A Meta-Analysis of Meaning
Neil Alan Soggie
Atlantic Baptist University
Moncton, New Brunswick
December 2005
Neil.Soggie@abu.nb.ca
Abstract
This paper
identifies the importance of existential mythopoeics in forming mental health.
Through a meta-analysis of studies dealing with mythopoeics and mental health
across a wide range of circumstances a mean effect size was calculated. The
result is a quantifiable value of existentialism and mental health across the
breadth of life circumstances. The mean effect size of 11% therefore emphasizes
the importance of existentialism in the mental wellness of a patient/ client.
It seems that there once were some fish that spent their
days swimming around in search of water. Anxiously looking for their
destination, they shared their worries and confusion with each other as they
swam. One day they met a wise fish and asked him the question that had
preoccupied them for so long: ÒWhere is the sea?Ó The wise fish answered: ÒIf
you stop swimming so busily and struggling so anxiously, you would discover
that you are already in the sea. You need look no further than where you
already are.Ó
-- Moon (2002)
Introduction
The question to be discussed in this article is whether or
not the theoretical existential construct can actually be shown in empirical
research to play a factor in mental health and life satisfaction. In essence
this article will develop a description of the importance of the existential
role in human experience.
Operational
Definitions
This article will use the general value of life meaning and
satisfaction as the basic standard for Òmental healthÓ within this study. This
means, the measure by which a person is able to adjust to his/her circumstance.
If subjective or objective social experiences are not beyond the ÒnormalÓ range
of the general population then this is to be considered, Òmental healthÓ[1].
Therefore, from an operational point of view we will consider that if the
individual does not report a problem, nor does society, then there is no
problem and this will function as a general guide of normal mental health. This
will be compared with the basic existential value of knowing where one fits and
why within life. This will therefore include a range of existential values that
carry mythopoeic[2] terms that
vary depending upon individual/researcher bias. These terms include tones of
religion or spirituality within them, but are from the perspective of this
paper are simply mythopoeic constructs. In general this project will accept
research articles that examine the Òway people live and find meaning in
existenceÓ no matter the term applied to it.
Such a decision is in line with the standard existential
psychometric tools that recognize (Ellison, 1993) mythopoeics and existential
wellness as two interrelated yet distinct aspects of human functioning and
meaning making. Therefore while evaluating the general main effect size of
existentialism we shall include journals that speak of mythopoeics in terms of
religious well being as well as those that speak exclusively of existential
well-being. In addition, since mythopoeics and existentialism are both part of
the human functioning experience, they can be included in the general modern
catholic term of spirituality[3].
Such a concept includes both mythic and existential orientations within its
concept, and since both are interdependent and interrelated this term will also
be included in the general understanding of existentialism.
These terms will be included in the general operational
definition of our understanding of existentialism. However there will be a
sub-categorisation of these various terms during the further refinement of the
meta-analysis. The logic for the inclusion of these terms can be argued from
the mythopoeic perspective already clarified in chapter one. In addition,
studies about the quality of life and issues of life satisfaction also affirm
that such factors are part of the subjective well being of people (McNamara,
1979).
Some researchers for example (Campbell, 1981) suggest that
well-being depends on the satisfaction of three basic kinds of needs: 1. The
need of having; 2. The need of relating; 3. The need for being. To this end,
the mythic religious framework is considered to be extremely important in the
lives of many people (Campbell, Converse, & Rodgers, 1976).
Methods
The meta-analytic[4]
approach utilized in this study is an attempt to synthesize the results of
previous studies. This will be done by transforming the information of these
various studies into a common metric, the effect size, which is then
categorized across studies. From this work, this project shall therefore
present a mean effect obtained from all reviewed studies in order to answer the
question of the importance of the existential within mental health.[5]
In addition to the description of the main effect there is
of course the more specific issues as to what aspects of human existence does
the existential influence the most. This more specific investigation requires
that all the studies be organized into sub-categories for further analysis.
