Purpose in Life (PIL)-The Purpose in Life Test was first developed by Frankl in 1959. Later, Crumbaugh and Maholick (1964) used and developed this scale. It is a 7-point Likert-type scale consisting of 20 questions. Jonsen, Fayertröm, Lundman, Nygren, Vahakanges, and Strandberg (2010) tested the theoretical assumptions of the PIL and explained the structure of the Swedish version of the PIL. The researchers worked with a group of 449 participants, 62% of whom were women and aged between 19-103 years. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, three dimensions of the PIL described by Frankl were supported. These dimensions are; meaning in existence, freedom to create meaning in daily life, and willingness to seek meaning in the face of future difficulties. The study also found that the Swedish version of the PIL is a valid and reliable instrument.
Scoring:
The marked numbers are summed. The total score is between 20 and 140. A low total indicates that the person is currently experiencing an "existential void", i.e. a lack of meaning or purpose in life.
The average for adolescents was 108. If the total score is below 80, it can be said that the person needs to be directed towards finding dreams and goals for the future.
In general:
Raw scores of 113 and above generally indicate a high sense of purpose.
92-112 points medium
A score of 92 and below is interpreted as a lack of life purpose
In the responses to the items, 1 and 2 are considered as "low", 3-5 as "medium", and 6 and 7 as "high".