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Stability and specificity of meaning in life and life satisfaction over one year
Journal of Happiness Studies
Abstract
Meaning in life and life satisfaction are both important variables in well-being research. Whereas an appreciable body of
work suggests that life satisfaction is fairly stable over long periods of time, little research has investigated the stability
of meaning in life ratings. In addition, it is unknown whether these highly correlated variables change independent of each
other over time. Eighty-two participants (mean age = 19.3 years, SD 1.4; 76% female; 84% European-American) completed measures
of the presence of meaning in life, the search for meaning in life, and life satisfaction an average of 13 months apart (SD = 2.3 months).
Moderate stability was found for presence of meaning in life, search for meaning in life, and life satisfaction. Multiple
regressions demonstrated specificity in predicting change among these measures. Support for validity and reliability of these
variables is discussed.
... Recently, along with positive psychology, it conceptually includes two separate dimensions: (1) the presence of meaning and (2) the search for meaning (Steger et al., 2006). The presence of meaning is linked to greater scores on well-being and mental health indicators, including positive affect, hope, optimism, and life satisfaction (Dezutter et al., 2013;Dunn & O'Brien, 2009;Steger et al., 2006;Steger & Kashdan, 2007). On the other hand, the search for meaning or lack of meaning is associated with poorer well-being and mental health markers such as depression, anxiety, traumatic reactions, suicidality, addictions, and less marriage satisfaction (Kleftaras & Psarra, 2012;Öcalan et al., 2024;Park, 2016;Shek et al., 2022;Steger et al., 2009;Venuleo et al., 2020). ...
... In terms of main findings, as expected, all the study variables -the presence and search for meaning, positive and negative affect, and life satisfaction-were moderately correlated with each other. This finding is also consistent with earlier research (Dezutter et al., 2013;Dunn & O'Brien, 2009;Glaw et al., 2017;Shek et al., 2022;Steger et al., 2006;2009;Steger & Kashdan, 2007). The mediation analysis revealed that positive affect partially mediated the relationship between meaningfulness and life satisfaction, which suggests that our participants with a higher sense of meaning in their lives might experience greater life satisfaction because they derive positive affect from having a sense of meaning in their lives. ...
... Steger et al. (2006) found that experiencing the meaning of life leads to satisfaction and feelings of fulfillment spreading across different aspects of life, and that those who feel their lives are meaningful are less depressed and feel more satisfaction both in their work and life. A higher sense of meaning in life has been associated with higher well-being, higher self-realization, and less occupational burnout (Steger and Kashdan, 2007). In this study, the meaning of life played a mediating role between occupational burnout and suicidal tendencies. ...
... Meaning in life is an important variable for life satisfaction. In a study conducted with 82 participants on the meaning of life and life satisfaction over 13 months, it was found that meaning moderately and consistently influenced life satisfaction (Steger and Kashdan, 2007). Doing things that people find meaningful contributes to the improvement of both psychological and physical health and increases life satisfaction in individuals. ...
In recent years, there has been a belief that there has been an increase in the rate of physician suicides in Türkiye due to the agenda of physician suicides in traditional and social media. While the profession of physician is considered one of the risky professions in terms of suicide ideation, some researchers state that there is no such effect Among physicians, those who say that the profession is a risk factor for suicide usually explain that burnout is the cause. However, it is insufficient to explain physician suicides as a cause of burnout alone. In this study, a moderated mediation model was examined to explain how the indirect effect of burnout on physicians' suicidal ideation, through presence of meaning of life (PML), is managed by life with satisfaction (SWL). The sample consisted of 214 physicians working in Türkiye. Data were collected from the participants using Demographic Data, the Burnout Scale-Short Form, Life Satisfaction Scale, Meaning of Life Scale and Suicide Probability Scale. The analysis was tested through PROCESS Macro programme. In order to verify the significance of indirect effects, 5000 bootsrap random samples were used. The findings indicate that meaning of life acts as a mediator between burnout and suicidal ideation and that this mediation is influenced by life satisfaction In conclusion, this study examined the effect of burnout on suicide and the results suggest that the meaning of life and life satisfaction may play a protective role in relation to suicidal ideation.
... Life satisfaction represents the extent to which individuals have a positive cognitive evaluation of their life as a whole (Lent, 2004). Empirical research has shown consistent, positive relationships between meaning in life and life satisfaction (e.g., Damásio & Koller, 2015;Steger & Kashdan, 2007). We therefore expect that profiles of athletes with high values in meaningfulness and sources of meaning are more satisfied with their lives than profiles with low values. ...
