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Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ)

Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) Test

See how strongly you’re searching for meaning and how much you feel you’ve found it in just 2 minutes. Ten quick items deliver clear, research-backed insight that supports well-being and therapy goals.

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Questions: 102 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

18302 views

1418 completions

1076 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

20/35

Search (S)

Measures how actively a person is seeking and exploring meaning and purpose in life.

Low search

Moderate search

High search

5 – 15: Low search | 16 – 25: Moderate search | 26 – 35: High search

A score of 20 falls in the Moderate search range, suggesting a noticeable but not intense motivation to look for new goals and meaning.

example score

16/35

Presence (P)

Measures how strongly a person feels their life is meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilling.

Low presence

Moderate presence

High presence

5 – 16: Low presence | 17 – 26: Moderate presence | 27 – 35: High presence

A score of 16 suggests a relatively low sense that life currently feels clearly meaningful or fulfilling.

example score

42/70

Meaning in Life (MiL)

Measures the overall sense of meaningfulness and purpose in a person’s life.

Low

Moderate

High

10 – 29: Low | 30 – 49: Moderate | 50 – 70: High

A score of 42 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a mixed but generally present sense of meaning and purpose with room for further clarification of life goals.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People in a life transition

41%OF USERS

Those facing a new job, breakup, relocation, or graduation use it to see whether they feel a clear purpose or are still searching.

Clients in therapy or coaching

34%OF USERS

People working on motivation, well-being, or burnout take it to track how strongly they experience meaning and how actively they seek it.

Students and researchers

25%OF USERS

Psychology students and study participants take it as a quick measure of meaning in life for coursework, screening, or research projects.

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

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

What You’ll See After You Finish the Test

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.

Practical
Recommendations

Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Detected
Insights

Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Psychologist

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

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.

Search (S)

Average

24.3

Normal range

19.1 — 29.5

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Availability (A)

Average

Normal range

9.3 — 16.7

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Meaning in Life Scale (MiLS)

Average

Normal range

28.5 — 45.5

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

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Trusted by 22k+ Users Worldwide

CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures two aspects of meaning in life: the sense that life is meaningful and the active search for meaning.

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

Completion typically takes about 2 minutes. It includes 10 statements.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best matches the level of agreement with each statement. Answer based on typical feelings rather than unusual events.

How are results interpreted?

Separate scores summarize perceived meaning and ongoing search. Higher scores indicate stronger levels on the corresponding dimension.

Is this a diagnostic tool?

It is a screening measure of psychological well-being and motivation related to meaning. It does not provide a clinical diagnosis on its own.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) Test

meaningfulness positive psychology

This self-report measure assesses perceived meaning in life and the degree to which an individual is actively seeking meaning. The Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) is commonly used in clinical and research settings to characterize meaning-related attitudes and experiences.

The instrument includes 10 items and typically takes about 2 minutes to complete. Items are designed to capture two broad dimensions: perceived presence of meaning and active search for meaning.

Developed by Patricia Frazier, Shigehiro Oishi, and Matthew Kaler, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) can be used to support screening, baseline description, and outcome monitoring when meaning-related concerns are clinically relevant.

Author: Matthew Kaler, michael-f-steger, Patricia Frazier, Shigehiro Oishi

Literature: Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 2006.

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