstract

Although research on psychotherapy advanced considerably during the past years, the demand for empirical outcome and clinical studies providing evidence for the effectiveness of the applied treatment is still growing and can be considered a critical challenge for psychotherapy as such as well as for individual schools of psychotherapy, like Viktor E. Frankl’s logotherapy and existential analysis which is the focus of this chapter. In order to address this demand, after giving a short overview about the history of research on logotherapy, this chapter provides a systematic review of 42 empirical studies on the theoretical foundations and the effectiveness of logotherapy covering the years 2010–2015. The implications of these findings for future research on logotherapy are discussed.

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... Aprofundando a psicologia de Viktor Frankl, o conceito de sentido de vida é fundamentado diretamente na filosofia da existência. Ao longo do tempo, esse conceito evoluiu em termos de complexidade teórica e de abordagens metodológicas, sendo explorado a partir de perspectivas empíricas até abordagens mais filosóficas e existenciais (Thir;Batthyány, 2016). ...
... Aprofundando a psicologia de Viktor Frankl, o conceito de sentido de vida é fundamentado diretamente na filosofia da existência. Ao longo do tempo, esse conceito evoluiu em termos de complexidade teórica e de abordagens metodológicas, sendo explorado a partir de perspectivas empíricas até abordagens mais filosóficas e existenciais (Thir;Batthyány, 2016). ...
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O estudo visa compreender como o sentido de vida é vivenciado entre estudantes do segundo ano de medicina, utilizando os princípios da logoterapia de Viktor Frankl. Realizado com 94 estudantes de uma faculdade em João Pessoa – PB, por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, e analisado por meio da técnica de análise de conteúdo. Os dados revelaram duas categorias temáticas, cada uma com três subcategorias: dimensões existenciais (espiritual-religiosa, dimensão relacional, dimensão do trabalho) e valores que conferem sentido (criativo, vivencial, atitudinal). Destaca-se a busca pelo sentido da vida como um processo individual que promove resiliência e enfrentamento das adversidades. Conclui-se que os estudantes expressam em suas falas a espiritualidade como uma prática de conexão com algo além de si mesmos, integrando diversas dimensões da vida para promover o bem-estar holístico, revelando que suas vidas são plenas de sentido nos questionamentos apresentados.
... Research has shown that a higher level of meaning in life is associated with better mental and physical well-being, and a reduced risk of depressive symptoms, mortality, and suicidal ideation (Haugan, 2014a(Haugan, , 2014b. Logotherapy-based programs designed to help individuals discover the purpose and meaning in their lives have been effective in various populations, including older adults (Abood et al., 2020;Kim & Choi, 2021;Moosavi et al., 2012;Ravari et al., 2021;Saffarinia & Dortaj, 2018;Thir & Batthyány, 2016). These approaches have improved individuals' sense of meaning in life, self-esteem, satisfaction with life, and quality of life, and have reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety (Abood et al., 2020;Kim & Choi, 2021;Moosavi et al., 2012;Saffarinia & Dortaj, 2018;Thir & Batthyány, 2016). ...
... Logotherapy-based programs designed to help individuals discover the purpose and meaning in their lives have been effective in various populations, including older adults (Abood et al., 2020;Kim & Choi, 2021;Moosavi et al., 2012;Ravari et al., 2021;Saffarinia & Dortaj, 2018;Thir & Batthyány, 2016). These approaches have improved individuals' sense of meaning in life, self-esteem, satisfaction with life, and quality of life, and have reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety (Abood et al., 2020;Kim & Choi, 2021;Moosavi et al., 2012;Saffarinia & Dortaj, 2018;Thir & Batthyány, 2016). While there is strong evidence of the benefits of logotherapy, there has been limited implementation of preventative logotherapy-based interventions specifically targeting older adults. ...
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The study aimed to evaluate a logotherapeutic program for its potential to improve mental well-being in the elderly. Group logotherapy programs comprising eight sessions were provided to 44 older adults. Participants completed baseline, postintervention, and follow-up questionnaires assessing mental well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, meaning in life, and psychological distress. The logotherapeutic program did not affect outcome measures when analyzed for the total sample. Separate analyses by participants scoring below or above the respective thresholds at baseline revealed increased well-being and self-esteem and decreased symptoms of depression, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive disorders, and somatoform symptoms, but only in individuals who were already experiencing poor well-being, poor self-esteem, or some level of psychological distress before the intervention. Results suggest that the logotherapy-based group program can be particularly effective for older adults who are already experiencing psychological distress or have lower self-esteem.
... Neste contexto, ele desenvolveu um trabalho pioneiro ao tratar da questão do sentido na vida, demonstrando reiteradamente a sua relevância tanto como principal fator motivacional do ser humano quanto como fator de proteção primordial para a saúde mental (Frankl, 1978(Frankl, , 2008. Pesquisas em torno do seu pensamento têm apresentado um crescimento marcante no Brasil e fora do país (THIR; BATTHYÁNY, 2016;AUTOR1, 2020). ...
... Embora Viktor Frankl tenha se dedicado com maior afinco ao campo da Psiquiatria e Psicoterapia, a sua visão de ser humano e de mundo, presentes em sua proposta teórico-prática, têm implicações profundas -que permanecem atuais -também em outras áreas do conhecimento (Thir & Batthyány, 2016). Dentre elas, está a Educação, que despertou o interesse de pedagogos desde a fase inicial de divulgação da LAE, especialmente, na filosofia da educação (Bruzzone, 2019). ...
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O objetivo central deste artigo é sistematizar introdutoriamente uma concepção pedagógica, elaborada a partir do pensamento de Viktor Frankl, de modo que possa caminhar para uma fundamentação da atividade educativa. Primeiramente, apresentamos os fundamentos antropológicos, epistemológicos e axiológicos da Logoterapia e Análise Existencial, teoria criada pelo autor austríaco. Em seguida, discutimos como esses fundamentos podem orientar a atividade educativa a partir dos seguintes tópicos: objetivos da educação, papel da escola, pressupostos de aprendizagem, conteúdos de ensino, métodos, relação professor-estudante. Em suma, a finalidade dessa proposta pedagógica é apoiar a pessoa para desenvolver uma vida autônoma, ancorada em sentido e valores, e para descobrir e realizar um projeto de vida significativo que contribua com algo no mundo.
... E em 1951, no seu livro "O logos e a existência", Frankl completa os fundamentos antropológicos da Logoterapia. Segundo a teoria Frankliniana, a motivação básica do comportamento do indivíduo é uma busca pelo sentido para sua vida e que a finalidade da terapia psicológica deve ser ajudá-lo a encontrar esse significado individual, fazendo valer a pena viver, batalhar e amar (Thir, & Batthyány, 2016) Não se trata, portanto, de um sentido para a vida em termos generalizados, mas em um sentido pessoal, específico, para a vida. Ou seja, "o sentido da vida, deste modo, pode ser encontrado por meio de algo que pode ser feito ou produzido, algo que pode ser vivenciado e amado ou ainda por meio de atitudes e firmeza frente às situações de dor, culpa e morte" (Araújo et al., 2008, p. 160). ...
