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Brief Meaning-in-Life Crisis Questionnaire

Brief Meaning-in-Life Crisis Questionnaire Test

Understand signs of a meaning-in-life crisis and how intense they feel in about 3 minutes. Get a fast, focused snapshot across 16 items to guide next steps and track change over time.

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Questions: 163 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

12,539 views

964 completions

770 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

15/24

Meaning Dysregulation (MD)

Assesses the degree of meaning dysregulation, including inner emptiness, apathy, and anxiety linked to unmet need for life purpose.

Low

Moderate

High

6 – 11: Low | 12 – 17: Moderate | 18 – 24: High

A score of 15 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme level of meaning-related emptiness or dissatisfaction with purpose.

example score

9/16

Life Activity Disintegration (LAD)

Measures how coherent and continuous a person’s life goals and actions feel versus fragmented and disconnected.

Coherent

Partly fragmented

Highly fragmented

4 – 8: Coherent | 9 – 12: Partly fragmented | 13 – 16: Highly fragmented

A score of 9 falls in the partly fragmented range, suggesting some loss of continuity and unified direction in life goals and day-to-day actions.

example score

19/24

Desubjectivization (D)

This scale assesses reduced personal agency, weakened clarity of life goals and values, and a tendency toward reactive rather than self-directed behavior.

Low

Moderate

High

6 – 11: Low | 12 – 17: Moderate | 18 – 24: High

A score of 19 falls in the High range, suggesting pronounced difficulties with stable meaningful direction and internally driven motivation, with behavior more often guided by immediate reactions.

example score

44/64

Overall Meaning-in-Life Crisis (OMiLC)

Measures the overall intensity of experiences associated with a meaning-in-life crisis, integrating feelings of lost meaning and existential disorientation.

Low

Moderate

High

16 – 31: Low | 32 – 47: Moderate | 48 – 64: High

A score of 44 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme level of meaning-related crisis experiences and internal disorientation.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Stuck in a life rut

41%OF USERS

People who feel empty or directionless and want a quick snapshot of how strong their loss of meaning and inner tension is.

At a major crossroads

34%OF USERS

Those facing big decisions (career, relationships, relocation) who notice doubt, inner conflict, and trouble choosing a path.

Therapy and counseling clients

25%OF USERS

People already working with a psychologist who use a brief check-in to track crisis symptoms and changes over time.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

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AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

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Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

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Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

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See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Semantic Dysregulation (SD)

Average

16.6

Normal range

13.4 — 19.7

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Disintegration of Vital Activity (DoVA)

Average

Normal range

7.2 — 10.7

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Desubjectivization of Personality (DoP)

Average

10.9

Normal range

7.7 — 14

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Overall Level of Existential Crisis (OLoEC)

Average

41.1

Normal range

32.3 — 50

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It screens for signs of a meaning-related psychological crisis and estimates overall severity. It also indicates common patterns such as loss of purpose, internal conflict, and difficulty with decisions.

How long does it take to complete and how many items are included?

Completion typically takes about 3 minutes. It contains 16 items.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best matches the intensity or frequency of the experience described. Responses should reflect the most typical experience over the recent period rather than unusual events.

How are results interpreted?

Scores summarize overall crisis intensity and highlight areas where symptoms cluster. Results are screening information and should be interpreted with other clinical or contextual data.

Who can use the results and for what purposes?

It can support counseling, psychotherapy, and research by identifying target areas for follow-up. It can also be used to track change over time when repeated under similar conditions.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Brief Questionnaire on the Meaning-of-Life Crisis Test

Brief Meaning-in-Life Crisis Questionnaire Test - Symptoms and Signs

existential psychology meaningfulness life crisis

This brief self-report measure is intended to screen for subjective distress related to perceived meaning and purpose in life. The Brief Meaning-in-Life Crisis Questionnaire provides a rapid snapshot of current crisis-related experiences and the intensity of associated concerns.

It contains 16 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Items assess commonly reported features of meaning-related strain (e.g., loss of direction, internal conflict, difficulty making decisions) to support initial clinical formulation and monitoring over time. Authorship is attributed to Michael F. Steger.

The Brief Meaning-in-Life Crisis Questionnaire is best used as an adjunct to clinical interview and other assessment data, and results should be interpreted in context rather than as a standalone diagnosis.

Author: Michael F. Steger

Literature: Steger, M. F. Meaning in life. In S. J. Lopez (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of positive psychology (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. 2009.

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