The Psychological Experience of Meaning in Life: A Systematic Scoping Review of Multi-Component Conceptualization

Abstract

Meaning in life has been a predominant point of concern among various researchers. Viktor Frankl (1985) holds a primary and prominent position in writing about meaning in life after his experience as a prisoner in the Nazi concentration camps. He presented the idea of finding purpose and meaning even in the worst possible situations, as he himself did during his most testing time in the concentration camps. In his famous book “Man’s Search For Meaning” (1946) Frankl introduces “logotherapy”, a form of existential psychotherapy. His story and life experiences have inspired many laymen and researchers alike towards the idea of viewing life with a purpose to make it meaningful. For Frankl, having a meaningless life was more pathogenic than pathological as it could more likely lead to depression, addiction or aggression rather than being a result of it (Frankl, 1978). The existential psychiatrist Yalom (1980) went further in proposing existential therapeutic methods in which patients were treated in accordance with how they gave meaning to their lives. He also advocated the importance of getting rid of a state of meaninglessness and stated how it was a pressing concern for most of his patients (Yalom 1980). While previous psychiatrists and psychologists emphasized on the need to fill the lack of meaning in one’s life, both Frankl and Yalom also placed importance on the beneficial aspects of having meaning in one’s life. This importance has been operationalized thoroughly in the field of positive psychology in recent times with the aim of improving individual well-being, as maintaining a meaningful life is considered an important element of the full life (Glaw et al., 2017).