scholarly journals Structure and Levels of Meaning in Life and Its Relationship With Mental Health in Chinese Students Aged 10 to 25

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wang Xin-qiang ◽  
He Xiao-xin ◽  
Yang Fan ◽  
Zhang Da-jun
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Early Adolescence ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Chinese Students ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Presence Of Meaning ◽  
Middle Adolescence ◽  
Meaning In Life Questionnaire

This study examines the usage of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire in Chinese students aged from 10 to 25 within four age groups (N= 5,510): early adolescence (10–13 years old,n= 1,258), middle adolescence (14–17 years old,n= 1,987), late adolescence (18–21 years old,n= 1,950) and early adulthood (22–25 years old,n= 315); and analyses the structure and levels of meaning in life, as well as the relationship between meaning in life and mental health. Results showed that: (1) the Meaning in Life Questionnaire in the four age groups of Chinese students had good construct validity and internal consistency reliability; (2) the average levels of the presence of meaning and search for meaning of Chinese students were moderate or above, and had obvious differences according to gender and family location (i.e., urban vs. rural); (3) the level of presence of meaning showed a trend of rising rapidly in middle adolescence and the level of search for meaning continued to rise in early adolescence and fell rapidly towards the end of adolescence; (4) presence of meaning was positively related to life satisfaction and positive affect and negatively related to depression and negative affect, and the same correlations were found with search for meaning.

scholarly journals Meaning in life and its significance in emerging adulthood - literature review and preliminary study results

2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-362
Author(s):  
Natalia Czyżowska
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Emerging Adulthood ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Presence Of Meaning ◽  
Study Results

Transition from adolescence to adulthood and the challenges it entails are often accompanied by a feeling of anxiety and confusion. As research has shown, emerging adults may be particularly vulnerable to various mental disorders. Meaning in life is one of the protective factors that is of great importance both for the mental health and well-being of an individual. The issue of the sense of meaning in life is particularly important in emerging adulthood, as searching for meaning in life may be treated as one of the developmental tasks of this period. The aim of the article is both to review the literature on meaning in life, with particular emphasis on its two dimensions: presence of and search for, and to present the preliminary results of research. The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between the sense of meaning in life, perceived stress and mental health among emerging adults in Poland. 120 emerging adults (between 18 and 29 years of age) participated in the study. Participants completed three questionnaires: the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). There was a negative relationship between presence of meaning in life and somatic and depressive symptoms and perceived stress. Among emerging adults, the search for meaning in life was significantly higher than the presence of meaning. The role of the search for meaning in the period of emerging adulthood as well as further research directions are discussed.

scholarly journals The Psychometric Properties of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) in Patients with Life-Threatening Illnesses

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Maede Naghiyaee ◽  
Bahman Bahmani ◽  
Ali Asgari
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analysis ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Presence Of Meaning ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Meaning In Life Questionnaire

Background. Meaning in life is one of the psychological domains that is most severely affected in patients with life-threatening illnesses. The importance of meaning-making mandates the development of reliable tools to assess this construct. Steger’s Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) is one of the most valid and reliable instruments that determines the search for and presence of meaning in life. The present study was conducted to provide psychometric data on the MLQ in a sample of patients with life-threatening illnesses. Methods. The MLQ was completed by 301 patients (aged 20–80 years) diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses (cancer and multiple sclerosis) and referred to hospitals. Confirmatory factor analysis and Pearson’s correlation test were used to determine the construct validity of the questionnaire. Results. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the original two-factor model of the MLQ, comprised of the presence of meaning (five items) and search for meaning (five items). The responses to the MLQ did not differ by sociodemographic factors. Most importantly, contrary to previous findings, the correlation between the two subscales, i.e., search for meaning and presence of meaning, was significant and positive. Conclusion. The results showed that the MLQ is a valid and reliable measure for assessing meaning in life that can be applied in research on meaning in life among other patient populations.

Presence of Meaning in Life and Search for Meaning in Life and Relationship to Health Anxiety

2017 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Hwei Yek ◽  
Nik Olendzki ◽  
Zoltan Kekecs ◽  
Vicki Patterson ◽  
Gary Elkins
Keyword(s):  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Presence Of Meaning ◽  
Lower Health ◽  
Meaning In Life Questionnaire

The present study explored presence of meaning in life, search for meaning in life, and their correlation with health anxiety. The Meaning in Life Questionnaire and the Short Health Anxiety Inventory were completed by 753 individuals. Results indicated higher presence of meaning in life was associated with lower health anxiety, while the opposite was observed for search for meaning in life. Results also revealed an interaction between presence of meaning in life and search for meaning in life, where individuals with high search for meaning in life and high presence of meaning in life had lower health anxiety than those with high search for meaning in life and low presence of meaning in life. These findings suggest that presence of meaning in life and search for meaning in life are correlates of health anxiety.

Meaning in Life and Substance Use

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-19
Author(s):  
Matthew Csabonyi ◽  
Lisa J. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Cigarette Use ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Lower Alcohol ◽  
Meaning In Life Questionnaire

Viktor Frankl theorized that an absence of meaning in one’s life can result in boredom and apathy—the “existential vacuum”—and attempts to avoid or “escape” the vacuum can include short-acting distracting behaviors. This study investigated whether the presence of meaning (PM) or the search for meaning are associated with alcohol, drug, and cigarette use by young adults, and whether boredom mediates those relationships. Hundred and seventy-six young adults completed the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and provided information about cigarette and illicit drug use over the preceding year. The results partly support Frankl’s model: higher PM was associated with lower alcohol/other drug use and boredom mediated those relationships, but PM was not related to cigarette smoking. Contrary to Frankl’s model, no relationship was found between search for meaning and alcohol, drug, or cigarette use. This suggests that psychological interventions that assist individuals who use drugs or alcohol to identify meaning or purpose in their lives might reduce levels of drug and alcohol use. The process of searching for meaning may not have substantial direct impact on levels of substance use, but once some meaning was established there may be decreased impetus to continue using drugs and alcohol.

