The Boston College Living a Life of Meaning and Purpose (BC-LAMP) Portfolio: An Application of Rasch/Guttman Scenario Methodology

摘要

Meaning and purpose in life are important components of young adult development, and are associated with a myriad of positive outcomes. Recently, Bronk, Riches, and Mangan (2018) developed a set of short Likert-format scales directed at measuring meaning and purpose~the Claremont Purpose Scale (CPS). Their definition of purpose includes three dimensions: Meaningfulness, Goal-Orientation, and Beyond-the-Self. Drawing on their work, we employ a scenario-based measurement approach that incorporates principles of Rasch measurement theory and Guttman facet theory design. These scenarios systematically cover a wide range of lived-experience descriptions of what living a life of meaning and purpose (LAMP) looks like, from relatively commonplace to extraordinary. The full portfolio of scales (the BC-LAMP) is intended for large-scale administration with the goal of helping institutions generate evidence regarding their students' trajectories toward purposeful lives.