Meaning in life across the life span: Levels and correlates of meaning in life from emerging adulthood to older adulthood

This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Meaning in life is thought to be important to well-being throughout the human life span. We assessed the structure, levels, and correlates of the presence of meaning in life, and the search for meaning, within four life stage groups: emerging adulthood, young adulthood, middle-age adulthood, and older adulthood. Results from a sample of Internet users (N ¼ 8756) demonstrated the structural invariance of the meaning measure used across life stages. Those at later life stages generally reported a greater presence of meaning in their lives, whereas those at earlier life stages reported higher levels of searching for meaning. Correlations revealed that the presence of meaning has similar relations to well-being across life stages, whereas searching for meaning is more strongly associated with well-being deficits at later life stages. Introduction Meaning in life has enjoyed a renaissance of interest in recent years, and is considered to be an important component of broader well-being (e. Perceptions of meaning in life are thought to be related to the development of a coherent sense of one's identity (Heine, Proulx, & Vohs, 2006), and the process of creating a sense of meaning theoretically begins in adolescence, continuing throughout life (Fry, 1998). Meaning creation should then be linked to individual development, and is likely to unfold in conjunction with other processes, such as the development of identity, relationships, and goals. Previous research has revealed that people experience different levels of the presence of meaning at different ages (e.g., Ryff & Essex, 1992), although these findings have been inconsistent, and inquiries have generally focused on limited age ranges (e.g., Pinquart, 2002). The present study aimed to integrate research on dimensions of meaning in life across the life span by providing an analysis …