Meaning in Life Questionnaire

Abstract

The Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) is a widely utilized 10-item psychometric instrument developed by Steger, Frazier, Oishi, and Kaler in 2006. It is designed to assess an individual’s subjective experience of meaning in life by capturing two fundamental, yet distinct, dimensions: the extent to which meaning is currently perceived (Presence of Meaning) and the extent to which the individual is actively seeking significance and purpose (Search for Meaning). The MLQ is essential for research in positive psychology, existential psychology, and clinical settings, providing a brief, reliable, and valid measure of these core aspects of human well-being and existential orientation.

The instrument employs a 7-point Likert scale response format, ranging from “Absolutely Untrue” to “Absolutely True,” allowing for nuanced self-assessment. Its robust two-factor structure has made it a benchmark measure for understanding how individuals construct and experience purpose in their lives.

Keywords

Meaning in Life, Presence of Meaning, Search for Meaning, Positive Psychology, Logotherapy, Existential Well-being, Psychometrics, Psychological assessment.

Authors

Michael F. Steger, Patricia Frazier, Shigehiro Oishi, Marcel Kaler.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the MLQ is to provide a precise and empirically validated measure that distinguishes between the attainment of meaning and the motivation to pursue meaning. Before the development of the MLQ, many scales treated meaning in life as a single, unitary construct. The MLQ addresses this limitation by offering separate scores for Presence and Search, allowing researchers and clinicians to understand the dynamic interaction between these two dimensions.

This differentiation is crucial for therapeutic practice, particularly within the framework of Logotherapy. For instance, a person scoring high on Presence but low on Search might be highly satisfied, whereas a person scoring low on Presence but high on Search may be experiencing existential distress or frustration, indicating a strong need for therapeutic intervention focused on purpose clarification.

Construct

The MLQ measures the psychological construct of meaning in life, which is defined as the extent to which people comprehend, make sense of, and see significance in their lives. This construct is operationalized through the two orthogonal subscales.

• Presence of Meaning: This subscale assesses the degree to which individuals feel their life is clear, purposeful, significant, and coherent. High scores reflect a strong, subjective sense of having found one’s purpose.
• Search for Meaning: This subscale assesses the motivation and active efforts an individual engages in to find or deepen their understanding of purpose and meaning in life. High scores indicate a persistent striving or quest for existential significance.

The scale is rooted in modern existential and positive psychology frameworks, viewing meaning as a critical component of psychological health and resilience.

Validity

The MLQ has demonstrated strong psychometric properties across numerous studies and diverse populations. Construct validity was established through rigorous testing, confirming that the scale measures the intended theoretical constructs of Presence and Search as distinct factors.

Convergent validity is supported by consistent positive correlations between the Presence subscale and measures of well-being, such as happiness, life satisfaction, and purpose in life scales, and negative correlations with measures of psychopathology, including depression and anxiety. Conversely, the Search subscale often shows complex relationships, sometimes correlating positively with both distress (indicating a frustrated search) and growth-oriented behaviors. Discriminant validity is confirmed by the low correlations between the MLQ subscales and unrelated constructs, ensuring that the MLQ specifically captures meaning in life rather than general personality traits like extraversion or neuroticism.

Reliability

The internal consistency and temporal stability of the MLQ are consistently reported as high across international samples. Reliability is typically assessed using Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency.

• Presence Subscale Reliability: Internal consistency for the Presence scale is consistently high, typically ranging between alpha = 0.81 and 0.90, indicating that the items measuring the subjective feeling of meaning are highly correlated and reliable.
• Search Subscale Reliability: The Search subscale also demonstrates good reliability, with alpha coefficients generally falling between 0.70 and 0.85, confirming that the items effectively measure the active pursuit of meaning.

Test-retest reliability over periods ranging from a few weeks to several months has also been established, confirming that the MLQ provides stable measurements of these constructs over time, making it suitable for longitudinal research.

Factor Analysis

The foundational psychometric work on the MLQ, detailed in the 2006 publication, utilized Factor Analysis (specifically, Confirmatory Factor Analysis) to confirm the theoretical structure. This analysis strongly supported the hypothesized two-factor model.

The results consistently demonstrated that the 10 items load cleanly and significantly onto two separate, but potentially correlated, factors: Presence and Search. This empirical finding validates the conceptual distinction that the authors intended—that having meaning and seeking meaning are related yet measurable independent processes. This robust factorial structure is a cornerstone of the MLQ’s utility in research and applied settings.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire, Psychological Inventory

Format: 10 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1=Absolutely Untrue to 7=Absolutely True)

Language Available: English (original), with validated translations available in numerous languages including German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and others.

Population Group: General population, including non-clinical and clinical samples, as well as student populations.

Age Group: Adolescents (typically 14 years and older) and Adults.

Population Details: The MLQ is suitable for use in cross-cultural studies and research focusing on adjustment, trauma recovery, religious beliefs, and positive psychological interventions.

Test Methodology: Standard self-administration. Scoring requires summing the relevant items for each subscale. Item 9 is reverse-coded when calculating the Presence of Meaning score.

Keywords

Psychological assessment, Purpose, Significance, Well-being, Existentialism, Psychological Inventory, Michael F. Steger, Logotherapy.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Please refer to current academic databases for updated ORCID information for the authors).

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Please refer to the authors’ institutional websites for current contact information).

Correspondence Address: N/A (Correspondence should generally be directed to the primary author, Dr. Michael F. Steger, typically affiliated with the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The MLQ was first published in 2006. The instrument is generally available for non-commercial, academic research purposes without a fee, though users must always adhere to standard citation practices. For clinical or commercial applications, users should seek explicit written permission from the primary author, Michael F. Steger, via his official website.

Reference’s

• 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, 80-93.

• Steger, M. F., & Shin, J. Y. (2010). The relevance of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire to therapeutic practice: A look at the initial evidence. International Forum on Logotherapy, 33, 95-104.

The original PDF of the 2006 validation article can be downloaded here: http://www.michaelfsteger.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Steger-Frazier-Oishi-Kaler-JCP-2006.pdf

Items of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. I understand my life’s meaning.

2. I am looking for something that makes my life feel meaningful.

3. I am always looking to find my life’s purpose.

4. My life has a clear sense of purpose.

5. I have a good sense of what makes my life meaningful.

6. I have discovered a satisfying life purpose.

7. I am always searching for something that makes my life feel significant.

8. I am seeking a purpose or mission for my life.

9. My life has no clear purpose.

10. I am searching for meaning in my life.

Response Scale: 1= Absolutely Untrue, 2= Mostly Untrue, 3= Somewhat Untrue, 4= Can’t Say True or False, 5= Somewhat True, 6= Mostly True, 7= Absolutely True

Scoring:

• Presence Subscale Items: 1, 4, 5, 6, & 9 (reverse-coded)
• Search Subscale Items: 2, 3, 7, 8, & 10