Psychometric properties of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire in Spanish people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorders

Abstract

This study analyzed the psychometric properties of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), one of the most important scales used to assess Meaning in Life (MiL), in a sample of Spanish people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Participants were 102 Spanish people (72.55% women) from 18 years to 68 years old (M = 37.69; SD = 12.66) diagnosed with BPD, who completed the MLQ, Purpose in Life Test-10 Items (PIL-10), and Dissociative Experiences Scale II (DES-II). The bidimensional model for the MLQ showed adequate internal consistency and an excellent fit. The MLQ-P and MLQ-S scales correlated positively. The MLQ-P scale showed a positive correlation with the PIL-10 and a negative correlation with the DES-II. Introducing MiL into interventions with BPD patients can be a useful way to help them to find purpose in their lives, alleviate their existential suffering, and cope with the clinical symptomatology of BPD.