Examining Gender Differences in the Roles of Meaning in Life and Interpersonal Expectancies in Depressive Symptoms

Yu, Elizabeth A.; Chang, Edward C.; Yu, Tina; Bennett, Sarah C.; Fowler, Erin E.

doi:10.1007/s12147-016-9174-5

Cited by 15 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Although not a consistent finding, some findings have suggested that women self-report lower levels of self-compassion compared to men (Neff et al, 2008). In addition, Steger et al (2009) found that across the life span, women tend to report greater levels of both presence of personal meaning in life and searching for personal meaning in life compared to men, and some previous findings have suggested meaning in life may be a stronger predictor of depressive symptoms for women than for men (Yu, Chang, Yu, Bennett, & Fowler, 2017). Although the present study controlled for gender, the present study findings may more strongly reflect these study constructs and relationships for female-identified Asian Americans more so than for male-identified Asian Americans.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in Asian American college students: Examining the roles of self-compassion and personal and relational meaning in life.

Yu¹,

Chang²

2020

Asian American Journal of Psychology

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This study sought to examine positive psychological constructs as predictors of psychological adjustment and well-being among Asian American college students (N ϭ 188; 125 female, 58 male, 5 "other"). Specifically, the predictive utility of self-compassion, the added predictive utility of personal meaning in life above and beyond self-compassion, and finally the added predictive utility of relational meaning in life above and beyond self-compassion and personal meaning in life in accounting for variance in depressive symptoms and satisfaction with life was examined. Selfcompassion accounted for a significant amount of variance in both depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Personal meaning in life accounted for additional unique significant variance above and beyond self-compassion in both outcomes. Finally, relational meaning in life accounted for additional significant variance above and beyond self-compassion and personal meaning in life in both outcomes. Our findings indicate that self-compassion, personal meaning, and relational meaning are important predictors of depressive symptoms and satisfaction with life among Asian American college students. The findings also provide support for the importance of relationally focused positive psychological constructs, specifically relational meaning in life, in Asian American college student psychological adjustment and well-being. What is the public significance of this article?This study furthers the understanding of positive psychological constructs (i.e., self-compassion, personal meaning in life, and relational meaning in life) as predictors of adjustment and well-being in Asian Americans.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in Asian American college students: Examining the roles of self-compassion and personal and relational meaning in life.

Yu¹,

Chang²

2020

Asian American Journal of Psychology

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“…Steger et al [19] observed in a sample of young people between 18 and 24 that depression correlated negatively with presence of meaning (r = −0.53 ***) and positively with search for meaning (r = 0.25 ***). In another study [71], participants' presence of meaning was significantly and negatively related to depressive symptoms for both women and men. Instead, search for meaning was significantly correlated with depression only in the case of women.…”

Section: Meaning In Life and Depressionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Instead, search for meaning was significantly correlated with depression only in the case of women. Moreover, Yu et al [71] found that presence of meaning was a predictor of depression in men. Likewise, Korkmaz and Gülo glu [61], based on a study conducted in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed that meaning in life significantly predicted depression among adult respondents.…”

Section: Meaning In Life and Depressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The review of studies has shown quite unequivocally that higher levels of meaning are negatively associated with depression [71]. Steger et al [19] observed in a sample of young people between 18 and 24 that depression correlated negatively with presence of meaning (r = −0.53 ***) and positively with search for meaning (r = 0.25 ***).…”

Section: Meaning In Life and Depressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Anxiety and Depression in a Non-Clinical Sample of Young Polish Adults: Presence of Meaning in Life as a Mediator

Szczęśniak

Falewicz

Strochalska

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Early adulthood, between 18 and 25, is viewed as a decisive period of life for the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression. Although the topic of their mutual relationship is well-known, little has been uncovered about the mechanism underlying this connection. To understand the indirect pathways between anxiety and depression, we chose the sense of meaning of life as a mediator because people’s beliefs that their lives are or can be purposeful may protect against depression. The sample was composed of 277 Polish young adults. A small majority of the participants were women (58.8%). The mean age was M = 22.11 (SD = 1.72). We used in the research the Direct Behavior Rating-Scale Items Scale, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the Brief Screen for Depression. Correlational analysis showed that, consistent with past findings, anxiety correlated positively with depression and searching for meaning. It was also negatively associated with presence of meaning. Moreover, depression was negatively linked to presence of meaning and positively with searching for meaning. Regression-based mediation analyses (PROCESS macro 3.4) proved that the relationship between anxiety and depression was mediated by presence of meaning in life, suggesting that having a sense of meaning may be a pathway by which feelings of tension relative to adverse events protect against depression.

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“…Steger et al ( 2009 ) showed that women tended to report higher PML and SML, but the differences did not reach significance when considering the effect of age. Similarly, Yu et al ( 2017 ) also found no gender differences in mean scores on PML and SML. Regarding marital status, being married and living with a partner have both been proposed as buffers against a crisis of meaning (Schnell, 2009 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

How the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Consequences Affect the Presence of and Search for Meaning of Life: A Longitudinal Study

et al. 2022

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The presence of meaning in life (PML) and the search for meaning in life (SML) are crucial when facing difficult times. Although several theoretical frameworks have tried to explain the dynamics of meaning in life during adversity, empirical evidence about interactions among both constructs using longitudinal designs is scarce. This study examined the trajectories of both PML and SML during the COVID-19 lockdown period in Spain. In total, 220 adults fulfilled an online survey during two periods: a strict and a relaxed lockdown period. Latent growth models showed that both PML and SML declined slightly during the strict lockdown, but they reached a plateau during the relaxed lockdown. Results also showed that age and having a partner predicted higher PML and lower SML at baseline, whereas being male predicted higher scores on PML. PML and SML were negatively associated at baseline, higher SML at baseline was related to a steeper decreasing PML slope during the strict lockdown, and the PML and SML slopes in the relaxed lockdown period were negatively related. This study contributes to better understanding longitudinal fluctuations of meaning in life in situations of adversity.

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Examining Gender Differences in the Roles of Meaning in Life and Interpersonal Expectancies in Depressive Symptoms

Cited by 15 publications

References 45 publications

Depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in Asian American college students: Examining the roles of self-compassion and personal and relational meaning in life.

Depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in Asian American college students: Examining the roles of self-compassion and personal and relational meaning in life.

Anxiety and Depression in a Non-Clinical Sample of Young Polish Adults: Presence of Meaning in Life as a Mediator

How the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Consequences Affect the Presence of and Search for Meaning of Life: A Longitudinal Study

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