Theory of Meaning

Meaning in Life: A conceptual model for disaster nursing practice

“…She also developed the Human to Human Relationship Model of Nursing to focus on suffering and help patients to find meaning in illness and suffering . Similarly, Patricia L. Starck studied Logotherapy in Munich with a protégé of Frankl and developed a middle range nursing theory that examined meaning in suffering . She also developed the Meaning in Suffering Test that is widely used by nursing investigators…”

“…Others have defined similar terms, such as ‘personal meaning as having a sense that of direction, a sense of order and a reason for existence, a clear sense of personal identity and greater social consciousness’. In Starck's The Theory of Meaning, meaning is defined in this way: ‘Meaning is journey toward life purpose with the freedom to choose one's path in spite of inevitable suffering’ . Hence, it is may be somewhat difficult for many nurses to understand the nature of MIL for application in their practices.…”

Meaning-in-Life in Nursing Home Patients: A Validation Study of the Purpose-in-Life Test

“…In Frankl's theory, meaning is a broad construct that is conceptually and empirically related to many domains; positive associations of meaning are found in relation to constructs such as hope, faith, subjective well-being, and happiness, as well as negative associations between meaning and depression, anxiety, psychological distress, boredom proneness, and drug/alcohol use (Melton & Schulenberg, 2007Pöhlmann, Gruss, & Joraschky, 2006;Schulenberg et al, 2008). Frankl's theory of meaning has been used as a basis for research and practice in many fields, including medicine, psychology, counseling, education, ministry, and nursing (Starck, 2008). In accordance with Frankl (1963Frankl ( , 1978, this article uses meaning and purpose synonymously.…”

“…The importance of nurses to help patients and their families not only cope with illness and suffering but also find meaning in these experiences has been emphasized (Dossey & Keegan, 2009;Starck, 2008;Travelbee, 1979). Several nurse researchers have noted the importance of meaning-in-life as a significant element in health and spiritual well-being (Atchley, 2008;Hodge & Horvath, 2011;Low & Molzahn, 2007).…”

Phenomenon Development from Practice to Research

“…The phenomenon of potentiating a chosen path is directly linked to the theory of meaning (Starck, 2008). The foundation of this work is the journey to finding one's purpose in life through meaning, which in turn is the primary motivation for life.…”