Abstract
Meaning in life is a widely studied construct, yet its measurement in the Indonesian context remains limited, with existing validation work relying only on classical test theory. This study evaluated the psychometric quality of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) in Indonesia using the Rasch model, and expanded the original ten-item instrument with a newly developed item set to broaden its construct coverage. The instrument was adapted through back-translation, reviewed by seven experts using the Many-Facet Rasch Model, and refined across two pilot tests (n = 36 and n = 30) before a final survey (n = 108). Item responses were analyzed with the Rasch Rating Scale Model, separately for the Presence and Search dimensions, examining unidimensionality, item and person fit, rating scale functioning, and separation and reliability, and comparing the original items against the newly developed set. Results showed that the newly developed Presence items achieved unidimensionality and stronger item reliability than the original items, but showed weaker person reliability, while the newly developed Search items improved person reliability but did not fully resolve dimensionality concerns present in the original version. The four-category rating scale functioned largely as intended across both versions. These findings suggest that neither the original nor the newly developed item set alone provides an optimal measure, and that a combined instrument drawing on the stronger-performing items from each version may better balance person and item discrimination. The study offers an initial Rasch-based evaluation of the MLQ for Indonesia and identifies specific items requiring further revision before the instrument can be recommended for wider use.