Meaning in life and resilience among teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-109
Author(s):  
Maria Platsidou ◽  
Athena Daniilidou
Keyword(s):  
Protective Factors ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Social Resilience ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Emotional Resilience ◽  
Presence Of Meaning ◽  
Resilience Process ◽  
Resilience Factors

Meaning in life is a significant resource in the resilience process, supporting the use of adaptive behaviors and enhancing the feeling of wellbeing. As such, it could be critical for teachers who encounter many stressors threatening their life quality and work productivity. This study aimed to investigate how teachers' levels of meaning in life relate to their resilience. Data were collected from 299 teachers using the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (assessing presence of and search for meaning) and the Multidimensional Teacher Resilience Scale (assessing protective factors related to motivational and professional, social, and emotional resilience). As predicted, presence of meaning had medium-sized positive correlations with the resilience factors, whereas search for meaning had low correlations with social resilience and professional-motivational resilience and no correlation with emotional resilience. Using K-means cluster analysis, teachers were grouped into three clusters according to their scores in the two meaning dimensions. The cluster of teachers reporting both high presence of and high search for meaning showed the highest scores on the resilience factors, followed by the cluster including teachers with high presence and low search. In conclusion, our results emphasized the important role of presence of meaning in strengthening resilient responses; also, searching for meaning, when combined with a high sense of meaning, relates to better use of the resilience protective factors and resources. As to the study implications, a meaning-centered approach to building resilience in teachers is suggested and discussed.

Meaning in Life in Earlier and Later Older-Adulthood: Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Correlates of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 1270-1294 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Hallford ◽  
D. Mellor ◽  
R. A. Cummins ◽  
M. P. McCabe
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Development ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Meaning In Life Questionnaire

Objective: To validate the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) in earlier and later older-adulthood, and examine its correlates. Method: Participants in earlier ( n = 341, M age = 68.5) and later older-adulthood ( n = 341, M age = 78.6) completed the MLQ and other measures. Confirmatory multigroup analysis, correlations, and regression models were conducted. Results: A two-factor (presence and search), eight-item model of the MLQ had a good fit and was age-invariant. Presence and search for meaning were largely unrelated. Meaning was associated with life satisfaction, well-being across a range of domains, and psychological resources. Searching for meaning correlated negatively with these variables, but to a lesser degree in later older-adulthood. Discussion: The MLQ is valid in older-adulthood. Meaning in life is psychologically adaptive in older-adulthood. Searching for meaning appears less important, especially in later older-adulthood. Findings are discussed in the context of aging and psychosocial development.

scholarly journals Inspiration, meaning in life and gratitude as predictors of subjective well-being in the case of a group of students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11(73) ◽  
pp. 86-94
Author(s):  
Beatrice Adriana Balgiu ◽  
◽  
Ruxandra Sfeatcu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Single Item ◽  
Meaning In Life Questionnaire ◽  
Negative Predictor

The aim of the present study is to determine the prediction level of gratitude, meaning in life, and inspiration on Subjective Well-being (SWB). 325 undergraduates (149 males and 176 females) with Mage=19,29 (S.D.=1,40) participated in the study. In order to measure the respective concepts, we used the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the Inspiration Scale (IS), and Single-item measures for life satisfaction and gratitude. The study used descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses. The results of the regression analyses showed that gratitude accounts for most of the SWB variance. The presence of meaning affects SWB positively, while the search for meaning is a negative predictor of SWB. Inspiration frequency is one of the weak predictors of SWB, while inspiration intensity is not a significant predictor of SWB. The results are discussed within the context of the existing literature.

The Relationship between Presence of Meaning, Search for Meaning, and Subjective Well-Being: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis based on the Meaning in Life Questionnaire

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Bin Li ◽  
Kai Dou
Keyword(s):  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Cross Sectional Studies ◽  
Meaning In Life Questionnaire

Meaning in life can be understood as how much people experience life meaning, i.e., presence of meaning (POM) and how intensely they seek life meaning, i.e., search for meaning (SFM). Previous research has related POM and SFM to the subjective well-being (SWB) of individuals, but the findings are inconsistent. This meta-analysis investigates the overall relationship between POM/SFM and SWB by examining previous studies that have used Steger et al.’s (2006) Meaning in Life Questionnaire to assess POM and SFM. Results of 148 studies, reporting 726 effect sizes (N=92,169), suggest the effect size for the “POM–SWB” relationship is close to medium (ESz=0.418, p<.001, 95% CI=[0.390,0.446]). The effect is larger in life satisfaction and cross-sectional studies. The effect size for the “SFM–SWB” association is small (ESz=-.121, p<.001, 95% CI=[-0.155,-0.817]), with the effect being larger for negative affect, cross-sectional studies, and older participants. Interestingly, SFM is positively related to SWB for participants from countries with a high collectivism index, suggesting a stronger association for people from such countries. This study shows a robust link between presence of life meaning and greater SWB, and that while searching for life meaning may be adverse to SWB, the effect is small and conditional.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document