Family as a salient source of meaning in young adulthood

Searching for Meaning and Purpose in Elite Sport: A Narrative Review of Sport Psychology Literature with Theoretical Insights from Psychology

Athletes' stories about their experiences in elite sport inevitably evoke the notion of meaning, a concept, which has appeared in many shapes and forms within sport psychology. Qualitative scholarship, for example, has generated a large literature base on the meaning of experience (i.e., implicit meaning) in elite sport. However, the experience of meaning(fulness) (i.e., existential meaning) has received less scholarly attention and has rarely been the explicit study object. To assist theorizing and the empirical investigation of meaning and purpose in elite sport in these early stages, we take stock of the emerging body of literature in sport psychology. The article has three parts: Firstly, we distinguish between implicit and existential meaning to delineate our study object. Secondly, we introduce psychological theory to show how existential meaning can be conceptualized (e.g., dimensions, sources, crisis of meaning). Thirdly, we analyzed 23 studies in a narrative review approach to understand how meaning (n=17) and purpose (n=6) in elite sport have been understood, and what we know about these concepts empirically. The current scholarship revealed itself heterogenous in terms of study designs, methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and conceptualizations of meaning and purpose. Findings are discussed in eight overarching themes (e.g., moments when meaning and purpose are questioned; as mechanism and indicator of growth following adversity) to map the reviewed literature comprehensibly and to provide a foundation for applied work. The article concludes by highlighting unresolved issues and proposing future directions for studying and applying existential meaning in elite sport.

Mitigating the Impact of Religiously Based Family Expectations on Depression Among Sexual and Gender Minorities: The Role of Authenticity

Although it is clear that religious beliefs can motivate family rejection among sexual and gender minorities (SGMs), ultimately harming their mental health, researchers have not examined the direct link between religiously based family expectations and mental health. In the present study, we first developed the Religiously Based Family Expectations Scale. The scale demonstrated good reliability and factor structure. It evidenced convergent and divergent validity with other measures of religiousness and sexual identity, as well as incremental validity in predicting mental health outcomes above and beyond these measures. Next, we examined how religiously based family expectations related to depression in a sample of 534 SGMs with a conservative religious background (raised as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). We found that religiously based family expectations were positively related to depression but that this relationship was moderated by authenticity such that religiously based family expectations exerted a much stronger relationship with depression among SGMs who evidenced less authenticity.

Mental Time Travel as Self-Affirmation

ACADEMIC ABSTRACT

This article integrates and advances the scope of research on the role of mental time travel in bolstering the self. We propose that imagining the self in the future (prospection) or in the past (retrospection) highlights central and positive self-aspects. Thus, bringing to mind one's future or past broadens the perceived bases of self-integrity and offers a route to self-affirmation. In reviewing corresponding research programs on self-prospection and nostalgia, we illustrate that mental time travel serves to affirm the self in terms of self-esteem, coherence, and control. Mental time travel could be implemented as a source of self-affirmation for facilitating coping and behavior change in several domains such as relationships, health, education, and organizational contexts.

PUBLIC ABSTRACT

People can mentally travel to their future or to their past. When people imagine what they will be like in the future, or what they were like in the past, they tend to think about themselves in terms of the important and positive attributes that they possess. Thinking about themselves in such an affirming way expands and consolidates their self-views. This broader image of themselves can increase self-esteem (the extent to which one likes who they are), coherence (the extent to which one perceives life as meaningful), and control (the extent to which one feels capable of initiating and pursuing goals or effecting desirable outcomes). Mental time travel, then, has favorable or affirming consequences for one's self-views. These consequences can be harnessed to modify one's behavior in such life domains as relationships, health, education, and work.

Meaning in life during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: Impact of quality of life and sociodemographic factors

Research on meaning in life typically emphasizes the psychological aspects of quality of life, neglecting broader dimensions. Additionally, its relevance to the COVID-19 context remains limited. This study investigated the relationship of meaning in life with quality of life and sociodemographic factors related to COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. A total of 4133 Brazilian adults completed Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), WHOQOL-BREF, WHOQOL-SRPB BREF, and sociodemographic information. Our results indicated a positive correlation between the presence of meaning and quality of life dimensions, with psychological health exhibiting the strongest relationship. We found a lower presence of meaning among individuals experiencing heightened social isolation, while vaccinated individuals exhibited a greater presence of meaning. Additionally, non-working participants reported lower presence and higher search for meaning than employed individuals, with frontline workers showing the highest search for meaning. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Social contributions to meaning in life: the role of romantic relationship quality, parenting, and gender

Introduction

The present study tests the association between romantic relationship quality and number of children on meaning in life (i.e., sense of purpose, coherence, and significance) and considers interactions between these constructs and gender.

