Logotherapy 

The term logotherapy stems from the Greek word logos signifying “meaning” (Frankl, 2004). Logotherapy is also known as “The Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy”, with the main emphasis on the meaning of human existence as well as man’s own personal journey in finding meaning for his own life (Frankl, 2004).

 

Fundamental Principles

 

• Regardless of the circumstances life always has meaning, this is true of all life including the most miserable ones.

 

• The desire to discover the meaning of life is our primary motivation for living.

 

• We possess the liberty to discover meaning in the things we do and experience, or at least in how we choose to deal with a situation of unchangeable suffering (Marshall & Marshall, 2012).

 

Frankl is known for using the term human spirit however he is not necessarily referring to the term in a “spiritual” or “religious” context (Marshall & Marshall, 2012). The spirit is the will of the human being therefore the focus is on the search for meaning which is not automatically the search for God (Marshall & Marshall, 2012). He warns not to mistake pleasure and materialistic objects in the search for meaning (Frankl, 2004).

Frankl’s logotherapy writings contained constructs of meaning in life and purpose in life with relation to will to meaning and existential vacuum, in addition to others who have defined and theorized about positive psychological functioning (Marshall & Marshall, 2012). Frankl discovered that when a person’s search for meaning is hindered it can have adverse psychological effects. An association was made between positive life purpose/ meaning and devout religious beliefs, membership of groups, life values, commitment to a cause and clear objectives (Marshall & Marshall, 2012). Theories dealing with adult development and maturity contain the concept of the purpose in life. In the maturity theory there is an emphasis on a clear understanding of the purpose of life, frankness and being deliberate which all serve to enhance the belief that life is meaningful (Frankl.1964).

 

Crumbaugh and Maholick's Purpose in Life (PIL) test put Frankl’s ideas into effect by assessing the meaning and purpose in life of an individual (Crumbaugh, 1977). With the test, investigators concluded that meaning in life mediated in the connection between religiosity and good health; overwhelming stress and substance usage; and depression and self-denigration. Crumbaugh concluded that the Seeking of Noetic Goals Test (SONG) is a corresponding measure of the PIL (Crumbaugh, 1977). It was found that the PIL evaluates the presence of meaning, whereas the SONG evaluates orientation towards meaning. Scoring lowly in the PIL but highly in the SONG would forecast an improved outcome in the application of Logotherapy (Crumbaugh, 1977).

 

Seeking Meaning

 

Frankl believed that there was 3 different circumstances in which one could seek meaning:

 

• Generating work or carrying out deeds.

• Through experiences or engaging in human interaction.

• The attitude in which one reacts to unavoidable suffering (Frankl, 2004).

 

   “ "Once, an elderly general practitioner consulted me because of his severe depression. He could not overcome the loss of his wife who had died two years before and whom he had loved above all else. Now how could I help him? What should I tell him? I refrained from telling him anything, but instead confronted him with a question, "What would have happened, Doctor, if you had died first, and your wife would have had to survive without you?:" "Oh," he said, "for her this would have been terrible; how she would have suffered!" Whereupon I replied, "You see, Doctor, such a suffering has been spared her, and it is you who have spared her this suffering; but now, you have to pay for it by surviving and mourning her." He said no word but shook my hand and calmly left the office.” (Frankl, 2004, p. 117).

 

Frankl stressed that grasping the value of suffering is only significant in the event of the first two creative possibilities being unavailable (such as in a concentration camp) and only when there is an inevitability about such suffering. However he was not suggesting that people suffer needlessly (Frankl, 2004).

 

 

What disorders has logotherapy been successful with?

 

• Overcoming anxiety

 

• Treatment of neurosis

 

• Depression

 

• Terminally-ill patients