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Randall N, Kamino W, Joshi S, Chen WC, Hsu LJ, Tsui KM, Šabanović S. Understanding the Connection Among Ikigai, Well-Being, and Home Robot Acceptance in Japanese Older Adults: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Aging 2023; 6:e45442. [PMID: 37792460 PMCID: PMC10585446 DOI: 10.2196/45442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ikigai (meaning or purpose in life) is a concept understood by most older adults in Japan. The term has also garnered international attention, with recent academic attempts to map it to concepts in the Western well-being literature. In addition, efforts to use social and home robots to increase well-being have grown; however, they have mostly focused on hedonic well-being (eg, increasing happiness and decreasing loneliness) rather than eudaimonic well-being (eg, fostering meaning or purpose in life). OBJECTIVE First, we explored how Japanese older adults experience ikigai and relate these to concepts in the Western well-being literature. Second, we investigated how a home robot meant to promote ikigai is perceived by older adults. METHODS We used a mixed methods research design-including 20 interviews with older adults, a survey of 50 older adults, and 10 interviews with family caregivers. For interviews, we asked questions about older adults' sources of ikigai, happiness, and social support, along with their perception of the robot (QT). For surveys, a number of well-being scales were used, including 2 ikigai scales-ikigai-9 and K-1-and 6 Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System scales, measuring meaning and purpose, positive affect, satisfaction with participation in social roles, satisfaction with participation in discretionary social activities, companionship, and emotional support. Questions related to the perception and desired adoption of the robot and older adults' health status were also included. RESULTS Our results suggest that health is older adults' most common source of ikigai. Additionally, although self-rated health correlated moderately with ikigai and other well-being measures, reported physical limitation did not. As opposed to social roles (work and family), we found that ikigai is more strongly related to satisfaction with discretionary social activities (leisure, hobbies, and friends) for older adults. Moreover, we found that older adults' sources of ikigai included the eudaimonic aspects of vitality, positive relations with others, contribution, accomplishment, purpose, and personal growth, with the first 3 being most common, and the hedonic aspects of positive affect, life satisfaction, and lack of negative affect, with the first 2 being most common. However, the concept of ikigai was most related to eudaimonic well-being, specifically meaning in life, along the dimension of significance. Finally, we found that Japanese older adults have high expectations of a home robot for well-being, mentioning that it should support them in a multitude of ways before they would likely adopt it. However, we report that those with the highest levels of meaning, and satisfaction with their leisure life and friendships, may be most likely to adopt it. CONCLUSIONS We outline several ways to improve the robot to increase its acceptance, such as improving its voice, adding functional features, and designing it to support multiple aspects of well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Randall
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Waki Kamino
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Swapna Joshi
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Wei-Chu Chen
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Long-Jing Hsu
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Katherine M Tsui
- Robotics User Experience and Industrial Design, Toyota Research Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Selma Šabanović
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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Schnell T, Danbolt LJ. The Meaning and Purpose Scales (MAPS): development and multi-study validation of short measures of meaningfulness, crisis of meaning, and sources of purpose. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:304. [PMID: 37789417 PMCID: PMC10548553 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01319-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Meaning in life is multidimensional. It encompasses different qualities of meaning, such as meaningfulness, crisis of meaning, or existential indifference, as well as the sources from which people draw meaning, or purpose. For both research and practice, it is of high value to know not only the extent of meaningfulness, or its absence, but also its sources. How do these relate to meaningfulness and mental health? Are they accessible to people of different sociodemographic and economic backgrounds alike? For therapeutic and counseling practice, knowledge of experiences and sources of meaning is needed to support a clearer self-understanding in patients or clients and to encourage them to make authentic life choices. The Meaning and Purpose Scales (MAPS) presented here enable researchers and practitioners to gain insights into these dimensions of meaning in life, and, with only 23 items, to do so in a short time. METHODS Using five independent and two follow-up samples with a total N of 7,500, this paper examined the MAPS' internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent, divergent, criterion, factorial, and predictive validity. RESULTS Principal axis factoring identified two meaning scales, Meaningfulness and Crisis of Meaning, and five purpose scales, Sustainability, Faith, Security, Community, and Personal Growth. The scales proved consistent, stable over four weeks and two months, and valid in multiple respects. In a representative German population sample, Personal Growth, Sustainability, and Community exhibited large, Faith and Security medium positive relationships with Meaningfulness, whereas Crisis of Meaning showed small to moderate negative correlations. Meaningfulness was positively, and Crisis of Meaning negatively predicted by age, partnership, parenthood, and religious affiliation. Financial hardship correlated positively with Crisis of Meaning and negatively with Meaningfulness, Community, and Personal Growth. Meaningfulness and Crisis of Meaning explained 21%, the sources of purpose 6% of additional variance in general mental distress (PHQ-4), beyond sociodemographics. Except for Faith (unrelated), all sources exhibited moderate negative correlations with the PHQ-4. CONCLUSION As this series of studies demonstrates, the MAPS provide a highly economic and valid assessment of two qualities of meaning, Meaningfulness and Crisis of Meaning, and five sources of purpose: Sustainability, Faith, Security, Community, and Personal Growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Schnell
- MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Oslo, Norway.
