The role of meaning in life in psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic

Figures & data

Table 1. Pearson correlations among key study variables.

Variables	M (SD)	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1. Meaning T0	11.96 (4.49)
2. Anxiety T0	7.67 (4.63)	−.19*
3. Meaning T1 (SoMe)	7.91 (4.43)	.46**	−.06
4. Meaning T1 (MEMS)	62.06 (13.71)	.50**	−.26**	.68**
5. Comprehension T1	20.14 (5.33)	.35**	−.27**	.60**	.86**
6. Purpose T1	23.92 (5.28)	.44**	−.17	.54**	.85**	.62**
7. Mattering T1	18.01 (5.52)	.48**	−.23*	.58**	.84**	.57**	.57**
8. Depression T1	28.39 (9.01)	−.28**	.35**	−.49**	−.67**	−.65**	−.56**	−.50**
9. Anxiety T1	7.48 (4.53)	−.22*	.38**	−.36**	−.45**	−.54**	−.32**	−.29**	.73**
10. PTSD T1	17.06 (10.54)	−.16	.33**	−.42**	−.52**	−.59**	−.40**	−.33**	.77**	.66**
11. Affected T	4.36 (1.39)	−.06	.01	−.23*	−.17	−.23*	−.13	−.08	.28**	.30**	.32**

Note: N = 109. *p < .05. **p < .01. T0 refers to the assessment before the pandemic, T1 to the assessment during the initial wave in Europe.

Table 2. Select output from regression analyses with the different meaning in life measures.

Meaning measure	Step	Predictor	Outcome
			Depression		Anxiety		PTSD
			sr; p	R²	sr; p	R²	sr; p	R²
T0 SoMe	1			0.16		0.15		0.1
		Meaning	−.22; .015		−.15; .099		−.10; .290
		T0 Anxiety	.30; .001		.34; <.001		.31; .001
	2			0.24		0.22		0.19
		Meaning	−.20; .019		−.13; .122		−.08; .373
		T0 Anxiety	.27; .002		.34; <.001		.29; .001
		Affected	.28; .001		.28; .002		.31; <.001
		Moderation	.15; .083		−.04; .649		.08; .349
T1 SoMe	1			0.33		0.25		0.25
		Meaning	−.47; <.001		−.34; <.001		−.40; <.001
		T0 Anxiety	.32; <.001		.36; <.001		.31; <.001
	2			0.35		0.28		0.3
		Meaning	−.41; <.001		−.28; .001		−.34; <.001
		T0 Anxiety	.32; <.001		.35; <.001		.30; <.001
		Affected	.17; .027		.22; .010		.22; .008
		Moderation	.00; .976		−.04; .668		−.09; .267
T1 MEMS	1			0.47		0.26		0.3
		Meaning	−.60; <.001		−.36; <.001		−.45; <.001
		T0 Anxiety	.18; .011		.27; .002		.20; .014
	2			0.49		0.3		0.35
		Meaning	−.55; <.001		−.32; <.001		−.40; <.001
		T0 Anxiety	.19; .007		.28; .001		.21; .008
		Affected	.17; .016		.22; .008		.21; .008
		Moderation	−.01; .937		−.03; .719		−.08; .316

Note: N = 109. R² stands for adjusted R². T0: pre-pandemic assessment. T1: peri-pandemic assessment. Moderation: interaction between meaning and being affected.

Table 3. Select output from regression analyses with the meaning subcomponents.

Step	Predictor	Outcome
		Depression		Anxiety		PTSD
		sr; p	R²	sr; p	R²	sr; p	R²
1			0.46		0.28		0.33
	Comprehension	−.34; <.001		−.42; <.001		−.41; <.001
	Purpose	−.16; .031		.02; .839		−.06; .454
	Mattering	−.09; .193		.02; .847		.02; .776
2			0.49		0.34		0.36
	Comprehension	−.26; <.001		−.32; <.001		−.32; <.001
	Purpose	−.14; .040		.03; .707		−.04; .571
	Mattering	−.05; .497		.07; .355		.07; .334
	T1 SoMe	−.08; .279		−.11; .168		−.11; .148
	T0 Anxiety	.18; .009		.26; .001		.20; .010

Note: N = 109. R² stands for adjusted R². T0: pre-pandemic assessment. T1: peri-pandemic assessment.