Measuring Meaning in Life following Cancer

Meaning in life is a multi-faceted construct that has been conceptualized in diverse ways. It refers broadly to the value and purpose of life, important life goals, and for some, spirituality. We developed a measure of meaning in life derived from this conceptualization and designed to be a synthesi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Quality of life research 2006-10, Vol.15 (8), p.1355-1371
Main Authors: Jim, Heather S., Purnell, Jason Q., Richardson, Susan A., Golden-Kreutz, Deanna, Andersen, Barbara L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Attitude to Health
Breast cancer
Breast Neoplasms - psychology
Cancer
Conceptualization
Data Collection
Depressive disorders
Factor analysis
Female
Humans
Instrument Development and Evaluation
Life events
Mental health
Middle Aged
Psychometrics
Psychometrics - instrumentation
Quality of Life - psychology
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Social Support
Spiritual belief systems
Spirituality
Survivors - psychology
Value of Life
Wellbeing
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Summary:Meaning in life is a multi-faceted construct that has been conceptualized in diverse ways. It refers broadly to the value and purpose of life, important life goals, and for some, spirituality. We developed a measure of meaning in life derived from this conceptualization and designed to be a synthesis of relevant theoretical and empirical traditions. Two samples, all cancer patients, provided data for scale development and psychometric study. From exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses the Meaning in Life Scale (MiLS) emerged, and includes four aspects: Harmony and Peace, Life Perspective, Purpose and Goals, Confusion and Lessened Meaning, and Benefits of Spirituality. Supporting data for reliability (internal consistency, test—retest) and construct validity (convergent, discriminant, individual differences) are provided. The MiLS offers a theoretically based and psychometrically sound assessment of meaning in life suitable for use with cancer patients.
ISSN:0962-9343
1573-2649
DOI:10.1007/s11136-006-0028-6