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

Jian-Bin Li, Kai Dou () and Yue Liang
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Jian-Bin Li: The Education University of Hong Kong
Kai Dou: Guangzhou University
Yue Liang: Guangzhou University

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2021, vol. 22, issue 1, No 22, 467-489

Abstract: 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

Keywords: Meaning in life; Life satisfaction; positive affect; Negative affect; Domain-specific satisfaction; Meta-analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00230-y

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