- Institute of Psychology, Existential Psychology Lab, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Lars Johan Danbolt
- MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Oslo, Norway
- Research Centre for Existential Health, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway
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David LT, Truţa C. Well-being and internal resources during the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to meaning in life and existential anxiety. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1168641. [PMID: 37691782 PMCID: PMC10486272 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1168641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic represents an event that placed humanity in a context where confrontation with uncertainty, isolation, life threats, and significant changes in one's life were on a scale that exceeded by far any previous individual or community crises. The interest of the present research was to investigate the relationship between meaning in life (MiL) and existential anxiety (EA) with personal internal resources such as creativity, playfulness, well-being, and personal meaning. A total of 451 participants from 48 countries (mean age 34.93 years, standard deviation 12.62, 31.9% men, 67.4% women) were questioned via online questionnaires between May and June 2020. Cluster analysis was performed on the meaning in life and existential anxiety that generated four categories of persons: Reactive, Superficial, Preoccupied, and Dedicated. Well-being and internal resources were associated mostly with the Dedicated type and less with the Reactive one. Arguments relying on the existential positive psychology suffering model and the hostile world scenario are presented to support the results and plead for interventions that elicit meaning, stimulate creativity, and guide people in finding purpose in order to ultimately promote psychological and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Camelia Truţa
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania
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Zhao H, Zhang M, Li Y, Wang Z. The Relationship between a Growth Mindset and Junior High School Students' Meaning in Life: A Serial Mediation Model. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:189. [PMID: 36829418 PMCID: PMC9952829 DOI: 10.3390/bs13020189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A growth mindset is an individual's belief that human intelligence can be changed through continuous practice and effort. The meaning in life signifies that individuals understand or see the meaning of their own life and are aware of their own goals and the values of their own life. Previous studies have shown that a growth mindset positively promotes individual emotional health and life happiness, but its relationship with meaning in life needs to be clarified. In this study, taking the self-determination theory and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions as a basis, we constructed a serial mediation effect model to test the mechanism of psychological capital and core self-evaluation in the relationship between a growth mindset and the meaning in life. A total of 565 students from Chinese junior middle schools participated in this study. The growth mindset, meaning in life, psychological capital, and core self-evaluation scales were used to collect the data for the study. The results indicated the following: (1) meaning in life was significantly predicted by growth mindset (β = 0.181, p < 0.001); (2) psychological capital and core self-evaluations played a mediating role in the influence of growth mindset on junior high school students' meaning in life. The mediating role includes three mediating paths: the individual mediating effects of psychological capital, the individual mediating effects of core self-evaluations, the serial mediating effects of psychological capital and core self-evaluations. The results of this study confirm the benefits of a growth mindset, as well as the potential mechanism by which they impact meaning in life, which positively impacts junior high school students meaning in life.