Methods

A survey was conducted approximately one year into the pandemic among 473 individuals in the United States.

Results

Models demonstrated that relationship quality and number of children are positively associated with meaning, though relationship quality was more strongly related to meaning for men than women. We showed that for women there was an equally positive link between relationship quality and meaning regardless of number of children. However, for men, the positive association between relationship quality and meaning was strongest for those with more than one child, decreased in magnitude for those with one child, and was no longer significant for men with more than one child.

Discussion

These findings provide empirical evidence that social relationships benefit meaning in life and underscore the complexity of these associations. Results have implications for theoretical perspectives on meaning in life, as well as for policies that encourage family wellbeing.

Purpose Orientation and Its Protective Effect on Self-Esteem Among Chinese Depressive Patients: A Comparative Study

Purpose

Although previous studies have confirmed that purpose in life may negatively predict depressive symptoms, focusing on the intensity of purpose without focusing on content may ignore significant individual differences. This study explores differences in purpose orientations between depressive patients and healthy population to examine the relationship between the purpose content and self-esteem, one of the symptoms of depression. In addition, the moderating role of purpose orientations in the relationship between depression and self-esteem was analyzed to verify the protective effect of purpose orientation on self-esteem.

Patients and Methods

The study utilized the questionnaire approach. The Purpose Orientation Scale (Self and Forced Rating) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were administered to the participants. The study recruited 73 depressive patients using convenience sampling. Moreover, using random sampling, 146 participants matched based on depressive patients' demographics were selected as a healthy population in a 1:2 ratio.

Results

The results showed that: 1) depressive patients valued all four types of purpose orientations to a lesser extent compared to healthy population, both depressive patients and healthy population valued family well-being and personal growth to a greater extent than personal well-being and social promotion. 2) Depressive patients reported lower self-esteem than healthy people. 3) All four types of Purpose orientations positively correlated with self-esteem in depressive patients, while only personal well-being positively correlated with self-esteem in healthy population. Family well-being and social promotion moderated the predictive effect of depression on self-esteem.

Conclusion

The above results imply that prosocial purpose orientations may attenuate the harmful effects of depression on self-esteem. Additionally, intervention focusing on enhancing depressive patients' purpose in life (especially prosocial purpose) could be helpful.

Family intimacy and adolescent peer relationships: investigating the mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating role of self-identity

According to existing research, family intimacy affects the formation of peer relationships among adolescents; Parent-child relationships may influence children's relationships with peers, but the mechanism of its influence is still unclear due to the uncertainty of its effect. According to the ecological systems theory, this study examines how family intimacy affects adolescent peer relationships through psychological capital and how self-identity moderates this effect. These hypotheses were tested based on a survey of 414 adolescents, which showed that family intimacy positively affects adolescent peer relationships; The relationship between family intimacy and adolescent peer relationships is mediated by psychological capital; Self-identity positively moderates the direct effects of family intimacy and adolescent peer relationships; Self-identity not only positively moderates the direct effect of psychological capital and adolescent peer relationship, but also positively moderates the indirect effect of family intimacy on adolescent peer relationship through psychological capital. This study provides new perspectives on the relevant mechanism of family intimacy and adolescent peer relationships.

Delving into the role of creativity on meaning in life: A multiple mediation model

How to enhance the sense of meaning in life is a topic deserving of extensive research. The impact of creativity on finding meaning in life, however, has not been thoroughly explored in empirical research. This paper studies the relationship between creativity and meaning in life, and the cognitive and emotional factors underlying this relationship. The participants of this study were 359 Chinese college students (38 males and 321 females; aged from 17 to 41 years) in learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Four instruments were utilized in the survey, namely, the Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale (K-DOCS), the Positive Affect Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). The correlation analysis shows that creativity, positive affect, general self-efficacy, and meaning in life are all positively correlated. According to a bootstrap method to assess the significance of the indirect effect, general self-efficacy and positive affect play multiple mediating roles in the relationship between creativity and meaning in life via three mediating pathways: general self-efficacy alone, positive affect alone, and the effect of general self-efficacy on positive affect. The mediating effect accounts for nearly half (44.18%) of the total effect. This study examines the theoretical connection between creativity and meaning in life, and uncovers the psychological process that underlies this connection. On a practical level, these results indicate that stimulating Chinese college students to engage in creative activities in various fields can enhance their sense of meaning in life.