... Diferentes âncoras são utilizadas para cada item (Quadro 1). Assim as respostas dos itens são somadas para produzir uma pontuação total que varia entre 20 e 140 pontos (Crumbaugh, & Maholick, 1964;Davies, Klaassen, & Längle, 2014;Thir, & Batthyány, 2016 Em relação a outros comportamentos humanos, as pontuações do PIL estão associados positivamente com construtos como a satisfação com a vida, felicidade, auto-aceitação e estabilidade emocional e, são negativamente correlacionadas com a depressão e a ansiedade (Crumbraugh, & Hemriom, 1988;Hutzell, 1988Hutzell, , 1989Rweker 2000;Robak, & Griffi, 2000;Wu, Hsu, & Chou, 2016 A menor média encontrada foi a da 15º pergunta que é o estar preparado para a morte com média de 4,03. Já a pergunta com a maior média foi a 16º sobre pensamentos suicidas (média = 6,14), representando que na amostra há baixa incidência de tal tipo de pensamento. ...
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Objetivo: Esta pesquisa visa analisar o perfil dos estudantes dos cursos de Administração e Engenharia em relação ao propósito de vida, bem como verificar os principais pontos de destaque em relação ao sentido de estar indo na direção certa ou não, sobre a situação atual da vida e seus planos futuros. Design: uma pesquisa quantitativa com 207 estudantes de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior Pública do Estado de São Paulo (Brasil) para verificar a percepção do propósito de vida, segundo a teoria da Logoterapia de Frankl. O questionário aplicado foi o Purpose-In-Life Test (PIL) que vem se firmando com o principal instrumento para identificar e analisar o propósito de vida. Os resultados foram analisados por meio da Análise Fatorial Exploratória devido à intenção de busca dos fatores mais relevantes para os alunos. Resultados: Os principais resultados da Análise Fatorial apontam para a presença de dois componentes principais: a excitação na vida e os objetivos de vida. Ambos os componentes respondem por cerca de 45% da variação total. Implicações práticas: Os dois principais fatores encontrados podem servir como mote e inspiração para os docentes tornarem suas aulas mais atrativas e com melhor comprometimento pelos alunos. Originalidade: A pesquisa beneficia com conhecimento raro e valioso o campo de ensino e aprendizagem dos cursos de administração e engenharia. O artigo inova ao realizar a pesquisa em uma faculdade nova, com menos de 10 anos de vida e com o processo de identidade organizacional ainda em formação. Palavra-Chave: propósito de vida, Logoterapia, Viktor Frankl, Cursos de Administração e Engenharia. 1. Introdução O período universitário é rico em oportunidades para melhorar a vida, bem como plena de desafios e expectativas que podem acontecer ou não. Além da tensão das disciplinas e da competição interna entre os alunos, também há a cobrança por resultados e pelas realizações de um futuro vindouro. Assim, diante da busca pelo sentido da vida, mesmo que de forma inconsciente, é que se faz planos, traça-se metas, objetivos e sonhos, mesmo que muitas vezes o destino, as emergências e correrias do dia-a-dia nos fazem esquecer daquilo que foi planejado. E é neste contexto que o trabalho se insere, utilizando como fundamento teórico a Logoterapia de Viktor Frankl. A Logoterapia baseia-se na terapia dos sentidos da vida, na 1 Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas (FCA)-UNICAMP.
... The theoretical foundation of logotherapy has been well-validated. It has been successfully applied to various groups of patients (e.g., mental disorders, substance abuse, end-of-life) with positive and significant effects on their quality of life, life satisfaction, depression, anxiety, and life purpose (Thir & Batthyány, 2016). ...
... Adicionalmente, se empleó el modelo teórico de logoterapia propuesto por Frankl (1994), que facilita la intervención en el problema al brindar soporte al individuo para que pueda valorar su existencia, aliviar su angustia y alcanzar un propósito de vida que le brinde motivación (Frankl, 1988). Asimismo, existen tres principios de la logoterapia: la voluntad de sentido, la cual hace alusión al anhelo de descubrir un propósito en la vida, este puede surgir en situaciones adversas a través de la motivación (Bahar et al., 2021); el sentido de vida, el cual hace referencia a la percepción existente de la vida en cualquier circunstancia que se presente, así sea cuando se encuentre en una situación de penuria o felicidad (Chan, 2023); y la libertad de voluntad, la cual hace mención a la libertad para conocer el significado mediante las decisiones y situaciones que se atraviesa (Frankl, 2008;Thir & Batthyány, 2016). ...
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Antecedentes: el suicidio es un neurálgico problema de salud pública. Por eso, es importante contar con estudios que permitan comprender mejor este fenómeno complejo. Objetivo: analizar la capacidad explicativa conjunta del apoyo social percibido y el sentido de vida sobre la variabilidad del riesgo suicida en estudiantes universitarios de Lima Metropolitana. Método: participaron 415 estudiantes, 259 mujeres (62.4%) y 156 hombres (37.6%), entre 18 a 57 años (M = 23.07, DE = 5.46). Resultados: el análisis de regresión estructural evidenció adecuados índices de ajuste: χ2/gl = 2.531 (< 5), CFI = .942 (≥ .90), TLI = .932 (≥ .90), SRMR = .045 y RMSEA = .061. Asimismo, la magnitud de la correlación múltiple al cuadrado (R2 = .30) muestra que este modelo tiene una capacidad explicativa de aproximadamente el 30% de la varianza del riesgo suicida. Conclusión: la evidencia demuestra que el apoyo social percibido y sentido de vida actúan como factores protectores frente al riesgo suicida en estudiantes universitarios limeños.
... Gender is the most consistent factor in childhood that is associated with anxiety (Van Oort, Greaves-Lord, Ormel, Verhulst, and Huizink, 2011). As early as the age of 6, higher rates of anxiety have been found in girls than in boys (Lewinsohn as cited in Van Oort et al., 2011) Frankl pointed out that the ongoing demand subjecting any form of psychotherapy in general and logotherapy in particular to empirical studies should be seen as an opportunity (Thir and Batthyány, 2016). Logo-therapy techniques, such as paradoxical intention, deflection, and Socratic dialogue have huge potential to become effective therapeutic strategies for improving mental health (Rahgozar and Giménez-Llort, 2020). ...
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This study was conducted to determine the effect of group logotherapy on self-esteem, social skills, and anxiety among adolescent girls in Tehran, Iran. The research was performed in a semi-experimental method with two groups (15 girls per group): one experimental group with logotherapy and one control group with treatment as usual. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory have been applied to both groups in the pre- and post-intervention phases. Data were analyzed using Analysis Of Variance. Our results showed that group logotherapy increased self-esteem, but not the social skills and anxiety of these young girls. This study suggests that group logotherapy may be useful for boosting some aspects of positive functioning of adolescent girls like self-esteem but it may not be useful in improving their social skills or reducing their negative feelings in response to anxiety. Implications of results have been discussed.
... First, both situations affected all persons globally and secondly, the tenets developed by Viktor Frankl during WW-II seem to be applicable but less popular in practice in modern times especially when the third-wave therapies have become more popular. It was been found that logotherapy as reviewed by Thir and Batthyány, [36] is effective not only in anxiety and other mental disorders, but it has sufficient evidence for its effectiveness in stressful situations like disasters. Hence, it also has a role to play in alleviating suffering during the unusual existential crisis created by COVID-19. ...
