The International Forum for Logotherapy, 2009, 32, 123-128.  

Recent Publications of Interest

to Logotherapists

Stephanie W. Campbell & Tara K. Luchkiw

Bohlmeijer, E. [ebohlmeijer@trimbos.nl], Valenkamp, M., Westerhof, G., Smit, F., & Cuijpers, P. (2005). Creative reminiscence as an early intervention for depression: Results of a pilot project. Aging & Mental Health, 9, 302-304.

-- The authors asked people to review and reminisce on events and persons who were influential and meaningful in their lives in an attempt to reduce depressive symptoms and improve a sense of mastery over the environment. Elderly participants (N = 79, mean age = 66) engaged in 12 group sessions and reminisced on one area of their lives (such as friendships) during each session. A week before and after the 12 sessions occurred, participants completed the centre of epidemiological studies depression scale (CES-D) and the Pearlin Mastery Scale. Analysis showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms and significant improvement on the mastery scale. Those with greater initial symptom severity showed significantly greater improvement at post-test.  

Campbell, R. A. [rcampbell@utsc.utoronto.ca]. (2005). Students' views on the relationship between religion and science: Analyses of results from a comparative survey. Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 42, 249-265.

-- Students at two Canadian universities (N = 416) were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the relationship between religion, science, and the meaning of life. Participants were asked how often they think about the meaning of life and also the source of their insights (e.g., religion, science, family/friends, media, or none of these). They were also questioned about their feelings about their future and the future of the world. Most participants (349) reported thinking about the meaning of life “sometimes” or “often” as opposed to “hardly ever” or “never.” The greatest levels of insight on meaning in life were reported to come from friends and family. Religion and science appeared to be viewed by participants as separate entities with regard to how each plays a part in individual life and world affairs.

Feldman, D. B. [davefeldman@comcast.net], & Snyder, C. R. (2005). Hope and the meaningful life: Theoretical and empirical associations between goal-directed thinking and life meaning. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 24, 401-421.

-- The authors reviewed three theories of life meaning:  Logotherapy, Terror Management Theory, and meaning as control. Each theory was described in the language of goal-setting to highlight a commonality among the three perspectives. The achievement of goals in each theory brings purpose to one’s life, and hope is theorized to be the underlying variable affecting the pursuit of goals. To examine this theory further by exploring the relationship between hope and meaning in life, and the relationship of these two variables to depression and anxiety, 139 undergraduate students completed the Hope Scale, Purpose in Life test, Sense of Coherence Scale, Life Regard Index, Beck Depression Inventory, and the trait form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine whether hope is a component of meaning in life. A single factor solution appeared to best account for the relationships among the measures of meaning and hope, suggesting that hope can be thought of as a component of a larger factor (life meaning). Regression analyses were used to determine the relative importance of hope and meaning in accounting for the variance in depression and anxiety scores, with the data interpreted to mean that hope and meaning overlap to a large degree.  

Floyd, M. [mfloyd@ccmail.nevada.edu], Coulon, C., Yanez, A. P., & Lasota, M. T. (2005). The existential effects of traumatic experiences: A survey of young adults. Death Studies, 29, 55-63.

-- The relationship between exposure to trauma and death anxiety, overall distress, and meaning in life was examined in 504 undergraduate students using the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS), the Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the Life Regard Index (LRI). Participants were asked to choose traumatic events that they have experienced from a list. For traumas that were experienced, participants were asked to rate on a 5-point scale how close they thought they were to death during the event. This rating was used to measure trauma severity. Participants were classified into three groups based on trauma experiences and severity ratings (no trauma experience, experience with ratings less than five, ratings at level five). Scores for the MFODS and LRI showed no significant relationship to trauma experience. Scores for the GSI (overall distress) showed differences between groups of varying severity ratings. Participants with trauma severity ratings of five had significantly higher GSI scores than participants whose severity ratings were less than five, as well as those respondents who reported no trauma experience.  

Frazier, C., Mintz, L. B. [mintzl@missouri.edu], & Mobley, M. (2005). A multidimensional look at religious involvement and psychological well-being among urban elderly African Americans. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52, 583-590.