... In line with our assumptions, this profile descriptively showed the highest values in life satisfaction and self-esteem, supporting the previously established positive relationship between meaning and life satisfaction (e.g., Steger & Kashdan, 2007) as well as self-esteem (e.g., Steger et al., 2006). Although the athletes reported on average less reliance on faith than the general population, there was a subset of athletes for whom faith was a central source of life meaning. ...
People’s subjective sense of meaning in life is a flourishing research topic in psychology but remains underexplored in sport psychology. This study uses a person-oriented method to shed light on meaning in the lives of elite athletes (i.e., latent profile analysis) to identify distinct profiles of sources of meaning in life, and compare the extent to which these profiles differ in relation to athletic identity, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. A sample of 593 Swiss elite athletes (50.4% women, 49.6% men; Mage = 24.78 years, SD = 4.93) participated in the study. The Meaning and Purpose Scales (MAPS) were used to assess athletes’ perceptions of meaningfulness, crisis of meaning, and sources of meaning. Athletes demonstrated higher overall meaningfulness, lower crisis of meaning, and prioritized different sources of meaning compared to the general population. Latent profile analysis revealed three distinct meaning profiles: (1) athletes with multiple meanings (n = 351), (2) athletes with low meaning (n = 126), and (3) faith-based athletes (n = 110). Notably, the athletes in the first and last profile exhibited higher life satisfaction and self-esteem. The identified profiles demonstrate that athletes differ both in the degree and the types of meaning in life. The findings align with studies outside of sport that suggest that meaning in life, in addition to being an end-value in itself, is also related to enhanced life satisfaction and self-esteem. Personalized meaning-focused interventions can be valuable for applied practice with elite athletes.
... Meaning gives individuals the sense that their lives are significant and worthy (Steger, 2012). Accordingly, various studies have suggested that if meaninglessness has not been addressed, it can lead to many psychopathological symptoms, including alcohol/substance and behavioral addictions such as shopping and gaming, depression, death anxiety, hopelessness, and suicidal tendencies (Allen, 2022;Brassai et al., 2011;Brijan, 2024;Ishida and Okada, 2006;Shiah et al., 2015;Skaggs and Barron, 2006;Steger and Frazier, 2005;Steger and Kashdan, 2007;Steger et al., 2009). Thus, a sense of a meaningful life is a critical protective factor in developing psychological symptoms and disorders and provides a personal resource to maintain psychological health and resilience (Hobfoll et al., 2018). ...
Anlamlı yaşam, kısaca, yaşamlarında bir amacın, önemin ve bir misyonun olduğu duygusu ile bireylerin yaşamlarını anlamlandırmaları deneyimidir. İnsanlar hem anlam sahibi olmak hem de hayatta anlam aramak için motive olurlar. Nitekim, pozitif psikoloiji akımının da etkisiyle son yirmi yılda artan çalışmalar, insanların yaşamlarında anlam olduğundan ve yaşadıklarından bir anlam çıkardıklarında, psikolojik ve fiziksel olarak daha sağlıklı ve daha dayanıklı olduklarını ortaya koymaktadır. Öte yandan, yaşamda anlam eksikliği ve anlam arayışının alkol-madde ve davranışsal bağımlılıklar, depresyon, ölüm kaygısı, intihar gibi pek çok psikolojik bozukluk göstergeleriyle ilişkili olduğu bilinmektedir. Bireyler önemli bir kayıp ya da ciddi bir zorluk karşısında kaldıklarında, bu durumu anlamakta güçlük çeker, belirsizlik ve güvensizlik yaşarlar. Varolan durumsal ve global anlam sistemleri bozulur ya da sekteye uğrar. Bu nedenle, yaşadıkları zorlukları ya da travmatik deneyimleri aşmak için anlam sistemlerini yeniden oluşturmak ve inşa etmek zorunda kalırlar. Ancak bu stresli olaylar karşısında, yeniden anlamı bulmak ya da oluşturmak, insanları daha fazla zorlukla başa çıkmaya ve sonunda yaşamları üzerindeki kontrolü yeniden kazanmalarına teşvik eder. Bu yazıda amacımız, güncel araştırma bulguları eşliğinde, önce anlam literatüründe yer alan önde gelen modellerden ve özellikle stres ve travma literatüründe etkili olan anlam oluşturma modellerinden bahsetmektir. Zira, postpandemi döneminde, göç, savaş ve terör tehditleri ile ekonomik kriz gibi pek çok belirsizlikle mücadelede ve hızla değişen teknolojik ve sosyolojik değişimlerin gölgesinde, yaşamda anlam konusunun önemini tekrar vurgulamak gerektiğine inanmaktayız.
