1 Marlena Kossakowska mkossakowska@swps

Marlena Kossakowska
[email protected]
Piotr Kwiatek
Tomasz Stefaniak
In:
Kossakowska, M., Kwiatek, P., Stefaniak, T. (2013). Sens w życiu. Polska wersja
kwestionariusza MLQ (Meaning in Life Questionnaire) [Meaning in Life. Polish Version of
MLQ]. Psychologia Jakości Życia, 12(2), 111-131. DOI: 10.5604/16441796.1090786
Abstract
The aim of this manuscript is to present basic concepts regarding meaning in life (definitions,
theoretical approaches, functions and methodological problems). It also reviews global tools
which measure meaningfulness, and in particular it presents the results of the Polish language
validation of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire - MLQ (PL). The authors of the original MLQ
(Steger et al. 2006) define meaning in life as the declared sense made of, and significance felt
regarding, the nature of one’s being and existence. The MLQ consists of two subscales: presence
of, and search for, meaning in life. The study revealed that the Polish MLQ is a relatively a good
tool for measuring meaning in life in these domains. The reliability was demonstrated, but
indices of confirmatory analysis were poor. Convergent and discriminant validity allows us to
discuss what presence of, and the search for, meaning of life mean in Polish and American
culture. These two notions of meaning in life may be complementary or mutually exclusive,
depending on culture and population.
Introduction1
(…)
Polish Version of MLQ
1
The study was supported by a grant (No. DEC-2011/03/B/HS6/01117) from the Polish National Centre
for Science.
1
(…)
Table 1. The Polish translation of MLQ items
Numer
pozycji
Wersja oryginalna
I understand my life’s meaning
I am looking for something that
makes my life feel meaningful
MLQ3: I am always looking to find my life’s purpose
MLQ4: My life has a clear sense of purpose
MLQ5: I have a good sense of what makes
my life meaningful
MLQ6: I have discovered a satisfying life purpose
MLQ7: I am always searching for something that
makes my life feel significant
MLQ8: I am seeking a purpose or mission for my life
MLQ9: My life has no clear purpose (R)
MLQ10: I am searching for meaning in my life
MLQ1:
MLQ2:
Wersja polska
Rozumiem, jakie znaczenie ma moje życie
Szukam czegoś, co sprawia, że moje życie nabiera sensu
Zawsze staram się znaleźć swój życiowy cel
Moje życie posiada jasno określony cel
Mam dobre poczucie tego, co sprawia, że moje życie ma sens
Odkryłem/am satysfakcjonujący cel w swoim życiu
Zawsze szukam czegoś, co sprawia, że moje życie jest ważne
Szukam celu lub misji w swoim życiu
Moje życie nie ma jasno określonego celu (R)
Poszukuję znaczenia w swoim życiu
(R) – pozycja jest kodowana odwrotnie
Method
N=397 (320 females, 77 men).
Age:
For females: range from 18 to 61 yars (M = 24,38, SD = 6,45)
For males: range from 19 to 70 lat (M = 28,84, SD = 11,50).
Confirmatory factor analysis:
ML chi-square = 199.40, p < .0001, df = 34
RMS = .106
GFI = .901
AGFI = .84
2
RMSEA = .116
BBNNFI = .87
Factor analysis:
Table 2. Basic statistics and factor loadings of the Polish MLQ (n = 397)
Basics statistics:
Factor loadings:
item:
Mean
SD
1: MLQ-P
2: MLQ-S
MLQ1
MLQ2
MLQ3
MLQ4
MLQ5
MLQ6
MLQ7
MLQ8
MLQ9
MLQ10
5,43
5,59
5,54
4,80
5,19
4,85
5,39
5,28
5,00
4,92
1,22
1,24
1,14
1,52
1,26
1,45
1,16
1,33
1,63
1,56
0,72*
-0,08
0,41
0,87*
0,81*
0,80*
0,25
0,00
0,77*
-0,20
0,04
0,80*
0,66*
0,03
0,02
0,11
0,76*
0,83*
-0,05
0,72*
MLQ-P
MLQ-S
MLQ
25,28
26,71
51,99
5,68
4,88
7,86
* more then 0,65.
