Beliefs about the universality of meaning in life enhance psychological and academic adjustment among university students: The role of meaning in life and stress mindset

Abstract

Lay beliefs about psychological constructs influence experiences and behaviors of individuals in real life. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships of beliefs regarding the universality of meaning in life with subjective well-being (SWB) and academic procrastination, as well as their potential mediating mechanisms. Using a sample of 726 Chinese university students, the present study demonstrated that a higher tendency to believe in the universality of meaning in life correlated with a higher manifestation of meaning in life, stress-is-enhancing mindset, positive affect, and life satisfaction, as well as with lower negative affect and academic procrastination. In addition, the present study indicated that the meaning in life and stress mindset mediated the relationship between beliefs regarding universality of meaning in life and SWB and academic procrastination. That is, university students who believed that meaning in life is universal were more likely to experience it and perceive stress as positive, thus having greater SWB and less academic procrastination. These findings suggest the power of identifying with the universality of meaning in life promotes youth mental health and academic adaptation.