The PIL Test To Assess The Meaning Of Life

The meaning of life is presented as one of the fundamental hypotheses of logotherapy. According to this current, it is a primary need of every human being. An aspect closely linked to the motivation we feel in relation to our own existence. The PIL test is a questionnaire aimed at evaluating the realization of the meaning of life.

It was the psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, who founded and developed logotherapy. After spending several years in Nazi concentration camps, the author discovered that it is the meaning that each person gives to life that can push us to continue even under the most adverse circumstances.

This is a priority motivation. In reality, this is what makes us perceive and experience life as precious in the face of any adverse circumstance. It is this realization of meaning that is evaluated in the test that we present below.

The PIL test to assess the meaning of life: a life goal

The PIL ( Purpose In Life Test ) is a 20-point evaluation instrument. It is answered by means of a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 7, in ascending progression.

Therefore, by adding the scores of each statement, one obtains a measure of the realization of the meaning of life of a person. The test analyzes 4 main factors :

• Perception of meaning:  it measures the value that the individual places on life. But also to what extent he finds reasons to live it
• Experience of meaning:  it assesses whether the person perceives life as being full of good things

• Goals and Tasks:  This factor examines the individual’s goals and the personal responsibility he feels towards them
• Dialectic of fate / freedom:  determines the attitude towards death as something terrible and uncontrollable

Questionnaire items

1. I usually find myself: 1 (completely bored) to 7 (exuberant, enthusiastic)
2. Life seems to me: 1 (completely routine) to 7 (always exciting)
3. In life I have: 1 (no goals or desires) to 7 (many defined goals and desires)
4. My personal existence is: 1 (meaningless and aimless) to 7 (full of meaning and purpose)
5. Each day is: 1 (exactly the same) to 7 (always new and different)
6. If I could choose: 1 (I would never be born) to 7 (I would have nine more lives like this)
7. After retirement: 1 (I won’t do anything for the rest of my life) to 7 (I will do the exciting things I always wanted to do)
8. To achieve my life goals: 1 (I have not progressed) to 7 (I have reached my full achievement)
9. My life is: 1 (empty and full of despair ) to 7 (a set of good things and exciting things)
10. If I died today I would think my life is: 1 (a complete failure) to 7 (very precious)
11. Thinking about my own life: 1 (I often wonder why I exist) to 7 (I always find reasons to live)
12. As I see it in relation to my life, the world: 1 (makes me completely confused) to 7 (fits meaningfully into my life)
13. I consider myself: 1 (an irresponsible person) to 7 (a very responsible person)
14. As for the freedom he has to make his own choices, I believe that man is: 1 (completely enslaved by the limits of heredity and the environment) to 7 (absolutely free to make all his choices of life)
15. When it comes to death I am: 1 (unprepared and scared) to 7 (prepared and fearless)
16. Regarding suicide: 1 (I seriously considered committing suicide to get out of my situation) to 7 (I never thought about the question)
17. I consider my ability to find meaning, a purpose in life, to be: 1 (practically zero) to 7 (very high)
18. My life is: 1 (out of my hands and controlled by external factors) to 7 (in my hands and under my control)
19. Dealing with my daily tasks involves: 1 (a painful and boring experience) to 7 (a source of pleasure and satisfaction)
20. I discovered: 1 (no mission or goal in my life) to 7 (clear goals and a satisfying goal for my life)

Interpretation

The maximum total is 140 points. Consider that those who score below 90 are in an existential vacuum. In contrast, those who score between 90 and 105 show a lack of definition of the meaning of life. And, finally, those who exceed 105 points would have a clear presence of goals and meaning in life.

The meaning of life is unique and personal for each individual. It changes throughout the life cycle. It is up to each of us to discover, in our own way, this motivation which gives meaning to our days.

Our thoughts

The meaning of life according to Viktor Frankl is based on finding a goal, taking responsibility for ourselves and for being human …