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Szcześniak M, Potemkowski A, Brola W, Kroplewski Z, Szałachowski RR, Zak M, Wilski M, Sobolewski P, Bartosik-Psujek H, Kapica-Topczewska K, Tarasiuk J, Czarnowska A, Kułakowska A, Zakrzewska-Pniewska B, Kubicka-Bączyk K, Morawiec N, Adamczyk-Sowa M, Stępień A, Zaborski J, Ratajczak A, Ratajczak M. The Big Five Personality Traits and Positive Orientation in Polish Adults with Multiple Sclerosis: The Role of Meaning in Life. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095426. [PMID: 35564821 PMCID: PMC9099940 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Scientific achievements concerning the direct relation between personality traits and positive orientation among patients with multiple sclerosis do not explain the role of potential mediators. In fact, some researchers argue that the traits–positivity association is much more complex than it seems to be. For this reason, we made an attempt to analyze the indirect relationship between the above-mentioned variables, including meaning in life as a mediator. In total, 618 patients with MS took part in the study. The NEO Five-Factor Inventory, the Positive Orientation Scale, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire were used. The results showed that positive orientation/the presence of meaning/searching for meaning correlated positively with extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and were negatively associated with neuroticism. Moreover, meaning in life in both its dimensions acted as a mediator in 9 of 10 models. It can be assumed that a propensity to establish interpersonal relationships (extraversion), use active imagination (openness), inspire confidence among others (agreeableness), and take responsibility (conscientiousness) can have an impact on someone’s positive attitude toward oneself and the surrounding world (positive orientation) when people have meaning in life and when they are seeking it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Szcześniak
- Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, 71-017 Szczecin, Poland; (A.P.); (Z.K.); (R.R.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Andrzej Potemkowski
- Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, 71-017 Szczecin, Poland; (A.P.); (Z.K.); (R.R.S.)
| | - Waldemar Brola
- Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-317 Kielce, Poland; (W.B.); (M.Z.); (P.S.)
| | - Zdzisław Kroplewski
- Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, 71-017 Szczecin, Poland; (A.P.); (Z.K.); (R.R.S.)
| | | | - Marek Zak
- Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-317 Kielce, Poland; (W.B.); (M.Z.); (P.S.)
| | - Maciej Wilski
- Department of Adapted Physical Activity, Poznan University of Physical Education, 61-871 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Piotr Sobolewski
- Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-317 Kielce, Poland; (W.B.); (M.Z.); (P.S.)
| | - Halina Bartosik-Psujek
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszów University, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland;
| | - Katarzyna Kapica-Topczewska
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Białystok, 15-276 Białystok, Poland; (K.K.-T.); (J.T.); (A.C.); (A.K.)
| | - Joanna Tarasiuk
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Białystok, 15-276 Białystok, Poland; (K.K.-T.); (J.T.); (A.C.); (A.K.)
| | - Agata Czarnowska
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Białystok, 15-276 Białystok, Poland; (K.K.-T.); (J.T.); (A.C.); (A.K.)
| | - Alina Kułakowska
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Białystok, 15-276 Białystok, Poland; (K.K.-T.); (J.T.); (A.C.); (A.K.)
| | | | - Katarzyna Kubicka-Bączyk
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland; (K.K.-B.); (N.M.); (M.A.-S.)
| | - Natalia Morawiec
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland; (K.K.-B.); (N.M.); (M.A.-S.)
| | - Monika Adamczyk-Sowa
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland; (K.K.-B.); (N.M.); (M.A.-S.)