The Relationship between Meaning in Life and the Childhood Family Environment among Emerging Adults

This study investigates the impact of the childhood family environment on reported meaning in life among emerging adults (n = 507) at a private, urban, religious university. This study found that participants who reported growing up in an emotionally warm family environment ultimately reported more meaning in life as adults and that this effect was mediated by loneliness. This suggests that people from emotionally cold and rejecting early family environments may struggle with meaning in life as adults because they are lonelier. This research contributes a developmental perspective to understanding meaning in life. The public health implications of these findings are discussed. Future research should consider accounting for the effects of early life experiences on meaning in life.

Leisure and meaning in life

How people engage in leisure is an important but frequently underappreciated aspect of meaning in life. Leisure activities range from highly engaging and meaningful to subjectively trivial. Leisure itself is largely defined by meaning: The essence of leisure lies less in the specific activity than in the subjective perception of freedom, choice, and intrinsic motivation. People desire their lives to be meaningful, and leisure activities offer varying degrees of satisfying the basic needs for meaning (here covered as purpose, value, efficacy, and self-worth). Leisure activities vary along multiple conceptual dimensions, such as active vs. passive, seeking vs. escaping, solitary vs. interpersonal, and we consider the implications of these for meaningfulness. The most common leisure activity in modern society, watching television, encapsulates some of the paradoxes of leisure and meaningfulness. The study of how leisure enhances meaning in life is rich and ripe for future research.

Physical and mental health problems of Chinese front-line healthcare workers before, during and after the COVID-19 rescue mission: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

To explore the physical and mental health problems of front-line healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 across the three phases of the epidemic rescue mission (before, during and after) in China.

DESIGN

A qualitative study was adopted using face to face, in-depth semistructured interviews. Phenomenological research methods and Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method were used in the study.

SETTING

The setting of the study was the offices of healthcare workers in 12 tertiary hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-one front-line healthcare workers from 16 provinces in China, who carried out rescue missions in Hubei Province, were interviewed from October to November 2020.

RESULTS

Physical and mental health problems existed before, during and after the COVID-19 rescue mission. Eleven themes emerged during the three phases. Two themes appeared before rescue mission: basic diseases, anxiety before rescue mission. Five themes appeared during rescue mission: basic physical function disorder, physical exhaustion, negative cognition, negative emotions and negative behaviour. Four themes appeared after rescue mission: physical dysfunction, negative emotions, stigmatisation and hypochondriasis.

CONCLUSION

Both physical and mental health problems occurred throughout the three phases. The study results pointed that a comprehensive prevention and control system that addresses both physical and mental health problems of front-line healthcare workers throughout the three phases of epidemic rescue mission (before, during and after), and that involves themselves, their families, hospitals, the government and social organisations is needed.

Helicopter parenting during emerging adulthood: Consequences for career identity and adaptability

This study explores the relationship between parental over involvement and the career development of emerging adults. Specifically, it investigates how emerging adults’ career meta competencies of vocational identity formation and career adaptability relate to perceived helicopter parenting. Participants included 491 emerging adults studying in a Canadian University (74.1% female, average age = 20.4 years old). We begin by reviewing the commonalities between helicopter parenting and other parenting constructs and styles. Next, using structural equation modeling, we explore the relationships between perceived helicopter parenting and the components of vocational identity (exploration: in depth exploration, in breadth; commitment: career commitment, identification with commitment; and reconsideration: career self doubt, career flexibility) and career adaptability, as well as the relationships between identity components and career adaptability. Third, we explore the association between perceived helicopter parenting and identity status progress (i.e., achievement, foreclosure, moratorium, undifferentiated, and searching moratorium). Results indicate that individuals reporting higher levels of perceived helicopter parenting experience significantly lower levels of career adaptability and in-depth exploration. Furthermore, these individuals report higher levels of career self doubt and are more likely to be in the vocational identity status of searching moratorium. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

The Mediating Role of Positive Orientation in the Relationship between Loneliness and Meaning in Life

(1) Background: Previous research revealed that increased loneliness resulted in decreased meaning in life (MIL). Little is known, however, about the underlying mechanisms of this relationship. The aim of the study was to determine if the set of positive evaluations of oneself, one's life, and one's future discussed by Caprara as positive orientation (POS) was a mediator between loneliness and MIL. (2) Methods: A sample of 304 Polish participants aged 19-45 (M = 25.61 years, SD = 6.1) completed the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, the Presence subscale of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the Positivity Scale. (3) Results: The study showed that loneliness was negatively associated with POS and MIL, while POS and MIL were positively correlated with each other. It also turned out that POS partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and MIL. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that, by inhibiting POS, loneliness makes it difficult to perceive life as meaningful. The interrelationships between loneliness, POS, and MIL are discussed in light of the evolutionary theory of loneliness.