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The experience of COVID-19 pandemic had been severely stressful for many of us. As the pandemic affected the whole world, many intellectuals described these experiences as stressful as during wartime. Human suffering and uncertainty about recovery or falling victim had been quite similar in both situations. Logotherapy developed by Dr. Viktor Frankl during World War II (WW-II) has the underpinning to search for meaning in such experiences that motivate the person to remain socially connected and look for better prospects in future. The therapy has the bases in the cognitive psychology, spirituality, and philosophy which are quite different from the modern-day practice of psychodynamic and cognitive therapies. The authors reviewed Viktor Frankl’s book “Man’s search of meaning” in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, and found marked similarities between the human suffering of the current situation and what Frankl has described in his book. In this narrative review, the authors have attempted to compare the situation during WW-II and current pandemic and have commented about the usefulness of practice of logotherapy in the current situation.
... Education can provide guidance about meaning and existential psychotherapy can treat the problems related to the lack of it (Frankl, 1955(Frankl, /2019Yalom, 1980) with good results for the patients (Sun et al., 2022;Thir and Batthyány, 2016). To make an integral contribution to this problem, we need to consider different contributions related to meaning and to investigate further the problems that are related to meaning in the gifted. ...
Article
The aim of this article is to review the importance of the question of life’s meaning, mainly for intellectually gifted, as well as suggesting possibilities for educational and therapeutic approaches with an integration between Dabrowski’s proposals and Frankl’s and Yalom’s existential psychotherapies for enhancing meaning. In particular, we suggest that a successful transition between childhood and adult giftedness depends upon the gifted individual’s finding meaning in their life and a sense of purpose through which to try to achieve it. The article is based on an integration of theory-based propositions, a review of existing research, and clinical observations. We conclude that it is important to integrate ideas about existential problems into education and psychotherapy for the gifted, increasing gifted individuals’ sense of meaning through development of human values, a eudaimonic life orientation, full expression of potential, generativity, harmony, self-compassion, and spirituality.
... If phenomena in this domain arise during the medicine session, therapists are invited to use supportive psychotherapy or evidence-based interventions of their preference during the integration phase to explore the participant's experience, support them in developing a sense of what actions it could motivate, and co-create plans for life changes and/or further spiritual self-development. Examples of approaches with evidentiary bases to use in this process include meaning-oriented psychotherapies (Vos et al., 2015), Logotherapy (Thir and Batthyány, 2016), or Spiritual Guidance (Miller et al., 2008), which is derived from the evidence-based approach of MI (Riper et al., 2014), despite not being an EBT itself. Throughout all phases, therapists are taught to attend to their own biases and beliefs in order to avoid imposing their own understanding or interpretation on a participant's experience in this domain. ...
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The current standard of care in most uses of psychedelic medicines for the treatment of psychiatric indications includes the provision of a supportive therapeutic context before, during, and after drug administration. A diversity of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) models has been created to meet this need. The current article briefly reviews the strengths and limitations of these models, which are divided into basic support models and EBT-inclusive therapy models. It then discusses several shortcomings both types of models share, including a lack of adequate attention to embodied and relational elements of treatment, and insufficient attention to ethical concerns. The article then introduces the EMBARK model, a transdiagnostic, trans-drug framework for the provision of supportive psychotherapy in PAP clinical trials and the training of study therapists. EMBARK was designed to overcome challenges that prior models have had in conceptualizing therapeutic change in psychedelic treatment, incorporating elements of non-psychedelic evidence-based therapies, incorporating therapists’ prior skills and clinical orientations, delimiting therapist interventions for research standardization, and determining specific factors that contribute to treatment outcomes. The article explains EMBARK’s six clinical domains, which represent parallel conceptualizations of how therapists may support therapeutic benefit in PAP treatment, and its four care cornerstones, which reflect therapists’ broad ethical responsibility to participants. The article describes how these elements of the model come together to structure and inform therapeutic interventions during preparation, medicine, and integration sessions. Additionally, the article will discuss how EMBARK therapist training is organized and conducted. Finally, it will demonstrate the broad applicability of EMBARK by describing several current and upcoming PAP clinical trials that have adopted it as the therapeutic frame.
... There are several reviews of empirical research on the efficacy of logotherapy (Batthyány, 2011;Batthyány & Guttmann, 2006;Thir & Batthyány, 2016). The picture is clear: logotherapy decreases symptoms such as depression and increases meaning in life more than in control groups. ...
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Previous research demonstrated that spiritually sensitive psychotherapy is an effective treatment for clients with depression or anxiety, with outcomes equivalent to secular control interventions. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of spiritually sensitive logotherapy intervention in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in university students in Iran. Sixty students with elevated depression symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory II, BDI-II, 22 or greater) were randomly assigned to either a twelve-session group logotherapy programme or a control group. Results showed that spiritually sensitive logotherapy significantly reduced depression, anxiety, and stress, and significantly more so than in the control group (e.g. interaction effect for BDI-II: F = 56.8, p < 0.001, with a large effect size).
... The authors had been students of the Austrian psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl, the well-known concentration camp survivor, who had based his logotherapy and existential analysis on the principle of 'will to meaning' (Wille zum Sinn) that is the basic strive of the human spirit to find meaning and purpose in concrete day-to-day situations (Bruzzone, 2007(Bruzzone, , 2012. Frankl, who today is viewed as the forerunner of existential and positive psychology, had observed that feelings of meaninglessness cause suffering, and existential frustration can even spring up in a 'noogenic neurosis' (Frankl, 2010a); from this fact, he deduced the need for a form of therapy centred 'on life's meaning as well as man's search for this meaning' (ibid., p. 51). 2 His theory informed a subsequent line of empirical research on the theme of personal quest for meaning across different life contexts (Wong & Fry, 1998;Batthyany & Guttmann, 2005;Batthyany & Ruzzo-Netzer, 2014;Thir & Batthyany, 2016). ...
Chapter
Currently, there is an overall focus on mental health as a global health priority in the United Nations (Sustainable developmental Goals), World Health Organization (WHO), and Global Mental Health (movement and study field). As “mental disorder” is constructed as universal, the consequence is that the focus is on the treatment gap as a result of the huge inequalities regarding access to mental health care and treatment (Mills and Fernando, Disability and the Global South 1:188–202, 2014). UN’s Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right of Everyone to the Enjoyment of the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health (UN Human Rights Council, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/G1707604.pdf, 2017) urges the promotion of mental health for all ages in all settings as a general human right. In the historical basis for Global Mental Health, we find efforts to improve mental health for people living in under-resourced settings. According to mainstream, this means that the Global South should get better access to staff trained after standards and evidence-based treatment from the Global North. Critics rebut this approach since evidence-based practices developed in a Western setting transferred to different contexts might have unethical consequences, due to the ruling idea of a universal human, by pathologizing individuals rather than their sociopolitical-economic conditions. Attempts have been made to bypass or solve the discussion on the possibility of combining culture and the notion of a universal human which is implicit in Western evidence-based practice. Human rights and ethics-based practices are the ideals of all approaches, but all seem to have unforeseen consequences that go against these ideals. In this chapter, we take a critical look at different perspectives and the debate around ethics-based practice in mental health care in under-resourced settings.
... 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). ...
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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.
... Thus, this concept, directly based on philosophy and widely discussed within psychology by Viktor E. Frankl (1946Frankl ( /2012, has received more and more space and recognition within research in psychology. The MIL concept has acquired greater theoretical and methodological complexity over time, being studied from the most empirical to the most existential-philosophical perspectives (Thir & Batthyány, 2016). ...
