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Review
. 2025 Oct;64(5):3566-3591.
doi: 10.1007/s10943-025-02387-3. Epub 2025 Jul 31.

Finding Meaning in Psychiatric Recovery: A Literature Review of Approaches to Meaning in Life Within Mental Healthcare

A B M Hallo-van Bekkum  1   2 , D W Strijbos  3   4 , C Schuhmann  5 , A W Braam  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Finding Meaning in Psychiatric Recovery: A Literature Review of Approaches to Meaning in Life Within Mental Healthcare

A B M Hallo-van Bekkum et al. J Relig Health. 2025 Oct.

Abstract

Meaning in life (MiL) is a key facilitator of recovery from severe mental illness (SMI), yet its conceptualization in mental health care remains ambiguous. Through an integrative literature review, this study first identified a range of MiL aspects in mental healthcare for people with SMI. Thirty-one studies were selected and analysed, in which 32 aspects emerged. Secondly, an analysis of the theoretical background of the selected studies yielded four disciplinary perspectives from which MiL was conceptualized. Future MiL studies might benefit from specifying and including common (or less common) MiL aspects, such as purpose, relationships, spirituality, identity, coherence, and well-being.

Keywords: Chaplaincy; Meaning in life; Psychiatric recovery; Serious mental illness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. Ethical Approval: This study was performed in line with the principles with the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Scientific Integrity, which is subscribed to by the University of Humanistic Studies. Ethical approval for this study was confirmed by the Ethical Review Committee of said University.

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