Abstract
Increasing meaning in life in people undergoing various forms of trauma or adversity has shown promise as a means to improve well-being, coping mechanisms, and resilience. The purpose of this review was to characterize the effects of interventions designed to increase meaning in life and compare their impact. A systematic literature search of PubMed, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar was conducted encompassing the following parameters: meaning in life, purpose in life, sense of purpose, and randomized controlled trials. A total of 25 randomized controlled trials were identified for this review. The more common interventions were psychotherapy, psychoeducational, and narrative. Results indicate that these interventions are effective in increasing personal meaning making, as evidenced by an overall effect size [standardized mean difference (SMD)] =0.60 (CI 0.378 to 0.825). The most effective interventions were psychotherapy and narrative, with effect sizes of 0.670 and 0.59, respectively. Overall, these findings showcase the potential of meaning in life interventions.