Therefore this project will also report the important sub-categories of
existentialism and their resulting relationship with other issues. This also
takes into account the fact that studies vary in their outcomes and the
subcategories will seek to suggest some of the moderators in these variable
outcomes. Primarily this is a descriptive study that will utilize the Pearson
product-moment correlation coefficient as the basis of the main mean effect
size.
This meta-analysis shall progress with predictable precision
through its analysis. It has already begun with the development of operational
definitions and the formulation of research questions. The next stage is then
of course logically the presentation of relevant research and its
categorization/ coding of the studies. From this coding process there will be
the calculation of the mean main effect and the effect size of each sub-category.
In order to
ensure the integrity of the studies relationship with existentialism it is
important to establish a clear standard for inclusion and exclusion of studies.
The goal will be to provide a representative cross-section of quantitative
analysis of existentialism that employs reliable methods. In order to ensure
that there is some balance for both researcher bias and method integrity within
the studies examined, only those studies published within peer-reviewed
journals will be included. The only exception to this rule is papers presented
to peers at professional psychological association conferences. In addition,
the age group of concern within this study is between the ages of 12 and 90
years. Therefore, those studies with subjects outside of this range will be
excluded.
Based upon
these parameters, there is an obvious research bias that must be mentioned, for
since this project will only deal with peer-reviewed published journal studies,
the issue of publication bias must be a cause for deliberation. That is, there
may be a reluctance of editors or reviewers to accept for publication studies
with non-significant results coupled with, the hesitation on the part of
authors to submit such non-significant findings. This may mean that a
publication bias will sway the findings towards a positive support of the
existential component of human experience. While such a publication bias is
possible, and must be considered in the larger scope of this project, for
practical reasons such a problem must be set-aside for the moment.
In dealing
with calculation of the mean effect of the general existential category and its
more specific subcategories this study will calculate the mean across studies.
This means that each published study will contribute its main effect score to
the calculation of the mean for the general category of existentialism.
Therefore each studiesÕ score will be weighted the same, regardless of the
number of subjects within the study.
In the
cases where a study results were only described as, or could be inferred to be,
Ònon-significantÓ, an effect size of zero was assigned; if results were only
described as ÒsignificantÓ, p<0.10 significance level was assumed and the
corresponding effect size was calculated.
Of further
consideration is the observed effect by the existential variable. The observed
effects of variable may be positive, neutral or mixed, or negative. In order to
provide a clear picture of the positive effects of existentialism only those
studies that demonstrate a positive effect will be included in the calculation
of the general mean effect. However if indeed mixed, neutral or negative
findings are found, these will be noted in order to balance the further
discussion on this issue.
In
calculating the main effect size this project acknowledges that there are many
ways of achieving this. For the Effect Size is itself a general name applied to a whole
family of indices that measure the magnitude of treatment effect. In general
there are two ways of measuring the effect size as either the standardized
difference between two means as Cohen does for two independent groups (Cohen,
1988), or from correlations. In this case the effect size can be measured as
the correlation between the independent variable classification and the individual
scores on the dependent variable.
In such a case as with the Pearson product-moment correlation
coefficient then the square of the r-value is the effect size, meaning it is
the percentage of the variance in the dependent variable that is accounted for
by membership in the independent variable groups.
Results
This
project has identified nine empirical studies (N=9) that fit its operational
definition of an analysis of General Existentialism. Each report evaluates some
aspect of General Existentialism in relation to some issue of mental health.
This in turn will provide the data for the description of the common material
between General Existentialism and mental health. Of these studies, three were
placed in the sub-category of Mythic, due to their mythic/ religious emphasis.
In addition, three were placed in the sub-category of Existential, due to their
emphasis upon meaning/ self actualisation yet without the mythopoeic overtones.
Finally, three studies were not placed in either of the sub-categories since
they deal with existential issues but have either a mythopoeic or clearly
religious tone in their evaluation.
