Purpose in Life Test – PIL
Measures the degree to which an individual experiences meaning and purpose in life, as opposed to existential frustration or emptiness.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Purpose in Life Test – PIL was developed by James C. Crumbaugh & Leonard T. Maholick (1964). It is designed to measure Purpose and meaning in life. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Low purpose anchor), 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4 (Neutral), 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7 (High purpose anchor).
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 20 to 140. Interpretation guidelines:
- Lack of clear meaning or purpose (Existential vacuum): 20 – 91
- Indecisive range: 92 – 112
- Definite presence of purpose and meaning: 113 – 140
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.90 (split-half).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.