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Clarifying the Relationship Between Having a Clear Meaning-of-Life Belief and Three Dimensions of Meaning in Life: A Study Among Finnish Religious Professionals
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DOI：10.1007/s11089-025-01284-6.png)
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Abstract
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In this article we examine the relationship between having a clear meaning-of-life belief (clear MOLb) and three dimensions of meaning in life - coherence, significance, and purpose/direction - in a convenience sample of Finnish religious professionals (N = 272). The Comprehensive Measure of Meaning (CMM; Hanson & VanderWeele, 2021) assesses these dimensions. The instrument divides coherence into global and individual, and the former can also be seen to measure clear MOLb. We translated the measure into Finnish and found that, psychometrically, clear MOLb was intertwined with individual coherence but was distinct from the other dimensions of the translated and modified CMM. Furthermore, clear MOLb was separate from the three dimensions of meaning in life when these were measured with another instrument, the Three Dimensional Meaning in Life Scale (Martela & Steger, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18, 606-626, 2023), translated into Finnish and validated. Also, religiosity and religious spirituality correlated more with clear MOLb than with the three dimensions. The results indicate that clear MOLb can be regarded as empirically separate enough from the three dimensions of meaning in life among religious professionals to support the theoretical differentiation of the two phenomena. If the results are affirmed by future studies, the question of whether (clear) meaning-of-life belief can be included in meaning in life will come down to theoretical decisions. The study calls for further research among general populations and discussion toward a more nuanced understanding of meaning - a theme addressed also in the context of pastoral care.
Keywords:
The meaning of life
Clear meaning-of-life belief
Meaning in life
Religiosity
Spirituality
Religious professionals
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