The primary
issue is of course the general influence of general existentialism. This
incorporates the mythopoeic (often religious) aspect of personal and community
stories that interact with one another to form an existential structure. In
addition, this general existentialism incorporates the sense of personal
life-satisfaction and fulfilment. The logic of combining these two aspects is of
course supported by psychometric studies that affirm a relationship between
these conceptual sub-categories, r = 0.62 (p<0.001)(Ellison, 1993).
On the
issue of General Existentialism and its relation to General Mental Health nine
studies were analysed. The effect size of each study was calculated from the
correlation coefficient and the mean was calculated (see figure 1). The data
from this analysis is that 11% of the variance in general mental health (across
contexts) can be accounted for by its relationship to general existentialism.
Figure 1
General
Existentialism
Author Sub-category Main
Effect Size
Gibbs, H. Mythic ES=0.348
Hackey, C. Mythic ES=0.01
Laurencelle,
R. Mythic ES=0.026
Graham, S. General
Existential ES=0.084
Camprise,
R. (study 1) Existential ES=0.24
Camprise,
R. (study 2) Existential ES=0.096
Paloutzian,
R. (note 3) Existential ES=0.194
McClain, C.
General
Existential ES=0.168
Fry, P. General
Existential ES=0.423
Mean
Effect = 0.111
Conclusion
As the tale
of the fish suggests and as this analysis verifies we are all existential
creatures, whether we imagine ourselves to be so or not. The existential
stories are at the very essence of how we relate to ourselves within ourselves
and how we relate to our constructed universe (Evans 1990). The guiding
principle that organizes how we create ourselves in these relationships is
through this process of stories, both overarching mythic stories and concrete
personal stories of relating to our natural world.
However
this meta-analysis also makes clear that while a significant portion of mental
health is the stories we create and how we choose to relate to our universe
this is not the entire picture. The existential is important but this does not
negate a proper therapeutic diagnosis to identify other issues that may be
influencing the mental health of the client. Basic underlying issues of
biochemical imbalances, psychiatric issues or neural damage must also be recognized
as important issues to be identified by the therapist. For while we may favour
the role of an existential guide in the therapist/ client relationship, as a
professional psychologist/ psychotherapist we must be mindful of the fact that
the evidence suggests that this is only a fraction of the overall picture. In
service of the client we must therefore have the diagnostic ability to
recognize if this existential factor is the aetiology of the clientÕs suffering
or if some other portion of the 89% of the clientÕs mental life is involved.
Only then can we begin to service our clientÕs as a true existential
psychotherapist.
References
[1] The American Psychiatric AssociationÕs
Psychiatric Glossary (1985) defines Mental Health as A state of being, relative rather than
absolute. The best indices of mental health are simultaneous success at
working, loving, and creating with the capacity for mature and flexible
resolution of conflicts between instincts, conscience, important other people,
and reality.
[2]
This
term refers to how the human mind creates mythÕs and then how these personal
myths eventually form societal myths that then become the context for personal
myths. This basic mythic structure and the myth making process are naturally
related to existential analysis and counselling as these are the psychological
schemas in which individualÕs process and interpret reality. Mythos (Greek:
Mythos) plus Poiein (Greek: Poiein) gives us the term Mythopoeic meaning
ÒMyth-makingÓ or ÒMyth-creationÓ.
[3] The work of researchers such as C.E. Ellison
and G.W. Moon have done much to clarify how what has historically been referred
to as spirituality is in
essence a mode of psychological existentialism and therefore must be included
within this type of quantitative research.
[4] The meta-analysis approach was chosen within
this study due to its perceived ability to provide a relatively unbiased and
statistically powerful picture of the issue to be discussed. This is of crucial
concern to a project that is so weighted with philosophy and qualitative
therapeutic issues in order to clarify the true role and importance of the
existential component of mental health and its role within psychotherapy.
[5] The effect size for a Pearson r is the square of the
r-value. This is the percentage of variance in the dependent variable that is
accounted for by membership in the independent variable groups. For a d value of .8, the amount of
variance in the dependent variable by membership in the treatment and control
groups is 13.8%.