| | - Adam Stępień
- Department of Neurology, Military Institute of Medicine, 01-755 Warszawa, Poland;
| | - Jacek Zaborski
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation and Stroke Sub-Division, Specialist Hospital in Międzylesie, 04-749 Warszawa, Poland;
| | - Anna Ratajczak
- Postgraduate Study, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland;
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Liu Y, Zhao N, Ma M. The Dark Triad Traits and the Prediction of Eudaimonic Wellbeing. Front Psychol 2021; 12:693778. [PMID: 34803793 PMCID: PMC8602073 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.693778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although numerous studies have focused on personality traits related to well-being, the relationship between the Dark Triad Traits and eudaimonic well-being is still unclear. The purpose of the present study was to explore how the Dark Triad Traits (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) affect eudaimonic well-being. Further, this study also aimed to explore the mediation effect of family support and hedonic wellbeing. The results showed that the present model had a good model fit (χ2/df = 1.91, p < 0.001, comparative-fit-index (CFI) = 0.96, tucker-lewis-index (TLI) = 0.95, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.04, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.04). There is a significant association between the Dark Triad Traits and eudaimonic wellbeing. Specifically, narcissism directly predicts eudaimonic wellbeing, while the effects of Machiavellianism and psychopathy on eudaimonic wellbeing are serial two-mediator models, which are mediated by family support and hedonic wellbeing. The results would enrich theoretical studies on personality while providing some practical evidence on how to improve the subjective well-being of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqian Liu
- School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
| | - Na Zhao
- School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
| | - Min Ma
- School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
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Adaptation of the brief sensation seeking scale in Spanish young adults: Psychometric properties and validity evidence. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-00190-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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8
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Karayigit C, Wood J. Where Emerging Adults in the United States Find Meaning in Life. ADULTSPAN JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/adsp.12105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jamie Wood
- Department of Psychology and Counseling Pittsburg State University
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9
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The mediating role of openness to experience and curiosity in the relationship between mindfulness and meaning in life: evidence from four countries. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01430-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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10
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Roes MM, Yin J, Taylor L, Metzak PD, Lavigne KM, Chinchani A, Tipper CM, Woodward TS. Hallucination-Specific structure-function associations in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2020; 305:111171. [PMID: 32916453 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2020.111171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Combining structural (sMRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in schizophrenia patients with and without auditory hallucinations (9 SZ_AVH, 12 SZ_nAVH), 18 patients with bipolar disorder, and 22 healthy controls, we examined whether cortical thinning was associated with abnormal activity in functional brain networks associated with auditory hallucinations. Language-task fMRI data were combined with mean cortical thickness values from 148 brain regions in a constrained principal component analysis (CPCA) to identify brain structure-function associations predictable from group differences. Two components emerged from the multimodal analysis. The "AVH component" highlighted an association of frontotemporal and cingulate thinning with altered brain activity characteristic of hallucinations among patients with AVH. In contrast, the "Bipolar component" distinguished bipolar patients from healthy controls and linked increased activity in the language network with cortical thinning in the left occipital-temporal lobe. Our findings add to a body of evidence of the biological underpinnings of hallucinations and illustrate a method for multimodal data analysis of structure-function associations in psychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meighen M Roes
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - John Yin
- BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Laura Taylor
- BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Paul D Metzak
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Katie M Lavigne
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Abhijit Chinchani
- BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Christine M Tipper
- BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Todd S Woodward
- BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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11
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Kampf PH, Hernández A, González‐Romá V. Antecedents and consequences of workplace mood variability over time: A weekly study over a three‐month period. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/joop.12329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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12
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Ding F, Tian X, Chen L, Wang X. The relationship between physical health and fear of death in rural residents: The mediation effect of meaning in life and mental health. DEATH STUDIES 2020; 46:148-156. [PMID: 32027226 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2020.1723741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The current research used questionnaire data to examine the direct and indirect paths between physical health and fear of death. For 386 rural residents, physical health, meaning in life, and mental health were negatively related to fear of death. Physical health affected fear of death through three paths: one was the independent mediation of meaning in life, the other was the independent mediation of mental health, and the third was the serial mediation of meaning in life and mental health. To reduce the fear of death and improve the quality of life among rural residents, educational interventions of meaning in life and mental health are imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengqin Ding
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Xueyang Tian
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Xiaofang Wang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China