Can't buy me meaning? Lay theories impede people from deriving meaning and well-being from consumption

People seek meaning in the marketplace, but can meaning be bought? We review emerging evidence and suggest that the typical association between meaning and well-being is weakened in consumption contexts. We outline two lay beliefs that help explain this gap: the belief that purchases are extrinsic pursuits whereas meaning should come from intrinsic pursuits, and the belief that purchases are impure sources of meaning because companies profit at the expense of people. This conceptual model suggests three paths to enhance meaning and well-being through consumption: reframe purchases as intrinsically rewarding, change (erroneous) lay theories that profit necessarily comes at the expense of the social good, or highlight the future, enduring benefits of consumption.

Existential Isolation and Suicide Ideation Among Chinese College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model

Although previous studies have preliminarily explored the link between existential isolation (EI) and suicidal ideation, their relationship is not well understood. Drawing upon the state trait EI model and terror management theory, the present study proposes that EI could predict suicidal ideation owing to a crisis of meaning, speculating that self-esteem and perceived social support can alleviate the negative effects of EI. Most research on EI has come from individualistic cultures; no prior studies have explored this theme in China, which is widely considered to be a representative collectivist culture. The present study aims to close this gap in the literature by exploring two hypotheses using a sample of Chinese college students ( N = 480). The results showed that participants who identified as men had higher EI than participants who identified as women. Moreover, individuals living in rural areas with a lower subjective economic status or the experience of being left behind have higher levels of EI. EI can predict suicidal ideation, both directly and indirectly, through a crisis of meaning. However, self-esteem and perceived social support can alleviate the negative influence of EI, and their moderating roles were also discussed.

Routines and Meaning in Life: Does Activity Content or Context Matter?

People feel that their lives are more meaningful while engaging in behaviors more closely aligned with their routines. Does the behavioral content of these routines and the contextual factors surrounding their enactment matter for this relationship? In two experience sampling studies (N = 93, 1,512 episodes; N = 97, 1,629 episodes), we test whether the relationship between routines and meaning in life (MIL) depends on the content of the activities. We found that the degree to which one's current activity is a routine positively related to momentary MIL beyond other meaningful features (e.g., relationships, goals, prosociality) of that activity. We conducted Study 2 in the context of mass routine disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found even stronger relationships between routine enactment and concurrent MIL in this context which held controlling for factors, including perceived chaos, mood, and anxiety. These findings suggest that routines uniquely relate to MIL, beyond the meaningfulness of their content and across contexts.

Family function and life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of meaning in life and depression

Recent studies have documented life satisfaction of people have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is unknown about the influential factors and mechanisms of life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a strong link among life satisfaction and individual quality of life and achievement, so it is important to explore the influence mechanism of life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students and explore ways to improve life satisfaction for the development of postgraduate medical students. The current study was based on the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family System, The Theory of Family Functioning, The Meaning Maintenance Model, The Theory of Personal Meaning and Existential Theory to construct theoretical framework and examine whether meaning in life and depression would mediate the link between family function and postgraduate medical students' life satisfaction. By convenient sampling method, a total of 900 postgraduate medical students (Mage = 27.01 years, SD = 3.33) completed questionnaires including Family APGAR Scale, Chinese Version of Meaning In Life Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire, and Satisfaction With Life Scale. In this study, SPSS 25.0 was used for correlation analysis, regression analysis and common method bias test, and AMOS 23.0 was used for structural equation modeling analysis. The results showed that (a) family function could predict life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students significantly; (b) both meaning in life and depression mediated the association between family function and life satisfaction in a parallel manner; (c) meaning in life and depression sequentially mediated the link between family function and life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students. The study illuminates the role of meaning in life and depression in improving life satisfaction and implies that it is necessary to focus on the changes of life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and medical educator can improve the sense of meaning in life of postgraduate medical students through improving their family function, further decreasing the risk of depression, finally improving their life satisfaction.

A narrative inquiry into the resettlement of armed forces personnel in the Arabian Gulf: a model for successful transition and positive mental well-being

Background: The study sought to explore the lived experiences of individuals having served in the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia, as they made the transition to civilian life and sought new employment opportunities.    