-- Participants (N = 86, mean age = 69) completed the Multidimensional Measure of Religious Involvement for African Americans, which measures formal public religious behavior (Organizational Religiosity), informal private religious behavior (Nonorganizational Religiosity) and one’s beliefs and attitudes towards religion and religious experiences (Subjective Religiosity), as well as the Scales of Perceived Well-Being, which measure Ryff’s constructs of Self-Acceptance, Environmental Mastery, Purpose in Life, Positive Relations with Others, Personal Growth, and Autonomy. Several significant relationships were revealed. For instance, those who reported higher levels of Nonorganizational Religiosity and Subjective Religiosity tended to have positive attitudes toward their relationships and themselves. Those who reported positive views of their own religiosity and some Organizational Religiosity reported greater levels of Personal Growth, Self-Acceptance, Environmental Mastery, Positive Relations with Others, and Purpose in Life. Finally, African Americans who engaged in both formal and informal religious behaviors reported greater Purpose in Life, Self-Acceptance, and Environmental Mastery.  

Gilje, F. [fgilje@imt.net], Talseth, A. G., & Norberg, A. (2005). Psychiatric nurses' response to suicidal psychiatric inpatients: Struggling with self and sufferer. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 12, 519-526.

-- The authors analyzed data initially gathered for a phenomenological hermeneutic study in Norway in 1997. The purpose of the more recent study was to explore psychiatric nurses’ responses to suicidal patients. Nineteen psychiatric nurses who worked at a hospital in Norway had been asked to provide a narrative of a personal experience in caring for a suicidal patient. Four themes emerged from thematic analysis of the narratives: discerning self and sufferer (mediating social, professional, and personal boundaries), reconciling inner dialogue about suffering (considering issues of control/lack of control, and beliefs about death and despair), opening up while envisioning self from sufferer (revealing nurses’ boundaries regarding patient accountability and empathy with their patients), and revisioning the meaning of life revealed over time (evaluating one’s own desire to live or not live). These themes describe psychiatric nurses’ responses to suicidal patients as a struggle with self and with other.

Halama, P. [peter.halama@savba.sk]. (2005). Relationship between meaning in life and the big five personality traits in young adults and the elderly. Studia Psychologica, 47, 167-178.

-- A sample of university students (n = 149) and elderly (n = 67) were administered the NEO-Five Factor Index (NEO-FFI, which measures neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to new experiences) and the Personal Meaning Index (PMI). A separate sample of university students (n = 82) and elderly (n = 107) were given the NEO-FFI and Life Meaningfulness Scale (LMS). Analysis showed that for the university samples, both the PMI and LMS overall scores were significantly and negatively correlated with neuroticism and significantly and positively correlated with extraversion and conscientiousness. These results were also true of both elderly samples, but the PMI was also significantly and positively correlated with openness. Participants’ data were then divided into high and low meaning in life scores. The best predictors of a greater sense of meaning were lesser endorsements of neuroticism and greater endorsements of conscientiousness, for both university and elderly participants.

Hart, S. [slhart@itsa.ucsf.edu], Fonareva, I., Merluzzi, N., & Mohr, D. C. (2005). Treatment for depression and its relationship to improvement in quality of life and psychological well-being in Multiple Sclerosis patients.  Quality of Life Research: An International Journal of Quality of Life Aspects of Treatment, Care & Rehabilitation, 14, 695-703.

-- The impact of the treatment of depression on Quality of Life (QOL) was examined in 60 participants with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Supportive-Expressive Group Psychotherapy (SEGP), or Sertraline (antidepressant medication). Patients were assessed at baseline, at 16 weeks of treatment, and post-treatment. The MSQOL-54, developed specifically to measure quality of life related to Multiple Sclerosis, was used to assess QOL. Psychological Well-Being (PWB) was measured using Ryff’s scales of well-being, comprised of six indices. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to measure depression. Level of neurological impairment was assessed by measurement of time to walk 25 feet. Regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between changes in scores on the BDI and measures of QOL (MSQOL-54 and PWB scales). Treatment of depression produced improvement over time on QOL scores and five of six PWB scales, however no particular treatment was found to be superior to the others. Because MS is a chronic neurological disease, the researchers statistically controlled for neurological status to measure residual changes in depression and quality of life scores. After controlling for neurological impairment, regression analysis showed that the treatment of depression was related to improvement in MSQOL-54 scores and four out of six psychological well-being scale scores.

Hutchinson, G. T., & Chapman, B. P. [geopsyche@fastmail.fm]. (2005). Logotherapy-enhanced REBT: An integration of discovery and reason. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 35, 145-155.

-- The authors compared Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy with Albert Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), asserting that the two theories are compatible. An integration of the two perspectives can help an individual balance the discovery of meaning with the pursuit of reason. The authors provided a brief overview of each therapy, followed by an analysis of the fundamental roots that the two therapies share. They focused on three main points of integration: construal processes, mechanisms of change, and the role of courage and responsibility. The integrated approach views human beings as existential and potentially rational, and as being actively engaged in individual discovery. The authors proposed that this integrated and enhanced therapy will facilitate people in participating in positive life experiences, as well as taking responsibility to make changes in their lives.  