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13
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Negri L, Bassi M, Delle Fave A. Italian Validation of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire: Factor Structure, Reliability, Convergent, and Discriminant Validity. Psychol Rep 2019; 123:578-600. [PMID: 30602327 DOI: 10.1177/0033294118821302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Several studies highlighted the role of meaning in life as a major component of well-being and researchers have developed different measures to assess the features of this construct. In the present study, the psychometric properties of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire were investigated in the Italian context. The Meaning in Life Questionnaire is a 10-item scale measuring perceived presence of and search for meaning in life, conceptualized as two separate factors. The former refers to perceived meaning and purpose in life, the latter to the active commitment to find meaning in life. Participants were 464 adults aged 20 to 60 years ( M = 39.34; SD = 10.86; 54.7% women). Factor structure was inspected through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using a split-sample approach. Internal consistency was assessed through Cronbach’s alphas, interitem and item-scale correlations. Convergent and discriminant validity with measures of well-being, personality, mental health, and physical health were also evaluated. Factor analyses supported the adequacy of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire two-factor structure in the Italian context; internal consistency measures corroborated the measure’s reliability; and correlation matrix coefficients sustained convergent and discriminant validity. Results showed that the Meaning in Life Questionnaire is a valid and reliable measure to assess meaning in life and its relationship with well-being within the Italian context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Negri
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milano, Italy
| | - Marta Bassi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, University of Milano, Italy
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Pedersen HF, Birkeland MH, Jensen JS, Schnell T, Hvidt NC, Sørensen T, la Cour P. What brings meaning to life in a highly secular society? A study on sources of meaning among Danes. Scand J Psychol 2018; 59:678-690. [DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Frølund Pedersen
- Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics; Aarhus University Hospital; Aarhus Denmark
| | | | - Jens Søndergaard Jensen
- Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics; Aarhus University Hospital; Aarhus Denmark
| | - Tatjana Schnell
- Institute of Psychology; Innsbruck University; Innsbruck Austria
- MF Norwegian School of Theology; Religion and Society; Oslo Norway
| | | | | | - Peter la Cour
- Knowledge Center for Functional Diseases; Region H Denmark
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Zhuang M, She Z, Cai Z, Huang Z, Xiang Q, Wang P, Zhu F. Examining a Sequential Mediation Model of Chinese University Students' Well-Being: A Career Construction Perspective. Front Psychol 2018; 9:593. [PMID: 29743876 PMCID: PMC5930633 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite career construction theory attends to individual subjective career and provides a useful lens to study well-being, extant research has yielded limited insights into the mechanisms through which career construction variables influence individual well-being. To address this important gap, the present study examined a mediation model that links indicators of career adaptivity (big-five personality and approach/avoidance traits) to psychological well-being (psychological flourishing and life satisfaction) through career adaptability and in sequent meaning of life (presence of life meaning and search for life meaning) among a sample of Chinese university students (N = 165). The results of a two-wave survey study showed that career adaptability and presence of life meaning mediated the effects of openness to experience, consciousness, approach trait, and avoidance trait on individual well-being in sequence. The results also showed that approach trait’s effect on presence of meaning was partially mediated by career adaptability; career adaptability’s effect on psychological flourishing was partially mediated by presence of meaning. These findings advance understanding of antecedents to individual well-being from a career construction perspective, and carry implications for career education and counseling practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingke Zhuang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhuolin She
- School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zijun Cai
- Business School, Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Education, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Zheng Huang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Xiang
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Wang
- School of Government, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Zhu
- Business School, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
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16
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Lam VYY, Raineki C, Takeuchi LE, Ellis L, Woodward TS, Weinberg J. Chronic Stress Alters Behavior in the Forced Swim Test and Underlying Neural Activity in Animals Exposed to Alcohol Prenatally: Sex- and Time-Dependent Effects. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:42. [PMID: 29593510 PMCID: PMC5855032 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress response has been suggested to play a role in vulnerability to stress-related disorders, such as depression. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) may result in HPA dysregulation, which in turn may predispose individuals to the effects of stress exposure throughout life, and increase their risk of developing depression compared to unexposed individuals. We examined the immediate and delayed effects of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) in adulthood on behavior of PAE animals in the forced swim test (FST) and the neurocircuitry underlying behavioral, emotional, and stress regulation. Adult male and female offspring from PAE and control conditions were tested for 2 days in the FST, with testing initiated either 1 day (CUS-1; immediate) or 14 days (CUS-14; delayed) post-CUS. Following testing, c-fos mRNA expression of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala, hippocampal formation, and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was assessed. Our results indicate that PAE and CUS interact to differentially alter FST behaviors and neural activation of several brain areas in males and females, and effects may depend on whether testing is immediate or delayed post-CUS. PAE males showed decreased time immobile (Day 1 of FST) following immediate testing, while PAE females showed increased time immobile (Day 2 of FST) following delayed testing compared to their respective control counterparts. Moreover, in males, PAE decreased c-fos mRNA expression in the lateral and central nuclei of the amygdala in the non-CUS condition, and increased c-fos mRNA expression in the CA1 in the CUS-14 condition. By contrast in females, c-fos mRNA expression in the Cg1 was decreased in PAE animals (independent of CUS) and decreased in all mPFC subregions in CUS-14 animals (independent of prenatal treatment). Constrained principal component analysis, used to identify neural and behavioral networks, revealed that PAE altered the activation of these networks and modulated the effects of CUS on these networks in a sex- and time-dependent manner. This dysregulation of the neurocircuitry underlying behavioral, emotional and stress regulation, may ultimately contribute to an increased vulnerability to psychopathologies, such as depression, that are often observed following PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Y Y Lam
