Psychometric Validation of the Purpose in Life Test-Short Form (PIL-SF) in Individuals Diagnosed with Severe Mental...

Meaning in Life (MiL) represents a key variable in mental health models of personal recovery. There is a need for straightforward and concise instruments to assess this construct quantitatively in individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI).

The aim of the present study was to test the psychometric properties of the Purpose in Life Test-Short Form (PIL-SF), a brief self-report measuring the presence of MiL, in a sample of individuals with SMI.

The participants were 41 adults (21 women, 51.8% and 20 men, 48.2%) aged 18 to 65 years (M = 50.05; SD = 10.73) with a diagnosis of SMI (schizophrenia, 61%; bipolar disorder, 26.8%; borderline personality disorder, 7.3%; and major depression, 4.9%) and clinically stable. The PIL-SF, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Oxford Happiness Questionnaire-6 Item (OHQ-6), Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS), and Seeking of Noetic Goals-8 Item (SONG-8) were used. Descriptive analysis, estimation of the internal consistency, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PIL-SF were conducted. Furthermore, correlations between the PIL-SF, SWLS, OHQ-6, EMAS, and SONG-8 were calculated.

The PIL-SF showed acceptable internal consistency (ω = 0.81) and an excellent fit as a unidimensional scale (CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.070, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.021), confirming its factorial structure. Regarding construct validity, correlations between the PIL-SF and the SWLS (ρ = 0.54, p < 0.001), the OHQ-6 (ρ = 0.52, p < 0.001), and EMAS (ρ = 0.44, p < 0.005) were positive and significant, whereas the correlations between the PIL-SF and the SONG-8NfM (ρ = -0.35, p < 0.025) were negative and significant.

The Spanish version of the PIL-SF appears to be a reliable and valid instrument to measure the presence of MiL in adults with SMI.