Citation

Pedersen HF, Birkeland MH, Jensen JS, Schnell T, Hvidt NC, Sørensen T, la Cour P. Scand. J. Psychol. 2018; 59(6): 678-690.

Affiliation

Knowledge Center for Functional Diseases, Region H, Denmark.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Scandinavian Psychological Associations, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/sjop.12495

PMID

30357868

Abstract

This study presents psychometric properties of the Danish version of the Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life Scale (SoMe-Da) and associations to socio-demographic and religious characteristics. Participants were 554 Danes, 66% women ranging in age between 15 and 91 years. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) suggested a five factor structure for the 26 sources if meaning. Construct validity within the SoMe-Da and between mental health variables were established. Generativity associated most strongly with meaningfulness followed by spirituality, attentiveness, and explicit religiosity. We found religious characteristics to be more strongly associated with meaningfulness than socio-demographic variables. Finally, we found distinct patterns of preferred sources of meaning between Christians, agnostics, and atheists. Christians and agnostics seemed to be more motivated by self-transcendance, whereas atheists may be more motivated by self-actualization.

RESULTS indicate that the SoMe-Da appears to be a valid instrument for measuring the content and degree of personal meaning in life.

© 2018 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

Meaning in life; crisis; mental health; secular; sources of meaning; validation