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Resumo Sentido de vida é uma variável que tem sido considerada central para compreensão do bem-estar humano nas últimas décadas. Entretanto, o estudo desse conceito é muito mais antigo e ele já recebeu contribuições da filosofia, da psicologia humanista, da logoterapia e, recentemente, da psicologia positiva e da psicometria, o que possibilitou que tal construto fosse mensurado. Este artigo explora os caminhos de sentido de vida enquanto construto ao longo do tempo, discutindo as contribuições que o conceito recebeu de diversas teorias psicológicas, incluindo o recente modelo tripartite de sentido de vida. Por fim, são discutidos os desafios enfrentados por pesquisadores e clínicos que buscam trabalhar com essa variável.
... extienden, la logoterapia parece constituir un enfoque que posibilita la reflexión interna, la reconciliación con los valores que están en la potencialidad de cada uno de nosotros.Abrami (2016) encuentra puntos de contacto entre las ideas de Frankl y el activo movimiento de la psicología positiva que, asimismo, despierta un interés cada vez mayor.Thir & Batthyány (2016) han pasado revista hace poco al estado de la investigación empírica en torno a la logoterapia y de la lectura de lo que ellos señalan no se puede menos que concluir que las ideas y teorías de Frankl gozan de muy buena salud. 4. Es de interés revisar el número especial (volume 103, diciembre del 2016, "Hans Eysenck: One hundred years of ...
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Hace veinte años fallecieron Viktor E. Frankl y Hans Jürgen Eysenck. En la presente comunicación el autor trata del significado de sus trabajos e ideas para la psicología. Frankl fue el fundador de la logoterapia, un enfoque que hoy día está difundido por todo el mundo. Eysenck sentó las bases de la terapia de la conducta y fue un importante investigador de la psicología de la personalidad.
... 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] Many studies have examined the psychological treatment of diabetic patients, one of them investigated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing depression and improving lifestyle in patients with type-II diabetes, and showed that this therapy can change patients' lifestyle in the areas of self-actualization, nutrition, interpersonal relationships, accountability, physical activity, and stress management, and can reduce their depression. ...
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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.
... extienden, la logoterapia parece constituir un enfoque que posibilita la reflexión interna, la reconciliación con los valores que están en la potencialidad de cada uno de nosotros.Abrami (2016) encuentra puntos de contacto entre las ideas de Frankl y el activo movimiento de la psicología positiva que, asimismo, despierta un interés cada vez mayor.Thir & Batthyány (2016) han pasado revista hace poco al estado de la investigación empírica en torno a la logoterapia y de la lectura de lo que ellos señalan no se puede menos que concluir que las ideas y teorías de Frankl gozan de muy buena salud. 4. Es de interés revisar el número especial (volume 103, diciembre del 2016, "Hans Eysenck: One hundred years of ...
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Hace veinte años fallecieron Viktor E. Frankl y Hans Jürgen Eysenck. En la presente comunicación el autor trata del significado de sus trabajos e ideas para la psicología. Frankl fue el fundador de la logoterapia, un enfoque que hoy día está difundido por todo el mundo. Eysenck sentó las bases de la terapia de la conducta y fue un importante investigador de la psicología de la personalidad.
... The study results revealed an association of meaning and happiness and health among the Chinese elderly, though the causal relationship is not clear from this cross-sectional study, previous studies have suggested that higher level of meaning predicts better health and lower mortality (Cohen et al., 2016). There are established meaning-centered psychotherapies such as logotherapy in individual or group format with acceptable efficacy to improve one's level of meaning as shown in a review (Thir and Batthyány, 2016). Four most common sources of meaning are found in relationship/intimacy, achievement/work, religion/spirituality, and self-transcendence/generativity (Disabato et al., 2016). ...
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Background Meaning in life is not only a significant component of psychological well-being, but also a neglected issue with clinical importance that needs to be studied further, especially its association with health and healthcare utilization. Objective To study the level of meaning and its association with happiness, health and healthcare utilization among the elderly in Hong Kong. Methods A cross-sectional survey via telephone was conducted among 1000 elderly aged 60 years or above in Hong Kong. Results Higher level of meaning was associated with being quite/very happy, and better health status (better self-rated health status, less chronic illnesses, lower level of frailty, no limitation of activities) before and after adjustments. It was also associated with decreased likelihood of healthcare utilization (number of medications intake, hospitalization and Acute and Emergency (A&E) admission) before and after adjusted for socio-demographics. Path analysis showed that, the association of meaning with hospitalization, A&E admission and medication use was significantly mediated by health status among the elderly. Limitations This cross-sectional study might not include all the potential associated factors and mediators. Conclusions The sense of meaning is associated with happiness and may contribute to health and healthcare utilization among the Chinese elderly. Studies are needed to further look into the potential mechanisms. Meaning in life might be a promising interventional target for successful aging of the elderly.
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Abstract Background : Because of the occurrence , anxiety , and hopelessness patients with breast cancer ( BC ) , the present study investigated the effectiveness of group logotherapy ( LT ) on life expectancy and death anxiety in women with BC . Methods : The method of this research was quasi - experimental study with a pre - test , post test , and control group design . The statistical population of the current research consisted of all women with BC who were referred to Baghdad Teaching Hospital , Baghdad , Iraq , in 2020 for treatment after mastectomy . Out of 157 patients with BC , 40 were selected using the purposive sampling method . Two groups of LT and control were formed with 20 participants . The participants answered the Templer Death Anxiety Scale ( DAS ) and the Miller Life Expectancy Questionnaire employed via Miller Hope Scale in two pre - test and post - test stages . Data were analyzed using SPSS software . For data analysis , one - way analysis of variance ( ANOVA ) was used . Results : The results of the analysis of covariance ( ANCOVA ) showed that there was at significant difference between post - test of groups in life expectancy ( F = 11.24 , P ≤ 0.001 and death anxiety ( F = 30.78 , P ≤ 0.001 ) . Conclusion : LT effectively decreased death anxiety and raised life expectancy in women with BC . Therefore , LT as a psychological intervention can improve the quality of life of people with chronic diseases such as BC . Keywords : Breast neoplasms ; Logotherapy ; Anxiety , Life expectancy
Chapter
Experiencing illness, in its physical or mental expressions, raises radical questions concerning the sense or non-sense of a subject’s existence: Does life still have meaning and purpose when it is marked by suffering? How can feelings of meaninglessness and despair be avoided or prevented? These are questions that both those providing care and those receiving are compelled to face in their daily encounter with the vulnerability and precariousness of the human condition. Viktor Frankl’s existential analysis and logotherapy represents an attempt to restore the inner spiritual resources of the homo patiens, with a view to turning limit situations into challenges and opportunities for personal growth. This chapter focuses on the nature of Frankl’s meaning-oriented psychotherapy as a kind of ‘medical care of the soul’ (ärtzliche Seelsorge): an ethics-based practice originally developed as a ‘value-based psychotherapy’ (wertende Psychotherapie) which intentionally seeks to foster responsibility as an ‘ethical formal value’. A prime example of its application in clinical contexts is meaning-centred group therapy conducted with cancer patients; clinical experience and research proves that investing in meaning and values acts as a psychological protective factor and a therapeutic resource in coping with illness.
Chapter
This chapter presents general remarks on the method of recent—especially Timothy Pytell’s—attempts to reconstruct Viktor Frankl’s life and work, and the former’s discussion of logotherapy and existential analysis, especially of the earlier writings of Viktor Frankl. It points to a number of inaccuracies and misunderstandings in Pytell’s discussion of logotherapy and existential analysis, some as basic as the name under which this school of psychotherapy operates, its basic concepts on motivation and individuality, and the question whether Frankl’s value theory is subjective or objective.
