SCHEDULE FOR MEANING IN LIFE EVALUATION (SMiLE)

ENGLISH VERSION

Finding meaning is a central resource in overcoming life’s conflicts and crises. Friedrich Nietzsche once stated that, „He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.“ In critical life situations (e.g. serious illness), the question behind the meaning of life arises. However, it is difficult to find a method with which to empirically depict the very subjective matter of life’s meaning.

The intention and goal that our team has set itself is to develop a procedure with which one can validly measure the meaning of life. We combined qualitative and quantitative methods (mixed method) for this purpose, which encourage the person being questioned to consciously contemplate their own individual meaningful aspects of life (idiographical approach). Our instrument of measurement is called the “Schedule for the Meaning in Life Evaluation,” also known as SMiLE.

DEUTSCHE VERSION

Sinnerfülltheit ist eine zentrale Ressource in der Bewältigung von Lebenskrisen.
„Wer ein wozu im Leben hat, erträgt fast jedes Wie“, hat bereits Friedrich Nietzsche bemerkt. Sowohl in kritischen Lebenssituationen wie auch bei schwerer Krankheit taucht die Frage nach dem Lebenssinn auf. Allerdings bestehen methodische Schwierigkeiten, ein derart subjektives Konstrukt wie Lebenssinn empirisch abzubilden.

Unsere Arbeitsgruppe hat sich daher zum Ziel gesetzt, ein Messverfahren zu entwickeln, wie Lebenssinn valide erfasst werden kann. Wir haben hierfür qualitative und quantitative Methoden kombiniert (mixed method) und regen die befragte Person dazu an, sich der eigenen, sinnstiftenden Bereiche bewusst zu werden (idiographischer Ansatz). Unser Instrument heisst „Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation“, kurz: SMiLE.

SMiLE ONLINE TEST

Hier haben Sie die Möglichkeit, online selber den Test auszufüllen und erhalten im Anschluss einen Vergleich Ihrer Antworten mit denen einer repräsentativen Stichprobe der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.

The SMiLE Online-Test is available in German only.

 

SMiLE Online Test

 

DOWNLOAD OF THE SMiLE: LANGUAGE ADAPTIONS, TEST MANUAL, STATISTICAL RESOURCES

• SMiLE (German)
• SMiLE (English)
• SMiLE (French)
• SMiLE (Italian)
• SMiLE (Spanish)
• SMiLE (Japanese)
• SMiLE (Hindi)
• SMiLE (Dutch)
• SMiLE (Persian) not yet validated, from Somaye Ahmadi (ssahmadiii@gmail.com)
• SMiLE (Turkish)
• Testmanual (englisch)
• SPSS data form
• SPSS syntax
• Excel data form

Source (please cite): Fegg MJ, Kramer M, L’hoste S, Borasio GD (2008) The Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMiLE): Validation of a new instrument for meaning-in-life research. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 35(4):356-364.

SMiLE PUBLICATIONS

• Fegg MJ, Kramer M, Bausewein C, Borasio GD (2007) Meaning in Life in the Federal Republic of Germany: results of a representative survey with the Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMiLE). Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 5:59.
• Fegg MJ, Kramer M, L’hoste S, Borasio GD (2008) The Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMiLE): Validation of a new instrument for meaning-in-life research. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 35(4):356-364.
• Stiefel F, Krenz S, Zdrojewski C, Stagno D, Fernandez M, Bauer J, Fucina N, Lüthi F, Leyvraz S, Borasio GD, Fegg MJ (2008) Meaning in life of cancer patients assessed with the “Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation” (SMiLE). Supportive Care in Cancer 16:1151-1155.
• Fegg MJ, Kramer M, Stiefel F, Borasio GD (2008) Lebenssinn trotz unheilbarer Erkrankung? Zeitschrift für Palliativmedizin 4(9):238-245.
• Fegg MJ, Kögler M, Brandstätter M, Jox R, Anneser J, Haarmann-Doetkotte S, Wasner M, Borasio GD (2010). Meaning in life in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis 11(5):469-474.
• Fegg MJ, Brandstätter M, Kramer M, Kögler M, Haarmann-Doetkotte S, Borasio GD (2010). Meaning in life in palliative care patients. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 40(4):502-509.
• Monforte-Royo C, Tomás-Sábado J, Villavicencio-Chávez C, Balaguer A (2010) Psychometric properties of the Spanish form of the Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMiLE). Quality of Life Research 20(5):759-762.
• Fegg MJ, Kögler M, Abright C, Hensler M, Lorenzl S (2013) Meaning in life in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care.
• Brandstätter M, Kögler M, Baumann U, Fensterer V, Küchenhoff H, Borasio GD, Fegg MJ (2014) Experience of meaning in life in bereaved informal caregivers of palliative care patients. Supportive Care in Cancer.
• Marjan Faber, Danny Hommel (2014) Rapportage vertaalproces SMiLE (unpublished manuscript).