Development of Meaning in Life Scale II

Choi, Soon Ock; Kim, Sook Nam; Shin, Kyung Il; Lee, Jong Ji

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a meaning of life scale with high validity and reliability. METHOD: A conceptual framework composed of 4 phases of meanings of life was identified. And 49 preliminary items on a 4-points scale were developed through content validity. A reliability and validity test of the 49 items was conducted on 564 adults. By means of internal consistency of the 49 items, 1 item was deleted. To verify the 48 items, factor analysis, reliability test, and LISEREL were done. RESULT: Through exploratory factor analysis of the 48 items, 8 factors were extracted. These factors were labeled as 'self- awareness and self-acceptance', 'hope', 'responsibility awareness', 'love experience', 'self transcendence', 'relation experience', 'self contentedness', and 'Commitment'. Through LISEREL of the 48 items, 2 items were excluded and finally 46 itemsremained. Cronbach's Alpha of the 46 items was .94. The correlation coefficient of the Self-esteem scale was .79. CONCLUSION: By the above results, the researchers recommend the following: An exploratory study on the variables related to the meaning of life are needed for criterion validity of this scale. Studies on meaning of life of different groupa, and subjects are needed for reverification.