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Purpose This mixed‐methods study evaluated a group logotherapy program's efficacy on Korean older adults with depressive symptoms. Design and Methods An intervention group (n = 23) participated in eight sessions of group logotherapy; a control group (n = 21) received the usual care. Participants completed the pretest, posttest, and 4‐week follow‐up questionnaires. Ten participants also had focus group or individual interviews. Findings A linear mixed model showed significant differences between groups in terms of changes in purpose in life, depression, self‐esteem, and quality of life over time. These quantitative findings were supported and enriched by qualitative data.
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Meaning is a distinct resource and indicator of human health and well-being. Meaning in life and the search for it predict subjective well-being. In logotherapy and existential analysis, the human will to meaning is considered the prime motivation in human life. Founded by Viktor Emil Frankl, this meaning-centered approach in psychotherapy is often called the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy. Although there is evidence that meaning can be actualized through music, music therapy has hitherto hardly focused on the concepts and theory of logotherapy and existential analysis. This contribution closes this gap by introducing a meaning-oriented approach to music therapy and an adaption of Frankl’s model of meaning fulfillment to music therapy. A case example demonstrates the practical application in the clinical context of palliative care. Meaning-oriented music therapy is not a separate form of music therapy, but complements existing concepts and theories in modern music therapy. It is indicated when meaning-related topics take center stage in music-therapy sessions.
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This study was to explore the change in purpose in life (PIL) and symptom distress among cancer patients with radiotherapy and associated risk factors. This was a longitudinal study.160 patients were recruited from a medical center in Southern Taiwan. Surveys were conducted one week before and one week after the patients had radiotherapy by questionnaire. Multivariate regression analysis were performed to analyze the data. The patients had significant changes in PIL after radiotherapy compared to before. They had low PIL scores when they were at stage IV, were unable to receive surgery, had tumors in sites other than the abdominal cavity and pelvic, or had high scores in symptom distress scale. Our findings empirically demonstrated that the sense of meaning is integrally associated with the physical and psychosocial effects of illness. Given that cancer patients who are at an advanced stage, unable to receive surgery and have tumors at sites that are not the abdominal cavity and pelvis are at a high risk for having low PIL after RT, care services should be directed to the patients under these conditions.
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Objective: This study aimed to examine the longevity of Logo-Autobiography (LA)’s effects and to identify whether different providers and different types of LA intervention have diverse impact on the outcomes for Korean immigrant women with depression. Methods: A pre-experimental research was conducted with pre-, post-, and 4-week follow-up tests using the CES-D depressive symptoms and Purpose in Life scales. LA included a structured weekly session for 6 weeks in either individual or group setting, and autobiography writing with predesigned topics for each session. A total of 47 subjects participated in this study. Repeated measures of ANOVA were conducted to investigate if there were differences between the experimental and control groups. Results: All hypotheses were supported that the experimental group showed 1) significantly lower scores on depressive symptoms, 2) significantly higher scores on purpose in life, and 3) no differences of depressive symptoms and meaning of life scores between medication and non-medication groups, group vs. individual interventions, and among three different providers in the post-test and the 4-week follow-up test. Conclusions: LA may be considered as another alternative therapeutic intervention in treating Korean-American immigrant women who suffer from depression and lost meaning in life. Further studies are needed with a larger sample size using rigorous randomized designs to validate the effectiveness of the LA.
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Cancer is a second leading cause of death in developed countries and the third leading cause of death in Iran. Suffering cancer and Awareness that is life threatening, for patients and his family, is a big challenge. The recovery and readjustment of this kind of disease, requires professional intervention to relieve the pressure caused by disease.To investigate the effect of Logotherapy group on mental health and life expectancy of patients with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy.In this pilot study, review was conducted on patients undergoing chemotherapy in Qazvin Kosar Hospital.Then Selected35 patient and divided randomly in two groups: control group (18) and treatment group(17). Then clinical data were investigated. Groups using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and life expectancy at Schneider pre-and post-test and follow-up of 6 months were assessed. Treatment group received 8 session Logotherapy group. Collected data were analyzed as paired and independent t-test using software SPSS-13. The Significant differences were observed between two groups in post-test GHQ-28 averages in Visualization, function, depression and overall scale (P≤ 0.05). Significant difference was appeared between the groups for hope scale (P≤0.01). After 6 months of follow up, no significant differences in the scale of test GHQ-28 and hope scale were observed.Psychological interventions, particularly in the treatment Logotherapy group can effectively increase the sense of psychological adjustment and improvement of patients with life-threatening illnesses. A considerable benefit of using Logotherapy is,it can be decreases psychological symptoms of colorectal cancer. Increasing the hopefully level in patients as a major variable key will affect the patient's physical health probably. Evaluation 6 months after the intervention showed that it is essential to continue interventions to improve patients' health.
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Meaning in life is a core construct in quality of life research and has received substantial attention in the past decades. As a consequence, several instruments were developed to assess this construct. The first meaning in life scale designed and standardized in Europe was the Logo-Test (Lukas, 1971). Although this test has been widely used across Europe, the psychometric properties of the instrument proved to be poor in several investigations. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to develop a revised version, based on international data, and to evaluate its psychometric characteristics. The internal consistency and factor structure of the 14-item revised version (Logo-Test-R) were examined in a sample of 852 Hungarians. The internal reliability of the test was adequate (α =.75). The validity of the Logo-Test-R was evaluated in a sub-sample of 391 individuals by examining its relationship with financial state, scores in two other measures of meaning in life and further instruments assessing other quality of life indicators such as general life satisfaction, depressive symptomatology, and life goal orientation. The direction and strength of the observed connections was in accordance with expectations, thus demonstrating good construct validity of the Logo-Test-R.
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This paper identifies the effectiveness of group logotherapy in reducing depression and increasing meaning in life levels of university students in Iran. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a pre- post- and follow-up test design. The instruments used were the Purpose in Life (PIL) test and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Data were collected from 10 subjects in an experimental group and 10 in a control group. The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of group logotherapy, whilst the control group received no intervention. The mean scores for depression levels was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group and significantly higher in regard to meaning in life. Results suggest that group logotherapy has the potential to reduce depression levels and improve the meaning in life of university students.
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The Present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of group logo therapy on increasing the quality of mothersìife of hearing impaired children. This study is applied and semi-experimental that conducted with control group, random assigned pre-test, post-test and follow-up test. The population comprised all the mothersòf hearing impaired children in Karaj and also were selected among the mothersòf exceptional students ofShohadàs primary school. The study participants were selected through purposeful sampling, being volunteer subject, approachable and then randomly assigned to the case group (15) and control group (15).Both group members tested based on the quality of life scale in the stages of pre-test and post-test. The case group in the intervention of group logo therapy consisted 9 sessions each taking 90 minutes. Data was collected and processed through SPSS to calculate the mean score, standard deviation, t-test and analysis of covariance. The results showed that the intervention was significantly effective on increasing the mean score of the quality of the mothersìife of hearing impaired children in the case group compared to that of the control group. Thus, group logo therapy intervention can be effective in improving and increasing the quality of mothersìife of hearing impaired children.
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To evaluate the effects of a logotherapy program entitled 'Finding treasures in my mind' for early adolescents with cancer.