Methods: Researchers carried out qualitative research in the form of narrative inquiry. Narratives were collected from eleven in-depth interviews conducted in Saudi Arabia in 2021, allowed for insight into participant experiences. Existing literature on military retirement was also investigated.

Results: Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed concurrently using thematic analysis to identify patterns or themes. The researchers adopted thematic synthesis as an analytical framework though which descriptive themes from the literature on military retirement were generated. Overall, this approach allowed for the comparison of themes in literature with those of narrative interviews.

Conclusion: The study identified challenges encountered by veterans during the resettlement and transitional phase from military to civilian life. There was a general consensus, however, that military life equips individuals with valuable skills that are transferrable to successful post-military employment, known as Positive Transferable Adaptability for Employability (PTAE), ( Mottershead, 2019), which can greatly empower those making the transition. These findings led the researchers to develop a new model for veteran career paths that meet the contemporary employment needs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: the REVERE Transition Model, which identifies six career paths.

Social emotional ability development (SEAD): An integrated model of practical emotion-based competencies

Social emotional abilities (i.e., specific skills), defined as the set of cognitive abilities, emotion-based knowledge, and behavioral competencies (i.e., skill levels) that facilitate adaptively employing prosocial processes and behaviors (i.e., "actions"), such as emotional regulation and sympathetic and empathetic response behaviors, is contemporarily modeled and measured as emotional intelligence. This conceptualization can be problematic, however, as the two concepts are not the same and traditional methods of measuring emotional intelligence can have limited practical utility. The social emotional ability development (SEAD) theoretical model introduced in this treatise represents a pragmatic and simplified approach to the development of social emotional ability and competency as abstracted from constructs of emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and sociocultural learning theory. Further, the SEAD model reaches beyond the individual as the unit of analysis to explore, conceptualize, differentiate, investigate, and define the hierarchal, bi-directional, and contextual nature of the dimensions of social emotional ability within close relationships. Implications for how the SEAD model can be used by researchers, practitioners, educators, individuals, families, and couples across a broad spectrum of domains and interventions are discussed.

Meaning in Life Buffers the Association between Perceived Burdensomeness, Thwarted Belongingness, and Frequency of Non-Suicidal Self-Injuries in Spanish Adolescents

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a developmental stage when there is a high risk of engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). There is recent interest in the study of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensome as variables associated with the frequency of NSSI in adolescents. Meaning in life (MIL) might be negatively associated with thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. To date, no studies have analyzed the buffering role of MIL in the association between thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness and the frequency of lifetime NSSI in Spanish adolescents.

AIMS

(a) To test whether thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness are associated with frequency of lifetime NSSI; (b) to test whether MIL moderates the association between thwarted belongingness and frequency of lifetime NSSI; and (c) to test whether MIL moderates the association between perceived burdensomeness and frequency of lifetime NSSI.

METHOD

The sample consisted of N = 1531 participants (n = 736, 48.1%, were men, and n = 795, 51.9%, were women) between 12 and 18 years old from Spain. The participants filled out the Inventory of Statements about Self-Injury, Purpose-In-Life Test-Adolescent Version, and Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire. Moderation analyses were performed.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were found in the frequency of lifetime NSSI in the adolescents based on gender. Thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness were positively associated with the frequency of lifetime NSSI in Spanish adolescents. MIL was a moderating variable between thwarted belongingness and the frequency of lifetime NSSI, and between perceived burdensomeness and the frequency of lifetime NSSI.

CONCLUSIONS

Thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness might be positively associated with the frequency of lifetime NSSI, and MIL might be negatively associated with the frequency of lifetime NSSI. Thus, adding these variables to current descriptive theories of NSSI in adolescents would allow us to improve assessment and treatment protocols for adolescents with NSSI.

Life Meaning in a Social Context Among Formerly Homeless Residents of Permanent Supportive Housing

Objective

Experiencing a life of meaning is considered fundamental to "what makes life worth living," yet investigation of life meaning among persons with lived experiences of homelessness is lacking. This study seeks to understand life meaning among formerly homeless residents of permanent supportive housing through an examination of its association with social context.

Method

Data were collected through interviews with 383 persons with experience of chronic homelessness who were provided permanent supportive housing (PSH). Recruitment of participants occurred through partnerships with 26 providers of PSH in Los Angeles County, California. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to understand association of life meaning with hypothesized social contextual variables, controlling for demographic and background characteristics.

Results

Community integration and sense of belonging were significantly and positively associated with life meaning, consistent with findings from previous research involving persons not identified as experiencing homelessness.

