Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ)
Psychology: Mental HealthReliability: Presence alpha 0.86; Search alpha 0.873 sample items
About this scale
A 10-item measure with two 5-item subscales: presence of meaning in life and search for meaning. Foundational positive-psychology instrument.
Sample item(s)
“I understand my life's meaning (presence)”
“I am looking for something that makes my life feel meaningful (search)”
“I have discovered a satisfying life purpose (presence)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: Presence alpha 0.86; Search alpha 0.87. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Free for academic use.
Source & citation
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, Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 80–93.
Steger, Frazier, Oishi & Kaler (2006): MLQ. JCP, 53(1), 80–93.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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