... [21] People with high levels of sense of meaning in life tend to exhibit high levels of subjective well-being, life satisfaction and optimism in the face of difficulties and setbacks and are full of hope for the future. [22][23][24][25] These qualities can enhance adaptability and coping strategies and effectively alleviate depression and hopelessness. It is also an important resource for coping with stress, [26,27] which helps in the maintenance of mental resilience during challenges. ...
To explore the relationship between meaning in life and vulnerability to crisis among undergraduate nursing students and the chain mediating effect between moral values identification and positive psychological capital (PsyCap). A total of 330 undergraduate nursing students majoring in traditional Chinese medicine in ethnic minority areas of Yunnan Province were administered the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Moral Values Identification Identity Questionnaire, Positive PsyCap Questionnaire, and Crisis Vulnerability Scale. Meaning in life was negatively correlated with crisis vulnerability and positively correlated with moral values identification and positive PsyCap. Crisis vulnerability was negatively correlated with moral values and positive PsyCap. Moral values was positively correlated with positive PsyCap. Chain mediation effect analysis demonstrated that meaning in life cannot directly predict crisis vulnerability, but it can predict crisis vulnerability through 3 indirect paths: the mediating role of moral values identification, the mediating role of positive PsyCap, and the chain mediating role of moral values identification and positive PsyCap. Meaning in life can indirectly reduce crisis vulnerability among undergraduate nursing students by enhancing moral values identification and positive PsyCap.
... Regarding meaning in life, while 33% of participants reliably increased in presence of meaning, 22% experienced a decrease in search for meaning, indicating complexities in enhancing these aspects. Such challenges align with literature suggesting the difficulty in modifying or enhancing meaning in life, especially in the general population (Steger & Kashdan, 2007). The intervention also demonstrated a tendency toward decreased depressive symptoms, although in a sample already displaying low depression scores preintervention. ...
The concept of meaning in life is fundamental in well-being research, yet its exploration in applied settings remains limited. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a meaning-focused intervention in the workplace. We implemented a six-week meaning in life intervention that targeted enhancing coherence, purpose, and significance in both personal and professional domains. The participants included 9 workers from the Spanish armed forces who voluntarily participated in the intervention. We utilized a case study design to evaluate the intervention's feasibility and acceptability. Attendance rates were high, with 77.78% of participants expressing overall satisfaction with the intervention. We analyzed pre- and post-intervention data on participants' levels of meaning in life, meaningful work, burnout, engagement, well-being, and depression. Significant changes were observed in 33% of the sample regarding meaning in life and in 22% concerning meaningful work, professional efficacy, and overall well-being. This study demonstrates the feasibility and acceptability of our meaning-focused intervention, suggesting its potential efficacy. Through case series studies, we have highlighted the importance of cultivating meaning in life as an essential skill in today's world, crucial for maintaining robust mental health in the face of adversities.
El concepto de significado en la vida es fundamental en la investigación sobre el bienestar, sin embargo, su exploración en entornos aplicados sigue siendo limitada. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la viabilidad y aceptabilidad de una intervención centrada en el significado en el lugar de trabajo. Implementamos una intervención de seis semanas centrada en el significado en la vida que se enfocaba en mejorar la coherencia, el propósito y la importancia tanto en los ámbitos personal como profesional. Los participantes fueron 9 miembros de las fuerzas armadas españolas que participaron voluntariamente en la intervención. Utilizamos un diseño de estudio de caso para evaluar la viabilidad y aceptabilidad de la intervención. Las tasas de asistencia fueron altas, con un 77.78% de los participantes expresando satisfacción general con la intervención. Analizamos datos pre y post intervención sobre los niveles de significado en la vida, trabajo significativo, agotamiento, compromiso, bienestar y depresión de los participantes. Se observaron cambios significativos en el 33% de la muestra con respecto al significado en la vida y en el 22% en cuanto al trabajo significativo, la eficacia profesional y el bienestar general. Este estudio demuestra la viabilidad y aceptabilidad de nuestra intervención centrada en el significado, sugiriendo su potencial eficacia. A través de estudios de series de casos, hemos destacado la importancia de cultivar el significado en la vida como una habilidad esencial en el mundo actual, fundamental para mantener una salud mental sólida frente a las adversidades.
