Meaning in Life of a Resident Community of Normal Adults

Choi, Soon Ock; Kim, Sook Nam; Shin, Kyung Il; Lee, Jong Ji

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure meaning in life for a normal adult and to offer basic data for developing nursing strategies for improving the meaning in life of adults. METHOD: There were 351 subjects, from 20 to 60 years old, staying in Busan and KyungNam Province. The data was collected from August to October 2000. The instrument was designed by researchers. The data were analyzed with frequency, mean(+/-SD), t test and ANOVA. RESULT: 1. The mean MIL for adult was 187.7(+/-18.1). 2. The mean MIL of basic premise phase for discovery of meaning was 30.5, method phase for discovery of meaning was 111.1, and result phase for discovery of meaning was 46.4. 3. The levels of MIL, 56.4% of the subjects were in pursuit of meaning in life, 23.3% felt a loss of meaning in life. 4. There were significant differences in MIL according to the level of education(P=0.00), marital status(P=0.01) and monthly income (P=0.00).
CONCLUSION
On the viewpoint of the above results, 23.3% of the subjects were in a level of existential vaccum which required keens Logotherapy. Therefore, it shows that developing nursing-logotherapy to improve the meaning in life for adults is demanded.