The role of meaning in life in psychotherapy process and outcome : A theory-building case study

Introduction and Aim: Meaning in life (MIL) is currently regarded as a core facet of psychological and physical health, a facilitator of adaptive coping and a marker of therapeutic growth. Although definitionally somewhat ambiguous, MIL is currently conceptualized as having three components: purpose, coherence, and significance/mattering. It has been posited that individuals’ levels of MIL play a hidden, yet crucial role in the process and outcome of psychotherapy — for example, MIL has been hypothesized to be one of the common factors of effective psychotherapy. Although there has been a growth in empirical research on MIL, little attention has been paid to the role of MIL in therapeutic process and outcome in non-meaning-oriented psychotherapies. Method: A theory-building case study methodology of a single case was employed to evaluate and build on the theory that psychological and therapeutic change is associated with the development of MIL. The data gathered from 19 sessions of pluralistic therapy was analyzed through a combination of inductive thematic analysis and theoretical proposition testing. Results: Overall, the results lend support to previous research indicating a positive relationship between MIL and mental well-being/symptom improvement in psychotherapy. It was observed that MIL is likely to be implicit in therapy and that psychological and therapeutic improvement in this case did seem to be clearly related to development of purpose and coherence. There was limited evidence around the role of the therapist, and it appeared that consideration of purpose was also implicit. The results confirmed that a pressing concern does need to be resolved for MIL to be addressed, and that MIL is more likely to be observed near the end of therapy. Conclusion: The findings may contribute to therapy practice and education by highlighting the importance of MIL and the way in which therapists can identify and work with it in therapy. The findings also contribute to