Meaning‐based interventions have demonstrated promising outcomes in enhancing meaning in life. However, understanding their efficacy in diverse contexts requires further research. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a meaning‐based intervention in a military sample and the impact of incorporating an additional emotion regulation module into the intervention. We conducted a randomized three‐group parallel trial with active‐duty military personnel: a waitlist control group ( n = 21), a meaning‐based intervention group ( n = 42), and a meaning‐based intervention with emotion regulation group ( n = 43). Both intervention groups received six 2‐hour sessions and a follow‐up session 4 months later. Meaning in life and work‐related variables, as well as well‐being, depression, emotion regulation, and work‐related factors, were assessed using a mixed‐factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that only the meaning‐based intervention with an emotion regulation component significantly increased the presence of meaning in life. We also observed a trend toward improved well‐being scores over time that did not emerge for the other intervention. This study provides initial support for the efficacy of meaning‐based interventions within the military context when supplemented with emotion regulation skills.
This chapter presents an analysis of evidence that addresses the issue of the stability of personality traits across the life span. Traits are descriptive constructs, intervening variables inferred from behavior and invoked to account for the relations among observable variables. In the past decade, consensus has emerged on the number of traits that are sufficient to describe personality, with a Five-Factor model (FFM) receiving widespread acceptance. With the increasing adoption of the FFM, psychologists have reinterpreted past findings in light of current research. Reliability is a property of a psychometric instrument. Test-retest reliability indices are Pearson product-moment correlations between scores obtained at two different time periods for the same group of individuals. Differential or rank-order stability refers to invariance in the relative placement or rank-ordering of individuals' scores or ratings on a given trait within a particular cohort. Individuals within a group differ from one another on trait ratings. Mean stability for each of the five age groups increases in a stepwise fashion, from a low in the teenage years to a maximum for the oldest participants, with a slight but significant decrease for individuals in their forties.
The psychometric properties of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC) Scale were examined. Subjects (N = 374) completed the SOC scale and a battery of theoretically relevant questionnaires. Principal-components analysis with a Varimax-Promax rotation produced a solution with 5 factors, which were further reduced to 1 factor, suggesting that the SOC scale is a unidimensional instrument. Additional analyses indicated satisfactory internal consistency as well as test-retest reliability at 1 and 2 weeks. Evidence for the validity of the SOC scale was obtained in that nonclinical subjects obtained higher SOC scores than did clinical subjects. Additional validity evidence was provided by negative correlations between SOC scores and self-reports of (a) perceived stress, (b) trait anxiety, and (c) current depression. Discriminant evidence for the validity of the SOC scale was mixed.
In recent years considerable interest has been focused on the relationship between religiosity and psychological wellbeing. This article examines religiosity as a predictor of different components of wellbeing, in the context of several measures of meaning in life, with a sample of women. It is proposed that religiosity may show different relationships to the major wellbeing dimensions of life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. The results demonstrate the religion-wellbeing relationship to be variable. The pattern of results was not consistent, with specific results finding direct (zero-order) and mediated, suppressed, or interactive (second-order) associations between religiosity and specific components of wellbeing, when life meaning was taken into account. The findings support earlier research in demonstrating that the religiosity-wellbeing relationship, where it does occur, is positive but small.
This article reports the development and validation of a scale to measure global life satisfaction, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Among the various components of subjective well-being, the SWLS is narrowly focused to assess global life satisfaction and does not tap related constructs such as positive affect or loneliness. The SWLS is shown to have favorable psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and high temporal reliability. Scores on the SWLS correlate moderately to highly with other measures of subjective well-being, and correlate predictably with specific personality characteristics. It is noted that the SWLS is suited for use with different age groups, and other potential uses of the scale are discussed.
ABSTRACT Cross-sectional studies show that divorced people report lower levels of life satisfaction than do married people. However, such studies cannot determine whether satisfaction actually changes following divorce. In the current study, data from an 18-year panel study of more than 30,000 Germans were used to examine reaction and adaptation to divorce. Results show that satisfaction drops as one approaches divorce and then gradually rebounds over time. However, the return to baseline is not complete. In addition, prospective analyses show that people who will divorce are less happy than those who stay married, even before either group gets married. Thus, the association between divorce and life satisfaction is due to both preexisting differences and lasting changes following the event.
The SWLS consists of 5-items that require a ratingon a 7-point Likert scale. Administration is rarely morethan a minute or 2 and can be completed by interview(including phone) or paper and pencil response. The in-strumentshouldnotbecompletedbyaproxyansweringfortheperson.Itemsofthe SWLSaresummedtocreatea total score that can range from 5 to 35.The SWLS is in the public domain. Permission isnot needed to use it. Further information regardingthe use and interpretation of the SWLS can be foundat the author’s Web site http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/∼ediener/SWLS.html. The Web site alsoincludes links to translations of the scale into 27languages.