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Previous researches have demonstrated that meaning of life has an essential role in human's life. It is believed that meaning of life is an important issue in matrimony. However, there is a gap in literature to explain any relationship between meaning of life and marital communication. Purpose in Life Test (PIL), logo therapy, and Marital Communication of ENRICH were administered to fifty seven married spouses. The findings indicated the reliability of the employed instruments. In addition, the results highlighted a significant relationship between marital communication and meaning of life.
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Purpose: The mediating role of commitment and exploration between purpose of life and maladaptive indices is intended. Method: A number of 585 high school and university students (M=18.8) were chosen using multistage cluster sampling and stratified random sampling respectively. The path analysis was used for studying the relationship between variables. Results: The findings of the study indicated that, all direct effects of purpose in life on the variables were significant (p<0.001) except on the exploration dimension. Also all the indirect effects of purpose in life on anxiety and depression were significant concerning the mediating variables of commitment. Conclusion: The most indices of the model were desirable and the fitness of model was proved. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance.
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This study was aimed to investigate the impact of Logotherapy on Marital satisfaction Out of the sample of 78 (married women) who were randomly selected from the participants in life skills classes in Tehran 39 were assigned to experimental group and the other 39 to control group. Data was collected by (ENRICH) questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 47 questions. All participants completed the (ENRICH) questionnaire at baseline and again after 14 weeks logotherapy. To analyze the data, the paired sample t-test and the analysis of covariance was applied. sig.0/000. The t-test and analysis of covariance demonstrated there is a significant (p <0/05) support of the effectiveness of Logotherapy on Marital satisfaction (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the logotherapeutic model as described by Frankl that explains the relationships among the search for meaning in life, the presence of meaning in life, existential vacuum, existential frustration, noogenic neurosis, will-to-power, and will-to-pleasure. A sample of college students from a large Mid-Atlantic university (N = 750) completed paper-and-pencil instruments for the variables. Structural equation modeling was used to test and compare four competing alternative models of the relationships among the aforementioned constructs. Two models exhibited excellent fit, one model good fit, and the fourth model poor fit. Of the two best models, one treated will-to-power and will-to-pleasure as outcomes of noogenic neurosis and the other treated them as causes of noogenic neurosis. Limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications for clinical practice are also discussed.
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A growing body of evidence points to the important role of spirituality and meaning in life in treating people with medical and psychological conditions. The purpose of the present study was twofold: first, to examine the relationship among meaning in life, spirituality, and their dimensions to alcoholism and depressive symptomatology; and second, to explore the differences in spirituality and meaning of life among individuals of low, moderate, and high depressive symptomatology. Results indicated that spirituality and meaning in life were statistically significantly associated to alcoholism and depressive symptoms. In particular, depression was statistically significantly correlated with the onset of alcohol use and the dimensions of spirituality and meaning in life. Implications for counseling and psychotherapy are discussed.
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Depression is one of the most frequent psychological symptoms in people with physical disabilities, as the acquisition of a physical disability is a stressful situation, demanding an individual’s adjustment to a new distressing reality. While some individuals manage to adapt to their physical disability’s implications, others fail to accept this new situation, manifesting depressive symptoms. One factor that seems to facilitate adaptation process to physical disabilities and thus prevent from depression prevalence is meaning of life. Viktor Frankl has emphasized the importance of experiencing meaning of life in the maintenance of physical and psychological health, especially in painful and distressing situations. The present study focused initially on the assessment of meaning in life and depressive symptomatology in individuals with physical disabilities. Moreover, the relationship of meaning in life and depression with adaptation to physical disability was examined. A sample of 522 participants with various types of physical disabilities completed three questionnaires on depressive symptomatology, meaning in life and adaptation to disability. Our assumptions regarding the negative relationship between meaning of life and depression were confirmed. Additionally, meaning of life was found, as expected, to play in important role in facilitating individuals’ adaptation to their physical disabilities, a finding indicating the great utility of Frankl’s existential theory as a psychotherapeutic tool for people with physical disabilities.
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Background The present study has investigated the effectiveness of group logo therapy to increase the hope among the leukemic patients. Methods This research has composed of 80 leukemic patients who have referred to Golestan Hospital in 2012 fall, and then have responded to the Snyder’s Hope Scale, The research design has included pre - post - and follow up tests with a control group. First, both groups have responded to the pre-tests. Then the experimental group has received 10 sessions of counseling through group logo therapy; however, the control group has not received any specific training. Afterwards, both groups have undergone a post-test. After an interval of one month, follow-up tests have implemented in order to evaluate the permanency of the given tests .The SPSS software and covariance analysis tests have used in order to analyze the resulted tests data, and Cronbach alpha method has measured reliability coefficient. Results The research results have shown that logo therapy training might increase the hope of the leukemic patients (p<0.0001); moreover, permanency assessment of this study has shown the same result (p<0.0001). Conclusion Group logo therapy could be effective on the hope of the leukemic patients, and then this effect would be permanent.
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Natural disasters are an inevitable part of human life. The 6.6 Richter earthquake in Bam killed 26,000 and injured 30,000 people, and destroyed 85% of houses according to the literature. It is obvious that one of the main reasons for decreasing the quality of life in survived individuals is losing the meaning of life and becoming irresponsible toward it. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of logo therapy on improving the quality of life in girl students with PTSD. Method of research was semi-experimental with control group. Procedure of sampling was purposeful in which 24 students with PTSD were selected and randomly divided into two groups. Experimental group received 8 sessions of logo therapy once a week. Tools of research were two questionnaires; A. PTSD Inventory, That is based on the DSMIV-TR criteria for PTSD. B. quality of life questionnaire. Its four subscales consist of physical health, psychological health and social relation, and environment life. The results indicate significant difference between two groups in physical health, psychological health and life environment dimensions, while there was not any significant difference between two groups in social relationship after psychological intervention t=1/70, (p<0/05).
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the three dimensions of death acceptance (i.e., neutral, approach and escape) and grief symptomatology, as well as whether the relationship between neutral acceptance and grief symptoms was mediated by meaning in life. Data were collected from 160 bereaved individuals. Only neutral acceptance was significantly associated with grief symptomatology; the relationship between the two variables was mediated by meaning in life. Participants who perceived death as a natural part of life reported having a greater sense of meaning in their lives, which, in turn, predicted lower grief symptomatology.
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Excessive alcohol consumption is a chronic issue on college campuses nationwide and presents a significant public health concern. Compared with non-college peers, college students consume alcohol at substantially higher rates and encounter more negative consequences resulting from drinking. This study aimed to examine the role of depression and perceived life meaning in college student drinking, with a focus on potential sex differences. Participants recruited from a large southern university in the United States (mean age = 19.14, SD age = 2.05; 75.7% female; 75.7% Caucasian, 17.2% African American) completed surveys assessing perceived meaning, depression and alcohol use. Results indicated a significant inverse relationship between perceived meaning and alcohol use, while no significant association was found between depression and alcohol use. Although the regression model including perceived meaning and depression was significant in the prediction of alcohol use, it was meaning that accounted for significant variance in alcohol use. When the sample was split by sex, there was an interaction between meaning and depression in predicting male alcohol use. This study expands upon previous research pertaining to college student alcohol use and reveals potentially clinically relevant differences in patterns of association between men and women. Limitations, clinical implications and directions for research are discussed.
