Examination of counselor candidates' views about meaning in life

The aim of this research is to examine of counselor candidates' views about meaning in life. 29 counselor candidates who were studying at Psychological Counseling and Guidance Department of a university in 2017-2018 academic year participated in the research. The research was designed in a qualitative research model in order to determine how psychological counselor candidates perceive the meaning in life, what is effective on the meaning in life and what they expect from life. In the research, semi-structure interview technique was used. The interviews were deciphered by the researcher. The data were transferred to the computing environment. Then content analysis method was used to analyze the data. In the results of the research; personal, environmental and emotional themes affecting the meaning in life of psychological counselor candidates were determined. In addition to the factors that positively affect the meaning in life, themes that prevent the meaning in life have been revealed. Factors affecting people who think life is meaningful and meaningless have been identified. Among the themes, the sub-theme was created under the heading of personal factors, which are mostly related to the meaning in life. Personal factors affecting the meaning in life according to psychological counselor candidates; individual's freedom of choice, personal beliefs, success, self-improvement, pleasurable activities, self-discovery, health, positive view of life, goal, responsibility and being a model person. It was seen that psychological counselor candidates mostly shared in sub-themes such as social environment and interaction.