Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to explore the influence of gratitude on the meaning of life of college students and the mediating effect of family function and peer relationships.Methods: A total of 1,049 college students (mean age: 18.59 ± 0.96 years) were investigated by gratitude scale, family function scale, peer relationship questionnaire, and meaning of life scale.Results: (1) Gratitude was positively correlated with meaning existence (r = 0.39, P < 0.05), meaning seeking (r = 0.23, P < 0.05), and peer relationship (r = 0.32, P < 0.05); meanwhile, it is also positively correlated with family function (r = 0.34, P < 0.05); (2) family function partially mediates the relationship between gratitude and meaning of life. Similarly, peer relationship partially mediates the relationship between gratitude and meaning of life.Conclusion: The mediating model showed that grateful individuals can better sense the meaning of life by perceiving good family function and good peer relationships.
Highlights
With the profound social transformation in China, the psychological problems of college students in the critical period of self-integration have become increasingly prominent
This study aimed to explore the influence of gratitude on the meaning of life of college students and the mediating effect of family function and peer relationships
The mediating model showed that grateful individuals can better sense the meaning of life by perceiving good family function and good peer relationships
Summary
With the profound social transformation in China, the psychological problems of college students in the critical period of self-integration have become increasingly prominent. Studies showed that improving protective factors can effectively prevent mental health problems (Henry et al, 2012) and help the healthy growth of youth (Magson et al, 2021). Since life meaning is a hot topic in the field of positive psychology in recent years, it is a potential protective factor for the mental health of youth (Zhao et al, 2013; Xiu et al, 2019). This study focuses on the influencing factors of the meaning of life of college students and its effect mechanism, so as to provide empirical support for further intervention strategies to help college students to grow in a positive manner
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