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The aim of this paper is to analyze the differences on Purpose-In-Life Test [PIL] (Crumbaugh & Maholic, 1969) total and factorial scores associated to sex, among 309 spanish undergratudates (207 women, 102 men), range 18 to 45 years. PIL Spanish version is used (Noblejas de la Flor, 1994). PIL evalues life meaning achievement vs. existential vacuum. Women achieve higher means on PIL total and factorial scores, and estatistical analysis show that sex is significantly associated to total PIL score and on Purpose perception and Goals and tasks factors scores.
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Objectives: The psychometric characteristics of a Spanish version of the Purpose-In-Life Test to assess the meaning in life, and the differences associated to gender and age, are analyzed, among 180 Spanish undergraduates (138 women, 42 men), aged from 18 to 55 years, M = 22.91, SD = 6.71. Methods: Statistics included (1) the data-model fit by means of confirmatory factor analysis, (2) the descriptive of items, scale, and factors, (3) the internal consistency of the scale and the factors, (4) the correlations between the ítems, the scale, and the factors, (5) the comparisons on the basis of the gender and the age. Results: The scale showed an adequate fit and an aceptable-high internal consistency, the women scored higher in the factor Goals and Purposes in Life, and the participants between 30-55 years reached a higher score in the total of the scale and in several items than the younger (18-29 years). Discussion: The analyzed version of the Purpose-In-Life Test is reliable, and the differences in meaning in life age-associated suggest cognitive-motivational and developmental explanatory hypotheses. NOTE: IN THE MODEL OF THE PIL, THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE FACTORS IS .660, NOT -660.
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Objectives: This study investigates the efficacy of a standard cognitive behavioral group-program for chronic pain, in comparison with the same group program that integrates an existential perspective at treatment conclusion, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. Design: This study is a quasi-experimental clinical trial with two treatment groups. Methods: We included 113 patients suffering from chronic pain who had been accepted for treatment at an interdisciplinary pain center. In addition to the specific therapy program, the patients received intense interdisciplinary treatment. Outcome measures include both pain-related disability and pain severity. Repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were used to test statistical significance, followed by tests of simple contrasts with pre-treatment as a reference-point. Results: Results indicated that the integration of an existential perspective leads to significantly lowered pain-related disability than the classic cognitive behavioral group-program. Additionally, existential aspects seem to be particularly important for patients with a spiritual orientation. The findings from this study support the importance of considering specific existential aspects in the cognitive-behavioral approach in treating chronic illness.
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Objective: The present study is the result of theory-driven research investigating the role of the search for and presence of meaning in enhancing both mental adjustment and eudaimonic well-being in cancer patients. Method: A cross-sectional study involved 266 cancer patients currently in the treatment and management phase of their illness. Data were collected by a written questionnaire. The search for meaning was assessed with the Seeking of Noetic Goals Test, and the presence of meaning was assessed using the Purpose in Life Test. Mental adjustment to a cancer diagnosis was assessed by two subscales of the Italian version of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, and eudaimonic well-being was assessed with the Psychological Well-Being Scale. Correlation and mediation analyses based on five thousand bootstrapping samples were performed. Results: The mediation analyses showed that the presence of meaning totally or partially mediated the effect of the search for meaning on both mental adjustment and eudaimonic well-being. Further correlation analyses showed a high negative correlation between eudaimonic well-being and hopelessness. Significance of results: Our results appear relevant from both the theoretical and clinical points of view. They support a deeper understanding of the combined contribution of the search for and presence of meaning in promoting well-being in cancer patients. Simultaneously, they are consistent with suggestions from recent studies on the clinical psychology of posttraumatic growth and emphasize the relevance of eudaimonic well-being as a protective factor for hopelessness.
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Women in particular suffer from psychological stress when diagnosed with infertility. Psychosocial interventions are known to not only prevent and lessen various mental problems, but also to play a positive role in physical health and pregnancy rates. The aim of this study is to determine the unique impact of spiritual psychotherapy on concerns about infertility and their perceived psychological stresses. This study was a randomized clinical trial. The study population included nearly 800 infertile couples who attended the Maternity and Gynecology Clinic of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran. We enrolled65 people who were randomly divided into two groups, experimental (n=33)and control (n=32). The experimental group received spiritual group psychotherapy counseling for 12 sessions, 2 hours per week for a 3 months period. The control group did not receive any intervention, but due to ethical considerations, we gave a presentation (one session) about infertility treatment for this group after the research process was completed. We used two questionnaires to obtain data, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Data analysis was done by descriptive and analytic statistics using SPSS 16 software. Psychological intervention in the treatment group significantly decreased the PSWQ (p=0.004). There were significant differences in the mean score of the PSWQ in both groups as determined by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA; p=0.009). Psychological intervention in the treatment group decreased the level of perceived stress, when compared with the control group. According to ANCOVA there were significant differences between the mean PSS scores of both groups (p=0.01). Logotherapy is related to stress reduction and can decrease psychiatric symptoms of worry and perceived stress. This approach tends to improve an infertile person's ability to deal with their problem of finding the meaning of life. Thus it can be concluded that logotherapy along with other treatment methods, is a useful approach for infertile couples (Registration Number:IRCT201108247407N2).
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Youth suicide is a leading cause of mortality. Greater still is the prevalence of suicidal behavior and ideation. In this study with 813 secondary school students, we explored youth engagement in structured extracurricular activities as a possible protective factor for suicidal ideation. Personally meaningful youth engagement significantly moderated the relationships between depressive symptoms, risk behaviors, self-esteem, and social support in the prediction of suicidal ideation. Specifically, the more meaning found in engagement, the less likely youth were to report suicidal thoughts in spite of risk factors. Acknowledging limitations, a focus on engaging youth in well-selected activities of interest might represent a nonstigmatizing approach to universal prevention. Further research into the mechanisms of such an approach is warranted.
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Psychological models of mental disorders guide research into psychological and environmental factors that elicit and maintain mental disorders as well as interventions to reduce them. This paper addresses four areas. (1) Psychological models of mental disorders have become increasingly transdiagnostic, focusing on core cognitive endophenotypes of psychopathology from an integrative cognitive psychology perspective rather than offering explanations for unitary mental disorders. It is argued that psychological interventions for mental disorders will increasingly target specific cognitive dysfunctions rather than symptom-based mental disorders as a result. (2) Psychotherapy research still lacks a comprehensive conceptual framework that brings together the wide variety of findings, models and perspectives. Analysing the state-of-the-art in psychotherapy treatment research, "component analyses" aiming at an optimal identification of core ingredients and the mechanisms of change is highlighted as the core need towards improved efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy, and improved translation to routine care. (3) In order to provide more effective psychological interventions to children and adolescents, there is a need to develop new and/or improved psychotherapeutic interventions on the basis of developmental psychopathology research taking into account knowledge of mediators and moderators. Developmental neuroscience research might be instrumental to uncover associated aberrant brain processes in children and adolescents with mental health problems and to better examine mechanisms of their correction by means of psychotherapy and psychological interventions. (4) Psychotherapy research needs to broaden in terms of adoption of large-scale public health strategies and treatments that can be applied to more patients in a simpler and cost-effective way. Increased research on efficacy and moderators of Internet-based treatments and e-mental health tools (e.g. to support "real time" clinical decision-making to prevent treatment failure or relapse) might be one promising way forward. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Objective: Two patient-focused long-term research projects performed in the German outpatient psychotherapy system are focused on in this article. The TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) project is the first study to evaluate a quality assurance and feedback system with regard to its practical feasibility in German routine care. The other study ("Quality Assurance in Outpatient Psychotherapy in Bavaria"; QS-PSY-BAY) was designed to test a new approach for quality assurance in outpatient psychotherapy using electronic documentation of patient characteristics and outcome parameters. In addition this project provides the opportunity to analyze data on health-related costs for the patients undergoing outpatient psychotherapy. Method: Both projects and their results indicating high effect sizes are briefly described. Results: From the perspectives of the research teams, advisory boards and other stakeholders, the experiences with these projects are discussed focusing on obstacles, challenges, difficulties, and benefits in developing and implementing the studies. The triangle collaboration of therapists, researchers, and health insurance companies/health service institutions turned out to be fruitful in both studies. Conclusions: Despite some controversies between the partners the experiences indicate the importance of practiced-research collaborations to provide relevant information about the delivery of outpatient psychotherapy in the health system.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between meaning in life and subjective well-being. The sample of the study consisted of 232 university students (171 female / 61male) from Sakarya University. The Satisfaction with Life Scale, The Positive-Negative Affect Scale and The Meaning in Life Questionnaire were used to collect data. In data analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis were used. The findings showed that presence of meaning in life and search for meaning in life significantly predict subjective well-being. According to regression analysis, meaning in life accounts for 34% of the variance within subjective well-being. The findings were discussed and in the light of these findings suggestions for future studies were proposed.
