Characteristics and Correlates of Meaning in Life Profiles among Chinese Rural Adolescents

Abstract

The meaning in life (MIL) in adolescence is crucial in the developmental process of life. Anchored in the Integrated Model of Meaning Making and the Dual-Systems Model of Meaning, the present study aimed to explore the MIL profiles among Chinese rural adolescents and their characteristics, as well as the role of depression, well-being, character strengths, and academic encouragement in differentiating the MIL profiles. A sample of 579 adolescents from rural China (Mean age = 15.33, SD = 1.69, aged from 12 to 19, female = 56.47%) participated in the survey. Latent profile analysis examined six dimensions of MIL: search for meaning, presence of meaning, need for meaning, meaning confusion, meaning anxiety, and meaning avoidance. Four profiles with different meaning characteristics were revealed: Meaning Oriented profile (18.48%), Bewildered profile (17.62%), Perfunctory profile (51.47%), and Indifferent profile (12.44%). The Meaning Oriented profile had the highest well-being scores and the lowest depression scores compared to the other three profiles. Adolescents with higher character strengths or academic encouragement were less likely to be in the other three profiles than in the Meaning-Oriented profile. The current findings suggest the need for targeted intervention strategies for adolescents with different MIL profiles.

Keywords:

• Adolescents
• heterogeneity
• latent profile analysis
• meaning in life

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Yumei Li

Yumei Li is a Ph.D. Candidate at the City University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on assessment-based behaviors and psychological domains, including psychological measurement, mental health issues (depression, anxiety, suicide, etc.), problematic interactive media use behaviors, and positive youth development. She has published over 15 papers related to psychological measurement, children and adolescent mental health issues, and positive youth development in high-impact international refereed journals.

Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok

Sylvia Y.C.L. Kwok is a Professor at the City University of Hong Kong. Her research mainly focuses on the family ecological and positive psychological factors that are related to anxiety, depression, suicide, and wellbeing of children and adolescents. She has published over 70 papers related to children and adolescent mental health issues, parenting, and positive education in high-impact international refereed journals.