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Korean Journal of Psychology: General

  • KOREAN
  • P-ISSN1229-067X
  • E-ISSN2734-1127
  • KCI

A theoretical review with clinical implications for the meaning in life

Korean Journal of Psychology: General / Korean Journal of Psychology: General, (P)1229-067X; (E)2734-1127
2012, v.31 no.3, pp.741-768


Abstract

Since Frankl proposed Logotherapy, a lot of research has focused on the meaning in life. More recently, as positive psychology emerged and there is an increasing interest in happiness, research in the meaning in life has been revisited from the perspective of psychological wellbeing. However, because the meaning in life is a vague and abstract concept, it has been variously defined by different scholars and there is no agreement on its types. This study attempted to integrate the concepts of meaning in life, based on the dictionary definition of meaning, and proposed types of meaning in life by reviewing literature on typology of meaning in life. Also, this study discussed why people pursue the meaning in life and what experiences lead people to think about it, and examined the influence of three types of meaning in ones' life on their mental health through the review of empirical studies. In addition, by examining the Logotherapy of Frankl, Meaning-Centered counseling of Wong, Acceptance-Commitment therapy of Hayes, it discussed the clinical implications that can be drawn from the meaning in life. Lastly, some suggestions were made for further research on the meaning in life.

keywords
삶의 의미, 전반적 삶의 의미, 상황 특정적 의미, 초월적 의미, 개인적 의미, 의미부여, 의미중심치료, meaning in life, global life meaning, situation specific meaning, transcendental meaning, personal meaning, meaning making, Meaning-Centered counseling

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Korean Journal of Psychology: General