Conclusions

Findings suggest opportunities for service providers to facilitate life meaning among residents of supportive housing. Specific attention to life meaning and its social context is consistent with the World Health Organization's position that well-being is a significant aspect of health.

Living in the Era of an Ideological Climate of Globalisation: A Study of Psychological Sense of Community Among Young and Older Adults in Two Cultures (India and Norway). Challenges for Community Psychology and the Applied Social Sciences

How do people describe the psychological sense of community (PSOC) in the present day ideological climate of globalising neo-liberalism, assuming that people are essentially individualistic, that solidarity, social commitment, and citizenship are not natural dispositions, as we all are the lonely citizen? This issue is addressed by a mixed-methods study using semi-structured interviews with two age groups-young and older people-from two different cultures-India (Mumbai) and Norway (Oslo). This two by two design gives the opportunity to analyse people's meaning systems of PSOC, asking; is there a core meaning system of PSOC shared by people within as well as across cultures? Belongingness and citizenship are continuously formed and negotiated, just at the intersection of two dimensions: culture and historical time. The young and older adult informants often live in different "historical times." The meaning systems of PSOC were explored and compared by language analyses of words used by the informants. Text search queries were made for 69 words. "Help,", "care," "different," "problem," and "family" were identified as central for further in-depth qualitative analyses. The word, "family" demonstrated high frequencies of use across sub-samples. There was nothing more relevant for the groups than the family when thinking of PSOC, revealing almost a "prior to society perspective." PSOC is about being part of families. Simultaneously, we are members of other communities: schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, cities and nations. The informants mentioned such communities, but not often. Feeling part of the family, helping and caring not only the family but also your neighbourhood, local community, or national and global communities are particularly necessary today, as we live in a time where communities, societies, and nations across the world are heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this crisis, it is vital that nobody forgets that we are national and transnational citizens and part of many interrelated social systems. This study points out how community psychology and the applied social sciences can work to strengthen the feelings of connections to other communities, societies, and nations outlining and co-creating transformative multi-level interventions of public policy programmes of inclusion and "we-ness."

Socio-Emotional Variables Linked to the Consumption of Drugs amongst University Students of Social Sciences: A Pilot Study

This descriptive and transversal study, carried out on an intentional sample of 211 subjects who were split in terms of their consumption of psychoactive substances over the last month and who were aged between 18 and 28 (M = 21.36, and SD = 1.90), aimed to explore the emotional intelligence, perceived socio-family support and academic performance of university students vis-à-vis their consumption of drugs and to examine the link between them. The goal was to define university student consumer profile through a regression model using the multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (EMAS) and the Trait Meta Mood Scale-24 (TMMS-24) as instruments, together with academic performance and gender. The results report alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis consumption rates that are above the levels indicated by the Spanish household survey on alcohol and drugs in Spain (EDADES 2019) for the 15-34-year-old age range in Castilla y León. A certain link was observed between the consumption of substances and academic performance, although no differences were seen in academic performance in terms of consumer type. There was also no clear link observed between emotional intelligence and academic performance or between social support and academic performance. The predictive contribution of the variables included in the regression model was low (9%), which would advocate completing the model with other predictive variables until more appropriate predictability conditions can be found.

Measurement Invariance of Claremont Purpose Scale Across Gender Among Indonesian Youth

The present study assesses the factor structure of the Claremont Purpose Scale (CPS)-Indonesian version among youth, the measurement invariance of the Indonesian CPS across gender, and its concurrent validity with wellbeing scales. Though several studies have investigated purpose in life among Indonesian adolescents, few have tested the psychometric properties of the scale. CPS is unique in that it measures purpose as a multidimensional construct, comprising personal meaningfulness, goal directedness, and beyond-the-self orientation. This study tested the Indonesian CPS's measurement invariance between male (N = 245) and female (N = 288) adolescents. The Indonesian CPS, a hierarchical model based on the original version, provided an adequate fit to the data. Using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, full strict invariance could be established. There were no significant differences across gender for purpose or its subscales. Internal consistency of the total score was satisfactory for purpose and its subscales scores. The results showed evidence of concurrent validity with life satisfaction and perceived meaningfulness.

