The role of meaning in life for enhancing mental well-being

What is it about?

Mental well-being is a significant concern for university students. Cultivating hope and moral identity is essential for enhancing this well-being. However, these relationships involve one of the fundamental existential questions—meaning in life—which mediates the connection between hope, moral identity, and mental well-being. search for meaning in life, in some theories and research, is associated with negative outcomes for mental well-being. This research, however, found that a strong sense of presence of meaning can be used as a psychological buffer against this effect. Thus, the presence of meaning in life is crucial for improving mental well-being. Consequently, policy directions and public health interventions should prioritize its incorporation to achieve effective outcomes.

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Photo by Catalin Pop on Unsplash

Photo by Catalin Pop on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The empirical evidence suggests that the search for meaning is often a challenging process that can lead to distress before one achieves a sense of meaning. This search for new meaning may negatively impact mental well-being. However, possessing a strong sense of meaning in life acts as a psychological buffer, mitigating the adverse effects of this search for meaning on mental well-being. In this context, pursuing further meaning can be seen as an opportunity for personal growth rather than a threat to mental health.

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