King, L. A. [kingla@missouri.edu], & Noelle, S. S. (2005). Happy, mature, and gay: Intimacy, power, and difficult times in coming out stories. Journal of Research in Personality, 39, 278-298.

-- Coming-out narratives of 107 homosexual participants were analyzed for an intimacy motive (the concern for engaging personal relationships) and a power motive (the desire to have an impact on the social environment), as well as difficult times (coming out to self and others, positive and negative emotional content, and positive and negative reactions to coming out) as they related to ego development (ED) and subjective well-being (SWB). Participants completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Sense of Coherence Scale to measure SWB. To measure ED, participants completed a sentence completion form. Researchers coded the responses and gave each participant a total score corresponding to one of eight ego levels. Coming out narratives were coded for intimacy and power motives as well as difficult times. Analysis revealed that intimacy was significantly and positively related to SWB and ED, while power was not related to either. Life satisfaction and sense of coherence were significantly and negatively related to negative affect in the narrative. ED was associated with telling stories about coming out to oneself, but not with stories about coming out to others.

de Klerk, J. J. [mias.deklerk@sasol.com]. (2005). Spirituality, meaning in life, and work wellness: A research agenda. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 13, 64-88.

-- Considering meaning in life as a major element of spirituality can be helpful in gaining insight into the function of spirituality in the workplace. The author sought to provide clarity in the definition of workplace spirituality and to explore potential relationships between meaning in life and various aspects of work wellness. The postulated relationships were used to create a research agenda, resulting in 13 research propositions. Examples included the notion that people with meaning in life will be more inclined to seek and find work that is personally meaningful and that is aligned with their sense of purpose, and will be more inclined to strive for and achieve balanced work/life lifestyles. The propositions are in need of empirical inquiry in order to better understand the role of workplace spirituality.

Konarska, J. [jokona@akon.pl]. (2005). Sources of social activity of people with visual and motor impairments. Social Behavior and Personality, 33, 751-766.

-- Persons of various age groups with either an acquired or congenital visual or motor disability were assessed to explore differences in level of purpose in life, self-acceptance, espoused values, and self-esteem. Groups included individuals with a visual impairment (n = 30), individuals with a motor impairment (n = 30), and a control group of individuals without disabilities (n = 30). Assessment tools used included The Adjective Checklist (ACL), Rokeach’s Value Survey (acquired disability group), the Value Test (congenital disability group), Fitt’s Tennessee Self Concept Scale, and a Polish adaptation of the Purpose in Life test (PIL). Persons with no disability had higher levels of purpose in life than persons with an acquired disability (either visual or motor). Persons with a congenital visual disability had levels of purpose in life that were similar to non-disabled persons, with the exception of teenagers (ages 15-17). Teenagers with congenital visual impairment had lower PIL scores than young adults (ages 20-25, disabled and non-disabled). The authors explored the relation of the sense of purpose in life with the system of values. Results indicated that visually impaired individuals experience a sense of purpose in life on the basis of different values than of those with sight.

Krause, N. [nkrause@umich.edu]. (2005). Traumatic events and meaning in life: Exploring variations in three age cohorts. Aging & Society, 25, 501-524.

-- A sample of 1,313 elderly people (mean age = 78.5) were divided into three age groups (65-74, 75-84, and 85 or more years of age) prior to participating in an interview developed by the author to assess their exposure to trauma (22 possible events), meaning in life (the degree to which the participant has values, sense of purpose, goals, and reconciliation of the past), level of emotional support (frequency of physical and relational support), and negative interpersonal contacts (frequency of unpleasant interactions with or thoughts about others). Analysis suggested that trauma over the lifespan was significantly and negatively related to sense of meaning, but this relationship remained significant only with traumatic events first encountered between the ages of 18-30. More emotional support was significantly associated with greater meaning in life, particularly for those participants who experienced trauma between the ages of 18-30. More frequent negative interpersonal contacts were significantly and negatively correlated with meaning. Further analysis by age group showed that the effects of emotional support and negative contacts on meaning in life were significant only among the oldest participants (age 85 or older).  

STEPHANIE W. CAMPBELL [sswood@olemiss.edu] and TARA K. LUCHKIW [tkluchki@olemiss.edu] are graduate students in the Clinical Psychology Training Program in the Department of Psychology at The University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677, USA. The authors would like to acknowledge Stefan E. Schulenberg, Ph.D., for editing this article.