Crisis of Meaning and Subjective Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Resilience and Self-Control among Gifted Adults

Abstract

Meaning in life is positively associated with mental and physical health, while a crisis of meaning is a painful existential state that is defined as a perceived lack of meaning. An earlier study has shown that academically high-achieving adults mostly experience existential fulfilment, while intellectually gifted adults have a disproportionally high risk of suffering from a crisis of meaning, which can weaken their potential fulfilment in life. To uncover the underlying mechanisms of how an existential crisis affects gifted adults’ mental health, this study examines the longitudinal relationship between crisis of meaning and subjective well-being via two mediators: self-control and resilience. A multiple mediation model was tested with longitudinal data (two times of measurement) of two gifted groups: intellectually gifted adults (HIQ; N = 100; 55% female) and academically high-achieving adults (HAA; N = 52; 29% female). Results suggest group differences: HIQ had higher crisis of meaning and lower self-control than the HAA. HIQ’s resilience (but not their self-control) and HAA’s self-control (but not their resilience) mediated the relationship between crisis of meaning and subjective well-being. These findings give initial insights about the distinct psychological needs of gifted adults and their different paths toward subjective well-being. These insights can be applied in future giftedness research, talent development programs, or counseling to support gifted individuals in living up to their potential. Thus, HIQ could benefit particularly from supporting their ability to cope with adversity, while HAA could benefit particularly from strengthening their willpower to modify undesired emotions, behaviors, and desires.

Reduction in physical activity moderates the effect of perceived disturbance from the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being: A moderated-mediation approach.

“…To test the first hypothesis, a multiple mediation analysis (model number 4) was conducted (see Figure 1). Using the multiple mediation analysis, the simultaneous exploration of multiple mediators is carried out, each mediator's effects are reported, and all other proposed mediators are controlled (Vötter, 2019). In order to test the second hypothesis, a moderating analysis (model number 1) was conducted.…”

Επίπεδα Συναισθηματικής Νοημοσύνης Στα Χαρισματικά Παιδιά

“…Η εικόνα αυτή, όμως, δεν είναι πάντα ρόδινη. Τα χαρισματικά παιδιά εμφανίζονται συχνά περισσότερο αρνητικά για το μέλλον (George & Gallagher, 1979) και έχει ακόμη βρεθεί ότι μια πιο απαισιόδοξη προοπτική για το μέλλον συνδέεται γενικά με την υψηλότερη νοημοσύνη (Freeman, 1994. Vötter, 2020 Σε πιο πρόσφατη έρευνα (von Karolyi, 2006) η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε σε χαρισματικά παιδιά δημοτικού και τους γονείς τους βρέθηκε ότι τα παιδιά αυτά κατανοούν καλύτερα τα προβλήματα σε σύγκριση με τα παιδιά τυπικής ανάπτυξης αλλά δεν υπερέχουν στον προσδιορισμό των προβλημάτων αυτών ούτε δίδουν μεγαλύτερη σημασία σε ζητήματα που θεωρούν σημαντικά.…”

Sinnkrise – wenn der Boden brüchig wird

“…Gleichzeitig sind positive Affekte, Lebenszufriedenheit, Hoffnung und Selbstwirksamkeit stark verringert (Damasio et al 2013;Pedersen et al 2018;Schnell 2009). Auch die Resilienz -also die Widerstandskraft -ist deutlich vermindert, und Selbstkontrolle und Selbstregulationsprozesse wie Aufmerksamkeitslenkung, Selbstmotivation, Selbstberuhigung, Selbstaktivierung und Misserfolgsbewältigung sind eingeschränkt (Hanfstingl 2013;Sørensen et al 2019;Vötter 2020). Dementsprechend tendieren Menschen in einer solchen Phase dazu, sich zurückzuziehen; sie empfinden es als beinahe unmöglich, ihre Lage zu beschreiben oder anderen zu erklären (Tobias 2010).…”