10-item measure assessing presence of meaning and search for meaning in life. ≈ 3 min to complete. Free with attribution.
MLQ (Meaning in Life Questionnaire) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess 10-item measure assessing presence of meaning and search for meaning in life.. It is most often used for assessing perceived meaning and purpose in life in clinical and research settings.. The instrument contains 10 items. Typical administration time is ≈ 3 min.
Source / attribution: Free to use with citation
Assessing perceived meaning and purpose in life in clinical and research settings. MLQ is part of standard practice in this setting because it provides a structured, replicable assessment that can be tracked over time and compared across patients or visits.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, MLQ is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 10 items below to see your MLQ score and interpretation.
Each item is scored on a 7-point scale (1–7). Your score updates live as you answer.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Two 5-item subscales scored 1-7 (absolutely untrue to absolutely true). Presence of Meaning (items 1, 4, 5, 6, 9) and Search for Meaning (items 2, 3, 7, 8, 10). Item 9 is reverse-coded. Each subscale ranges 5-35.
Scoring notes: Two 5-item subscales scored 1-7 (absolutely untrue to absolutely true). Presence of Meaning (items 1, 4, 5, 6, 9) and Search for Meaning (items 2, 3, 7, 8, 10). Item 9 is reverse-coded. Each subscale ranges 5-35.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 5–20 | Low presence of meaning | Consider meaning-focused intervention |
| 21–28 | Moderate presence of meaning | Monitor |
| 29–35 | High presence of meaning | Maintain |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Read each question and choose the response that best fits. Each response has a number next to it — that number is the item's score. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I understand my life's meaning | Mostly untrue | 2 |
| 2 | I am looking for something that makes my life feel meaningful | Somewhat untrue | 3 |
| 3 | I am always looking to find my life's purpose | Mostly untrue | 2 |
| 4 | My life has a clear sense of purpose | Somewhat untrue | 3 |
| 5 | I have a good sense of what makes my life meaningful | Mostly untrue | 2 |
| 6 | I have discovered a satisfying life purpose | Somewhat untrue | 3 |
| 7 | I am always searching for something that makes my life feel significant | Mostly untrue | 2 |
| 8 | I am seeking a purpose or mission for my life | Somewhat untrue | 3 |
| 9 | My life has no clear purpose | Somewhat true | 3 |
| 10 | I am searching for meaning in my life | Mostly untrue | 2 |
Add up all the item scores you noted in Step 1.
2 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 25
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 25 falls between 21 and 28 → Moderate presence of meaning
Moderate presence of meaning. Monitor
A score is one input alongside history and examination. MLQ supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
Psychometric figures are drawn from the validation literature and may vary across clinical populations and translations.
If MLQ doesn't fit your context, related instruments in wellbeing include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHO-5 | 5-item measure of subjective psychological well-being. | 5 | ≈ 1 min |
| FS | 8-item measure of self-perceived success in relationships, self-esteem, purpose, and optimism. | 8 | ≈ 2 min |
| SPANE | 12-item measure of positive and negative emotional experiences. | 12 | ≈ 2 min |
| GQ-6 | 6-item measure of individual differences in the disposition to experience gratitude. | 6 | ≈ 2 min |
| SHS | 4-item global measure of subjective happiness using absolute ratings and social comparisons. | 4 | ≈ 1 min |
| AHS | 12-item measure of dispositional hope with agency and pathways subscales. | 12 | ≈ 3 min |
| PWB-18 | 18-item short form assessing six dimensions of psychological well-being: autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. | 18 | ≈ 5 min |
| PGIS | 9-item measure of active, intentional engagement in personal growth and self-change. | 9 | ≈ 2 min |
MLQ (Meaning in Life Questionnaire) is a validated instrument that assesses presence of meaning and search for meaning in life. Its primary clinical use is Assessing perceived meaning and purpose in life in clinical and research settings. It takes about 3 min to complete, and the 10 items are summed to produce a total score.
MLQ typically takes about 3 min to administer. The exact duration varies a little depending on whether it is self-administered or completed with a clinician. Its brief format is part of what makes it practical for routine clinical use and for repeat administration when tracking change over time.
MLQ contains 10 items. Item scores are summed to produce the total. Scores run from 5 to 35, grouped into 3 interpretation bands from ‘Low presence of meaning’ up to ‘High presence of meaning’.
On the MLQ (total score 5–35), scores of 29–35 fall in the ‘High presence of meaning’ band — interpreted as: Maintain. The full ladder is: 5–20 — Low presence of meaning: Consider meaning-focused intervention.; 21–28 — Moderate presence of meaning: Monitor.; 29–35 — High presence of meaning: Maintain. A higher score reflects a more severe presentation, and crossing a cutoff is a prompt to step up assessment or care — but these bands are screening thresholds, not diagnoses.
Scores of 5–20 fall in the ‘Low presence of meaning’ band: Consider meaning-focused intervention. A low score is reassuring but does not by itself rule out the underlying condition — if symptoms or clinical suspicion persist, reassess over time or use a complementary evaluation rather than relying on the number alone.
MLQ has reported Cronbach's α of 0.86 in validation samples and test–retest reliability of 0.72. Two-factor structure with presence and search as distinct dimensions; convergent and discriminant validity established. In practical terms, a Cronbach’s α around 0.86 indicates good internal consistency (the items hang together well), and a test–retest reliability of 0.72 means scores are well when the scale is repeated without real clinical change.
MLQ is free to use with attribution — clinical, educational, and research use is permitted provided the original source is credited. If you publish results or reproduce the scale, include the citation to the source paper.
Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The Meaning in Life Questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53(1), 80-93. This is the original publication for the MLQ — the reference to cite when reporting results.
No. MLQ is a structured assessment aid, not a diagnostic test. Its proper role is Assessing perceived meaning and purpose in life in clinical and research settings — it standardizes assessment and flags who needs closer evaluation, but the result must be weighed alongside history, examination, and clinical context. When a score conflicts with your clinical impression, clinical judgment takes precedence; treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
MLQ is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: