title: Development and preliminary evaluation of the existential meaning scale.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop and examine the psychometric properties of the Existential Meaning Scale (EMS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Construct validity of the EMS was examined through factor analysis and correlational analyses with theoretically related instruments. After several weak items were deleted, the 20-item scale had a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of > .80 in an overall sample of 418 individuals. Scores on the EMS were significantly lower in a sample of persons with HIV-1 infection than in the general population samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although its initial psychometric properties were satisfactory, additional validation of the EMS is necessary in other clinical populations to examine further the psychometric properties of the EMS. In addition, further examination of the responsiveness of the EMS over time is needed to evaluate its potential utility in longitudinal trials.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0567, USA. delyon@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Debra E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Lyon
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Younger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*