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Charlis Raineki
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Lily E Takeuchi
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Linda Ellis
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Todd S Woodward
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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17
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Hill CE, Kline KV, Miller M, Marks E, Pinto-Coelho K, Zetzer H. Development of the Meaning in Life Measure. COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY QUARTERLY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/09515070.2018.1434483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clara E. Hill
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Kathryn V. Kline
- Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Matthew Miller
- Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Ellen Marks
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | - Heidi Zetzer
- Hosford Counseling and Psychological Services Clinic, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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18
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la Cour P, Schnell T. Presentation of the Sources of Meaning Card Method: The SoMeCaM. JOURNAL OF HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/0022167816669620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Existential themes and meaning in life are often embedded in all types of psychotherapy, but can be difficult to handle in a systematic way. This article presents a method of assessing and exploring sources of personal meaning with a client during a 1-hour session. The method is rooted in existential theory as well in contemporary empirical psychology on sources of meaning. The Sources of Meaning Card Method comprises three stages. (a) From a total of 26 cards with printed statements concerning possible sources of meaning, the clients are asked to select 3 to 5 cards of most important personal content. (b) With each of these cards, a semistructured conversation is initiated with regard to the statement’s meaning, personal significance, actual importance, threats, and possibilities for personal change. (c) The therapist summarizes the client’s priorities, decisions, and essential parts of the conversation at the end of the session. The method is presented in four language versions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter la Cour
- Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Smillie LD, Varsavsky V, Avery RE, Perry R. Trait Intellect Predicts Cognitive Engagement: Evidence from a Resource Allocation Perspective. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/per.2059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Trait Intellect, one of the two ‘aspects’ of the broader Openness/Intellect ‘domain’, predicts performance on a range of cognitive tasks including tests of intelligence and working memory. This has been explained in terms of the tendency for high–Intellect individuals to explore, or engage more effortfully with, abstract information. This theoretical perspective can be framed in the language of Resource Allocation Theory, in terms of high–Intellect individuals allocating more of their available cognitive resources to abstract cognitive tasks. In two experiments (total N = 160), we examined the relation between Intellect and cognitive engagement during a primary word–search task under conditions of both high and low secondary cognitive load. Both experiments revealed that high–Intellect individuals were more vulnerable to the impact of the secondary cognitive load on primary task performance. This suggests that, under low secondary load, such individuals were indeed allocating more of their available cognitive resources to the primary task. These results held after controlling for trait Openness, trait Industriousness (an aspect of Conscientiousness) and a measure of working memory capacity (N–back task). Our findings provide novel support for the cognitive mechanisms proposed to underlie trait Intellect. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke D. Smillie
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Valeria Varsavsky
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rachel E. Avery
- Department of Psychology, The University of Surrey, Guilford, UK
| | - Ryan Perry
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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20
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Di Fabio A, Palazzeschi L. Hedonic and eudaimonic well-being: the role of resilience beyond fluid intelligence and personality traits. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1367. [PMID: 26441743 PMCID: PMC4566034 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Resilience is a key factor in the well-being of individuals. The present study set out to analyze the role of fluid intelligence, personality traits, and resilience in hedonic and eudaimonic well-being (EWB) in order to determine the incremental validity of resilience with respect to fluid intelligence and personality traits in 168 Italian high school students. The Advanced Progressive Matrices, the Big Five Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Meaningful Life Measure, the Authenticity Scale were administered to the participants in the study. The results showed that resilience added a significant percentage of incremental variance with respect to fluid intelligence and personality traits in relation to life satisfaction, positive affect, life meaning, and authenticity. These results underline the value of resilience in both hedonic and EWB, thus offering new perspectives for research and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Di Fabio
- Department of Education and Psychology (Psychology Section), University of FlorenceFlorence, Italy
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21
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner Nell
- Department of Sociology, North-West University: Vaal Triangle Campus, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
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