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This study’s primary purpose was to examine the factor structure of the 20-item Seeking of Noetic Goals (SONG) test via exploratory and confirmatory factor-analytic procedures. An additional objective was to report on the measure’s incremental validity in comparison to the Search scale of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), an alternative measure of search for meaning. This study utilized data from three samples of American undergraduates (N = 908) from a medium-sized southern university. Factor analysis supported a two-factor model of the SONG, with patterns of correlation further suggesting the measure assesses distinct constructs. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated similar scale structure and item answering in terms of gender. Overall, the first factor yielded reliable scores that correlated significantly and in the expected direction with measures of well-being and psychological distress. The second factor did not yield reliable scores nor did it correlate significantly with many of the other measures administered. However, both factors were shown to significantly predict scores from measures of depression and general psychological distress after controlling for MLQ Search scale scores. We consider the data with respect to SONG scoring and interpretation, and discuss implications of these data for future research.
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2015) Building clinicians-researchers partnerships: Lessons from diverse natural settings and practice-oriented initiatives, makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content") contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at
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The impact of meaning in life, or lack thereof, on suicidal tendencies among populations at greater risk-youth born to immigrants from developing countries, in this case Ethiopia-in comparison to native-born Israeli youth was examined among 277 adolescents-162 of Israeli origin and 115 of Ethiopian origin-aged 15-18. (1) Overall significant negative correlation between meaning in life and suicidal tendencies was found; (2) no difference was found in meaning in life between immigrant and native-born youth; (3) higher suicidal tendency, anxiety and depression were found among immigrants, with boys displaying more anxiety than girls. No difference in depression was detected between Ethiopian boys and girls. Meaning in life is crucial to minimizing suicidal tendencies among youth, native-born and immigrant alike. Establishment of prevention, intervention and therapy plans in the age range crucial for suicide. Such programs should be based upon finding meaning in life.
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Objectives To examine the relationship of meaning in life (MiL) to clinical diagnosis and psychotherapy outcome and investigate specific meaning areas. Method This study investigated 214 inpatients with mental disorders and 856 healthy controls using self-report measures of MiL and psychopathological symptoms. ResultsPatients showed lower MiL compared to controls. Diagnosis-specific differences in MiL were found for depression. MiL increased in the course of treatment and remained stable at follow-up. The most relevant meaning areas were social relationships for patients and controls. Conclusion This study provides evidence for lower MiL in inpatients with a spectrum of mental disorders, and in particular in patients with depression, compared to controls. Furthermore, perceived meaning improves over the duration of psychotherapy. Employing aspects of the meaning framework in therapy may be useful to help patients overcome psychological problems and make life worth living.
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To investigate the prevalence of physical and emotional symptoms and the associations between symptoms and meaning-in-life in a cognitively intact nursing-home population. Meaning has been found to be a strong individual predictor of successful ageing and life satisfaction as well as an important psychological variable that promotes well-being. Meaning serves as a mediating variable in both psychological and physical health. The study employed a cross-sectional design. Data were collected in 2008 and 2009 using the QLQ-C15-PAL quality-of-life questionnaire, the purpose-in-life test and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A total of 250 cognitively intact nursing-home patients who met the inclusion criteria were approached and 202 attended. The prevalence of symptoms was fairly high, with fatigue (57%), pain (49%), constipation (43%) and dyspnoea (41%) as the most frequent physical symptoms, while 30% were depressed and 12% had anxiety. Significant correlations between meaning-in-life and symptom severity were displayed. The level of symptom severity among cognitively intact nursing-home patients is high, requiring highly competent staff nurses. Meaning-in-life might be an important resource in relation to a patient's physical and emotional health and global well-being. Facilitating patients' meaning-in-life might help reducing symptom severity and fostering quality of life in cognitively intact nursing-home patients. However, advancing staff nurses' competence in palliative care, symptom management and nurse-patient interaction is important for care quality and quality if life in nursing homes.
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To investigate the associations between meaning-in-life and physical, emotional, functional and social well-being in a cognitively intact nursing-home population. Meaning-in-life is understood as an influential psychological variable that promotes health and well-being; meaning-in-life has been found to be a mediating variable in both psychological and physical health. The study employed a cross-sectional design. Data were collected in 2008 and 2009 using the purpose-in-life test and the FACT-G quality-of-life questionnaire. A total of 250 cognitively intact nursing-home patients who met the inclusion criteria were approached and 202 attended. The hypothesised relationships between meaning and multidimensional well-being were tested by means of structural equation modelling. The structural equation modelling model fit well with the present data, showing significant direct relationships between meaning-in-life and emotional and functional well-being, and a significant mediated influence of meaning on social and physical well-being. Meaning-in-life is associated with all dimensions of well-being and likely plays an important role in both emotional and physical well-being. Facilitating patients' perceived meaning-in-life might help ease emotional distress and physical symptoms, thus fostering well-being in cognitively intact nursing-home patients. Therefore, advancing staff nurses' competence in facilitating meaningful involvement, connectedness, nurse-patient interaction and symptom management is important for care quality and global well-being in nursing homes.
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On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded, releasing five billion barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over five months (referred to as the Gulf Oil Spill). This oil spill affected Gulf Coast communities, harming both sea and land wildlife, damaging the fishing industry, and destroying natural resources. In the wake of such a disaster, many people experience decreases in their quality of life. However, coping mechanisms such as developing meaning or purpose in life and creating a sense of self-efficacy can allow people to recover. The present study evaluates the effect of the Gulf Oil Spill on 361 individuals seeking clinical services on the Mississippi Gulf Coast following the spill. Regression analyses revealed that the perceived effects of the spill were only weakly related to life satisfaction. Perceived meaning in life and self-efficacy were much more predictive of satisfaction with life, with perceived meaning in life serving as the most important predictor. These data provide initial support for models that emphasize the role of coping mechanisms in the wake of ecological disasters. Future research should evaluate the effects of such mechanisms using longitudinal and other designs that allow for stronger causal inferences. Clinical implications include the use of therapies that foster a sense of perceived meaning in life (e.g., logotherapy) and self-efficacy (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy), as well as con-sideration of the specific ecological nature of disasters such as the Gulf Oil Spill.