Family Interaction and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Emerging Adults: A Mediation Model of Gratitude

In this study, we investigated the relations between family interaction, gratitude, and depressive symptoms among Chinese emerging adults. It also investigated gratitude as a mediator in the relation between family interaction and depression. Data were obtained from 321 college students who completed the online questionnaire about the Family Assessment Instrument, Gratitude Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire, and demographic information. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test hypotheses and bootstrapping with 5,000 resamplings (95% confidence interval) was used to confirm the mediation model. Results showed that gratitude partially mediated the relation between family interaction and depression. In other words, students with healthy family interaction, as indicated by perceived better family communication, mutuality, and harmony with family members, tended to report higher general gratitude, and subsequently diminished depressive symptoms. The practical implications were discussed.

Meaning in Life: A Major Predictive Factor for Loneliness Comparable to Health Status and Social Connectedness

Objective: Loneliness is the subjective distress of feeling alone and has a strong impact on wellbeing and health. In addition to well-known predictors like isolation and poor health, a better understanding of the psychological determinants of loneliness would offer effective targets for future complementary interventions. Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study (N = 2,240), we compared the explanatory power of several important risk factors of loneliness with the affective, motivational, and cognitive aspects of the Meaning in Life (MiL) construct. Different nested linear models were compared including socio-demographic, lifestyles, social-connectedness, and self-rated health variables, to assess the overlapping and non-overlapping explanatory power of each of them. Results: Health status and MiL were found to be the most important predictors of loneliness, followed by social connectedness and, with a much lower weight, lifestyles, and socio-demographic factors. Within the MiL factor, the most cognitive component, sense of coherence, had a greater explanatory power than the more affective and motivational ones. Conclusion: Reduced MiL, the capacity of an individual to attach "value and significance" to life, is a crucial predictor to the feeling of loneliness. These results suggest that programs aiming to combat loneliness should go well beyond situational interventions and include more cognitive, value-centered interventions that enable individuals to define and pursue a meaningful vital plan.

Sources of well-being for older adults with and without dementia in residential care: relations to presence of meaning and life satisfaction

OBJECTIVES

To explore what sources of well-being are rated meaningful by older adults in residential care and how they are related to two important well-being outcomes.

METHOD

Two cross-sectional questionnaire studies were conducted in a sample of care residents without cognitive disability (n = 329) and with Alzheimer's disease (n = 104). Structural equation modelling was used to test a hypothesized and exploratory model of different sources as predictors of presence of meaning in life (POM) and satisfaction with life (SWL).

RESULTS

Family and Health were rated most meaningful by residents with and without dementia. In both studies, the hypothesized model showed adequate fit with the data. For cognitively intact residents, Personal Growth, Spirituality/Religion, and Interpersonal Relationships predicted POM, while Family and Leisure predicted SWL. Exploratory testing identified Leisure as a possible additional predictor of POM. For residents with Alzheimer's disease, Personal Growth and Society/Community predicted POM, while Family predicted SWL.

CONCLUSION

For older adults in residential care, many sources of well-being remain highly meaningful and some are directly related to the experience of meaning and life satisfaction. Both for residents with and without dementia, continued or increased investment in moments that foster personal growth and family relationships might be especially valuable.

The Science of Meaning in Life

Meaning in life has long been a mystery of human existence. In this review, we seek to demystify this construct. Focusing on the subjective experience of meaning in life, we review how it has been measured and briefly describe its correlates. Then we review evidence that meaning in life, for all its mystery, is a rather commonplace experience. We then define the construct and review its constituent facets: comprehension/coherence, purpose, and existential mattering/significance. We review the many experiences that have been shown to enhance meaning in life and close by considering important remaining research questions about this fascinating topic.

The relationship between motives for making money and life satisfaction: Evidence from 31 cities in China

Despite the obvious power of the money motive, money has received little attention from psychologists' writing about human motivation. Considering China's transition from its high material deprivation of several decades ago to its current rapidly developing economy, this study aimed to examine how the motives for making money affect life satisfaction through the analysis of a sample of 5,911 participants. The results were somewhat different from previous studies: all the basic motives, self-integrated motives, and non-integrated motives for making money were positively correlated with life satisfaction. We argue that, as the tool/drug theory of money states, money gives people immediate reward, like a drug. More precisely, our findings suggest that belongingness and meaningfulness of life mediate the relationship between motives for making money and life satisfaction. Based on the tool/drug theory, money can be exchanged for social status and can be used to pursue social display and social protection. Motives for making money can bring a sense of belongingness and meaningfulness of life in a large pay-disparity context. Together, these findings extend our understanding of the tool/drug theory and the cultural attributes of money. A longitudinal study is urgently needed in the future to explore the duration of the "drug effect."