Item No 9 – reversed
Tabela 3. R-Pearson’s coefficients in MLQ
MLQ1
MLQ2
MLQ3
MLQ4
MLQ5
MLQ6
MLQ7
MLQ8
MLQ9
-0,00
0,30*
0,53*
0,52*
0,45*
0,22*
0,02
0,44*
-0,12
0,44*
-0,05
-0,05
0,00
0,48*
0,57*
-0,06
0,48*
0,34*
0,27*
0,29*
0,54*
0,48*
0,29*
0,27*
0,66*
0,66*
0,22*
0,02
0,62*
-0,09
0,64*
0,16
0,04
0,47*
-0,05
0,26*
0,10
0,50*
-0,01
0,55*
0,14
0,39*
-0,01
0,50*
-0,23*
MLQ-P 0,72*
MLQ-S 0,09
MLQ
0,57*
-0,04
0,78*
0,45*
0,37*
0,69*
0,70*
0,87*
0,10
0,69*
0,81*
0,08
0,64*
0,82*
0,15
0,68*
0,25*
0,76*
0,65*
0,04
0,82*
0,54*
0,78*
0,01
0,57*
MLQ2
MLQ3
MLQ4
MLQ5
MLQ6
MLQ7
MLQ8
MLQ9
MLQ10
MLQ10 MLQ-P MLQ-S
-0,13*
0,74*
0,36*
0,11*
0,79*
0,70*
* p < 0,05
3
Reliability:
Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for Polish MLQ is .79
Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient for Subscale Presence: .86
Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient for Subscale Search: .72
Validation of the Polish MLQ
Methods:
1) NEO FFI Inventory (Costa, McCrae, 1985, in Polish adaptation: Zawadzki, Strelau,
Szczepaniak, Śliwińska, 1998),
2) Scale of Emotions (Wojciszke, Baryła, 2005) measures basic emotions: Joy, Love, Fear,
Anger, Sadness, Shame,
3) Purpose in Life – PIL (Crumbaugh, Maholick, 1964; in Polish adaptation: Źycińska, Januszek,
2011),
4) BDI (Beck, 1961; in Polish adaptation: Parnowski, Jernajczyk, 1977),
5) Self-report Questionnaire (Heszen-Niejodek, Gruszczyńska, 2004) measures spirituality in the
concept of transcendence. It assesses three domains of spirituality: Religious Attitude (measures
beliefs towards God and faith), Ethical Sensitivity (measures moral behavior and the interest of
people life and fate) and Harmony (measures the drive toward looking for the internal
consistency between the inner and outer world). It is only in Polish.
6) Self-esteem Scale SES Rosenberga (Rosenberg, 1965; in Polish adaptation: Łaguna,
Lachowicz -Tabaczek, Dzwonkowska, 2007),
7) COPE (Carver, Scheier, Weintraub, 1989; in Polish adaptation: Wrześniewski, 1996),
8) Satisfaction with Life Scale – SWLS (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, Griffin, 1985; in Polish
adaptation: Juczyński, 2001).
4
Table 4. the results of convergency analysis. R-Pearson’s coefficients
Questionnaire
PRESENCE
SEARCH
MLQ-P
MLQ-S
Overall
MLQ
1. NEO FFI, n = 100; α = 0,64
Neuroticism
Agreeableness
Extraversion
Conscientiousness
-0,44*
0,31*
0,42*
0,64*
-0,12
0,23*
0,22*
0,22*
-0,38*
0,35*
0,43*
0,58*
2. Emotions Scale, n = 197; α = 0,81
Joy
Love
Fear
Anger
Sadness
Shame
0,31*
0,32*
-0,30*
-0,30*
-0,47*
-0,31*
0,08
0,16
-0,000,06
-0,06
0,05
0,27*
0,34*
0,21*
-0,17
-0,36*
-0,18
3. PIL, n = 100; α = 0,91
PIL (overall)
Aims in Life
Meaning in Life
Life affirmation
Self-esteem
Life assessment
Freedom and responsibility
0,70*
0,70*
0,65*
0,57*
0,42*
0,60*
0,53*
0,28*
0,37*
0,10
0,29*
0,32*
0,15
0,19
0,65*
0,70*
0,54*
0,57*
0,47*
0,52*
0,49*
4. BDI, n = 100; α = 0,89
-0,50*
- 0,09
-0,42*
5. Self-report Q (Heszen), n=100; α=0,90
Religious Attitude
0,38*
Ethical Sensitivity
0,20*
Harmony
0,59*
0,24*
0,39*
0,34*
0,40*
0,35*
0,61*
6. SES (Rosenberg), n=197; α=0,84
0,53*
0,06
0,41*
7. SWLS, n=197; α=0,78
0,53*
0,21*
0,50 *
* p<0,05
5
Table 5. Discriminatory analysis. R-Pearson’s coefficients of Polish MLQ.
Questionnaire:
PRESENCE
SEARCH
MLQ-P
MLQ-S
Overall
MLQ
1. NEO FFI, n = 100
Openess
0,00
0,09
0,05
2. PIL, n = 197
Attitude towards death:
0,16
-0,04
0,10
3. COPE, n = 297; α = 0,83
PFC
FVE
De
Rel
SH
USS
ADU
Acc
0,19
-0,10
0,06
0,08
-0,01
0,04
-0,12
0,07
0,03
0,15
0,13
0,05
0,02
0,06
0,12
0,01
0,15
0,03
0,13
0,09
0,01
0,07
0,00
0,05
Note: Problem Focused Coping (PFC), Focus on and Venting of Emotions (FVE), Denial (De), Religion (Rel),
Sense of Humor (SH), Use of Social Support (USS), Alcohol/ Drugs Use (ADU) and Acceptance (Acc).
(…)
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