The Relationship Between Engagement in Meaningful Activities and Quality of Life in Persons Disabled by Mental Illness

Abstract

A hypothesized relationship between engagement in meaningful activities and quality of life was tested for thirty-two individuals attending a community mental health agency's programs. They completed the Lehman Quality of Life Interview; the Derogatis Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, and the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS), constructed for this study. It measures 12 facets of the meaningfulness of activities and includes some open-ended questions. Its test-retest reliability and Cronbach Alpha were .69 and .84, respectively. Participants were involved in a wide range of activities that were most lacking in providing appropriate challenge and a sense of control. Engagement in meaningful activities was significantly correlated with satisfaction with life as a whole (p < .05), but depression accounted for most of the variance. Some support is provided for the theorized value of meaningful activity engagement and recommends strategies to increase the meaningfulness of activities. Findings alert clinicians to the importance of treating depression.

Key Words:

• Meaningful activities
• quality of life
• occupational therapy
• mental disorders
• disabilities