Applying Visual Research Methods in Pharmacy Education

Objective. To explore the use of a qualitative visual research method, analysis of Lifenets, to understand students' conceptions of their social and material worlds. Methods. The Lifenet View model and drawing exercise invites students to create a cognitive map of the self in social and material contexts. Ninety-five undergraduate students enrolled in an online undergraduate human development course created Lifenet drawings depicting their connections to people, places, and things at two points in time: the present and the distant future. They also wrote essays describing their drawings. Researchers used an inductive analytical process to identify patterns in the set of drawings, developing a coding taxonomy used to systematically analyze the data. Results. Results offered insights into participants' current self-perceptions and their expectations for the future. Analysis of Lifenets allowed researchers to document and gain insight into participants' perspectives on their current relationships, career aspirations, and assumptions about aging. While students often depicted strong ties to family, friends, and religious entities, few students expressed ties to the secular institutions that define civic and professional life. Conclusion. The Lifenet View exercise may provide instructors with a way to better understand students' social circumstances and to identify and address specific gaps in the professional education curriculum. Use of the Lifenet View exercise in the pharmacy curriculum could provide valuable opportunities for career exploration and expanded cultural awareness of self and others.

Future Time Perspective and Real-Life Utterances About the Future in Young and Older Adults

Abstract. Future time perspective (FTP) refers to an individual’s global perception of the future. It has been found to be positively related to life satisfaction. FTP is traditionally assessed via self-report, but recently a few studies have used observable behaviors for assessing FTP. We focused on two real-life behaviors (frequency and qualities of talking about the personal future) and explored whether they could be used as behavior-based measures of FTP. We examined the association between these behaviors and self-reported FTP, and their relationships with life satisfaction. The sample included 55 young (aged 18–31) and 47 older adults (aged 62–83) who completed questionnaires on future time perspective and life satisfaction. Over 4 days, participants carried an electronically activated recorder, which randomly captured 30-second sound snippets from their daily lives – a total of 30,656 sound snippets were collected. Participants’ utterances were coded for temporal orientation. Linguistic inquiry word count was used to analyze the qualities of future-oriented utterances. Structural equation models showed that self-reported FTP was not associated with the two real-life behaviors. It was positively associated with life satisfaction for the whole sample. The frequency of future-oriented utterances and family-related words were positively related to young adults’ life satisfaction. Achievement-related words were positively related to older adults’ life satisfaction.

Surviving and Thriving: Fundamental Social Motives Provide Purpose in Life

Purpose in life (PIL) is often associated with grand achievements and existential beliefs, but recent theory suggests that it might ultimately track gainful pursuit of basic evolved goals. Five studies (N = 1,993) investigated the relationships between fundamental social motives and PIL. In Study 1, attribution of a life goal pursuit to disease avoidance, affiliation, or kin care motives correlated with higher PIL. Studies 2 and 3 found correlations of self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, mate retention, and kin care motives with PIL after controlling for potential confounds. Study 4 showed that writing about success in the status, mating, and kin care domains increased PIL. Study 5 replicated the effect for mating and kin care, but not for status. Results imply that fundamental motives link to PIL through a sense of progress, rather than raw desire. Overall, this set of studies suggests that pursuit of evolved fundamental goals contributes to a purposeful life.

Nostalgic memories and human rights: Integrating subjective experiences with universal needs

In this comment, I focus on the integration of memories and human rights. The claim for the “self-evident” declares the claim for human rights not only of minorities, or oppressed and forgotten groups but, more broadly, of the self and different others. I consider human rights as they emerge from the content of intergenerational nostalgic memories and are reflected on the right to remember, the right to forget, the right to long for the past, and the right to life. I give a brief account of studies on intergenerational nostalgic memories and I argue for remembering processes as a fundamental human right. Finally, I discuss theoretical implications of integrating memory studies and human rights debates.

Nostalgia Increases Financial Risk Taking

We examined, in five studies, the relation between nostalgia and financial risk taking. We hypothesized that nostalgia increases risk taking by fostering perceptions of social support. In Study 1, we established the basic effect of nostalgia and increased risk taking. In Study 2, we used a measurement-of-mediation approach to specify the underlying mechanism. Perceived support from family members, rather than from significant others or friends, mediated the relation between nostalgia and risk taking. In Studies 3 to 4, we further specified the mediating mechanism (i.e., family social support) and established direction of causality by using an experimental-causal-chain approach. Finally, in Study 5, we provided direct experimental evidence of the full mediation model. Taken together, nostalgia galvanizes perceived family support, which propels individuals toward financial risk.