Scale Overview
The Purpose in Life Test – PIL was developed by James C. Crumbaugh & Leonard T. Maholick (1964). It is designed to measure Meaning and purpose in life. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Left Anchor), 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4 (Neutral), 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7 (Right Anchor).
The scale includes 9 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 20 to 140. Interpretation guidelines:
- Lack of clear purpose (Existential vacuum): 20 – 91
- Indecision / Neutral purpose: 92 – 112
- Clear purpose and meaning in life: 113 – 140
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.90.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.