Purpose in Life Test (PIL)
Psychology: Mental HealthReliability: alpha 0.913 sample items
About this scale
A 20-item measure of perceived sense of purpose in life. Foundational existential / meaning measure.
Sample item(s)
“I am usually completely bored (reverse)”
“Life to me seems always exciting”
“In life I have no goals or aims at all (reverse)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.91. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Foundational existential measure.
Source & citation
Crumbaugh, J. C., & Maholick, L. T. (1964): An experimental study in existentialism: The psychometric approach to Frankl's concept of noogenic neurosis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 200–207.
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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