Sources of life meaning among South African university students

Nell, Werner

doi:10.1080/14330237.2014.904087

Cited by 22 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Various sources of meaning, such as religious orientation, social relationships, work, and academic studies appear to play a role in supporting students in pursuing and realising important life outcomes (Nell, 2014). Thus, the process of active meaning-making may serve as an important coping strategy (Nell, 2014;Manning-Jones et al, 2015;.…”

Section: Meaning-makingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the process of active meaning-making may serve as an important coping strategy (Nell, 2014;Manning-Jones et al, 2015;. Meaning-making processes could result in numerous meanings that are derived following stressful experiences.…”

Section: Meaning-makingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One participant described the challenge as follows: According to Frankl (2010), young adults living in the modern world are confronted by spiritual questions that were, in past decades, reserved for later developmental stages. Consequently, younger adults are confronted with existential issues related to ethical living, religious belief and the finiteness of life (Nell, 2014;Yalom, 1980). Thus, in addition to everyday materialistic stressors, such as financial difficulties, participants also reported experiencing spiritual stressors.…”

Section: Theme 1: Types Of Stressorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stress-Management Strategies among First-Year Students at a South African University: A Qualitative Study

Mason¹

2017

JSAA

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This article reports on a qualitative study that explored the use of coping strategies among first-year students in managing academic-related stressors. Qualitative data were collected using a non-probability and purposive sample. A total of 225 first-year students who were registered at a South African university participated in the study by writing naïve sketches. A narrative framework was adopted and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Six categories of stressors emerged from the data and were categorised as financial, spiritual, physical, emotional, mental and institutional. The qualitative findings also pointed to three prominent coping strategies, namely problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping and meaning-making. The reported outcomes of employing coping strategies included both positive and negative aspects. An overarching theme, entitled 'hanging in there' was interpreted from the data and points to an innate sense of hope that assists participants in managing stressors. Implications for student affairs practitioners and areas for further study are discussed.

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Section: Meaning-makingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Meaning-makingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Theme 1: Types Of Stressorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stress-Management Strategies among First-Year Students at a South African University: A Qualitative Study

Mason¹

2017

JSAA

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“…Table 4 according to the highlighted topics. the most important in life is: family (105), self / self-discovery, improvement (77), relatives, loved ones (52), friends (34), love (23), children, prolongation of the familyline(10), health (9) The meaning of life is the pursuit of goals, work, career (64) the most important thing in life is the pursuit of goals, dreams (32), career, work, achievements, business (16), graduation, education (7), money, material well-being (7), foundation, stable standing (2).…”

Section: The Impact Of Socio-demographic Variables On the Significancmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aviram (2016) highlight the connection between meaning of life, fundamental values and the educational system. A number of scientific empirical studies have been carried out that examine the factors of the meaning of life amongst students (Nell, 2014); the meaning of life perceived by bachelor students, personal development and professional self-improvement, relating them with professional vocation (Duffy et al, 2014); there is a search for a connection between the meaning of life of young people, life satisfaction and suicidal actions (Kress et al 2015); A qualitative survey of homeless young people in the United States demonstrates the impact of popular culture, the arts, the media on the assessment of the meaning of life and health (Mutere et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualisation of the Meaningful Life Among Rural and Urban Young People

Mičiulienė

Garškaitė

2018

Proccedings of International Scientific Conference "RURAL DEVELOPMENT 2017"

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In a rapidly changing global environment young people find it more difficult to understand and take a position in life. Therefore, the insights into the meaning of life as well as youth values, which need to be updated at times, presuppose a scientific problem of this work. The article aims to elaborate the differences between the rural and urban youth concerning their perception of the meaningful life and their values. Three hundred and seventy undergraduate students in the study programmes of agriculture, technology and social science at Aleksandras Stulginskis University were surveyed. The results of the survey revealed the prevailing individualistic values of the youth. Although the statistical differences in the socio-economic variables were not found, some trends in the context of gender and place of origin were observed. Students associate the meaning of life with diligence and honest work, self-confidence and goal-seeking. The essential differences in basic life principles manifested themselves within the perception of the meaningful life between the urban and rural youth. Although young people from rural areas perceive life as tedious, they tend to live longer, abandoning everything that is unhealthy, and do not think that a suicide could be a way out of a difficult position. Whereas, the youngsters from big cities, evaluating their life in a fairly optimistic way, would rather live shorter life, than give up the pleasures of life; they are also more likely to think that a suicide could be a way out of a difficult situation.

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