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The Relationship Between Presence of Meaning, Search for Meaning, and Subjective Well-Being: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis Based on the Meaning in Life Questionnaire

Author

Listed:
  • Jian-Bin Li

    (The Education University of Hong Kong)

  • Kai Dou

    (Guangzhou University)

  • Yue Liang

    (Guangzhou University)

Abstract

Meaning in life can be understood as how much people experience life meaning (i.e., presence of meaning, POM) and how intensely they seek life meaning (i.e., search for meaning, SFM). Previous research has related POM and SFM to the subjective well-being (SWB) of individuals, but the findings are inconsistent. This meta-analysis investigates the overall relationship between POM/SFM and SWB by examining previous studies that have used Steger et al.’s (J Couns Psychol 53:80–93, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.53.1.80 ) Meaning in Life Questionnaire to assess POM and SFM. Results of 147 studies, reporting 726 effect sizes (N = 92,169), suggest the effect size for the “POM–SWB” relationship is close to medium (ESz = .418, p

Suggested Citation

  • Jian-Bin Li & Kai Dou & Yue Liang, 2021. "The Relationship Between Presence of Meaning, Search for Meaning, and Subjective Well-Being: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis Based on the Meaning in Life Questionnaire," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 467-489, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00230-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00230-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Lusilda Schutte & Ingrid Brdar & Marié P. Wissing & Marko Tončić & Ulisses Araujo & Erik Carlquist & Alejandro Castro Solano & Teresa Freire & María del Rocío Hernández-Pozo & Paul E. Jose & Tamás Mar, 2023. "Measurement Invariance of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire Across 17 Countries," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(3), pages 1491-1519, June.
    2. Xiaodan Xu & Yan Xu & Jinzhe Zhao & Panqin Ye & Mengke Yu & Yidie Lai & Juan Wang & Qunying Huang, 2022. "Good Personality and Subjective Well-Being: Presence of Meaning in Life and Perceived Social Support as Mediators," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, October.
    3. Rosa Mª Baños & Lorena Desdentado & Mª Dolores Vara & Tamara Escrivá-Martínez & Rocío Herrero & Marta Miragall & José M. Tomás, 2023. "How the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Consequences Affect the Presence of and Search for Meaning of Life: A Longitudinal Study," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 17-33, January.
    4. Antonio Crego & José Ramón Yela & Rita Ozores-Pérez & Pablo Riesco-Matías & María Ángeles Gómez-Martínez, 2022. "Eudaimonic and Uncertainty Metaphors About Life are Associated with Meaningfulness, Experiential Avoidance, Mental Health and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 4119-4146, December.
    5. Jian-Bin Li & Ying-Shuang Wang & Kai Dou & Ya-Fei Shang, 2022. "On the Development of Meaning in Life Among College Freshmen: Social Relationship Antecedents and Adjustment Consequences," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1709-1735, April.

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