Meaning of life questionnaire (MLQ) in peruvian undergraduate students: study of its psychometric properties from the perspective of classical test theory (CTT).

BACKGROUND: The study of the meaning of life is essential since it plays a protective role in the mental health of university students. However, no studies have shown the adequate psychometric functioning of the MLQ in Latin American university students. For this reason, this research aims to evaluate the internal structure using CTT models, obtain evidence of validity based on the relationship with other variables, perform factorial invariance according to gender, and estimate the reliability of the MLQ. METHODS: A sample of 581 Peruvian undergraduate students of both sexes (29.5% men and 70.5% women) between the ages of 18 and 35 (M = 22.6; SD = 3.3) was collected. Along with the MLQ, other instruments were applied to measure satisfaction with life (SWLS), subjective well-being (WBI), and depression (PHQ-9). RESULTS: In the present study was evidenced that the model of two related factors of nine items presents better adjustment indices (RMSEA = .075; SRMR = .059; CFI = .97; TLI = .96) compared to other models. Also, it was shown that the factorial structure of the MLQ is strictly invariant for the group of men and women. It was also shown that the presence of meaning was positively related to satisfaction with life (.63) and well-being (.60) and negatively to depression (- .56). In contrast, the search for meaning was not significantly related to life satisfaction (- .05) and well-being (- .07); but yes, to depression (.19). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the MLQ from the perspective of CTT has shown adequate evidence of reliability and validity. Therefore, it could be used in future studies and evaluation and intervention processes. In addition, the study provides the first evidence of the psychometric functioning of the scale in university students from Latin America.

How Search for Meaning Interacts with Complex Categories of Meaning in Life and Subjective Well-Being?

This study sought to assess how the search for meaning interacts with crisis of meaning and with different categories of meaning in life (meaningfulness, crisis of meaning, existential indifference, and existential conflict). Furthermore, the moderation role of search for meaning between the relation of categories of meaning and subjective well-being (SWB) was also evaluated. Participants included 3,034 subjects (63.9% women) ranging in age from 18 to 91 (M = 33.90; SD = 15.01) years old from 22 Brazilian states. Zero-order correlations and a factorial MANOVA were implemented. Positive low correlations were found for search for meaning and crisis of meaning (r = .258; p < .001). Search for meaning presented a small-effect size moderation effect on the relation of the different categories of meaning with subjective happiness, F(6, 3008) = 2.698, p < .05; η2 = .004, but not for satisfaction with life, F(6, 3008) = .935, p = .47; η2 = .002. The differences on the levels of subjective happiness of those inserted in existential indifferent and conflicting categories differ depending on the levels of search for meaning. Further directions for future studies are proposed.

Função interpretativa: dois personagens em busca de sentido / Interpretive function: Two characters in search of a meaning / Función interpretativa: dos personajes en busca de sentido

Partindo das observações de Freud sobre interpretação no clássico trabalho "Sobre o início do tratamento" de 1913, os autores procuram mostrar como pensam que se desenvolveria a atividade interpretativa em sua clínica atual, baseados particularmente em Bion, Baranger, Ogden e Ferro. Preferem utilizar a ideia de uma função interpretativa, mais ampla e que está continuamente presente em nossas mentes. Utilizam-se da peça de Luigi Pirandello, "Seis personagens em busca de autor" e de um caso clínico para ilustrar suas ideias.

Starting from Freud's observations on interpretation in the classic 1913 piece "On beginning the treatment", the authors reflect on how interpretive activity would develop in its current practice, based particularly on Bion, Baranger, Ogden and Ferro. They prefer to use the idea of an interpretive function, which is broader and continuously present in our minds. In order to illustrate their ideas, they use Luigi Pirandello's play, "Six characters in search of an author", and a clinical case.

Partiendo de las observaciones de Freud sobre la interpretación en el trabajo clásico: "Sobre el inicio del tratamiento", de 1913, los autores buscan mostrar cómo piensan que se desarrollaría la actividad interpretativa en su clínica actual, basados particularmente en Bion, Baranger, Ogden y Ferro. Prefieren utilizar la idea de una función interpretativa, más amplia y que está continuamente presente en nuestras mentes. Utilizan la pieza de Luigi Pirandello, "Seis personajes en busca de autor", y un caso clínico para ilustrar sus ideas.