A Review of Interventions That Promote Meaning in Life
Authors
Manco, Nicholas
Hamby, Sherry
Issue Date
2020
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Scholarship Sewanee 2020 , Meaning in life , Purpose in life
Alternative Title
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.
Description
Citation
Publisher
University of the South