Purpose In Life Research Articles

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Yoga, Naturopathy, and Conventional Medical Treatment in Managing Low Back Pain

Yoga, regarded as an art, science, and philosophy, encompasses various dimensions of human existence, including the physical, mental, and spiritual realms. Its potential for enhancing life's purpose and nobility is noteworthy. Patient expectations in the context of treatment outcomes, particularly for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies, remain inadequately explored. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of three distinct interventions—Yoga, Naturopathy, and Conventional medical management—in alleviating pain, reducing disability, enhancing spinal mobility, and improving the quality of life in individuals with low back pain. Ninety participants were recruited based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly divided into three groups. The first group (group 1) received Yoga intervention, the second group (group 2) received Naturopathy treatments, and the third group served as the control (conventional medications). Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Flexion Test-Finger to Floor Test (FTFT) results, and Quality of Life (QOL) were assessed at baseline and after a 10-day intervention period for all groups. Overall comparisons between the groups, utilizing ANOVA, revealed marked differences in pain severity, disability index, daily functional capacity, and Quality of Life (QoL) improvements following respective interventions. Substantial improvements were also noted within the yoga and naturopathic medicine groups across multiple variables.

The Legendary Vision in the Novel "The Alchemist" written by Paulo Coelho

Objective: This study aims to analyze Paulo Coelho's novel "The Alchemist" through the lens of a mythical vision dominating the narrative formation. It explores how the writer conveys his vision and ideas about a world shaped by the mythical interpretation of cosmic phenomena, where religions and social values do not hold ultimate authority. Instead, aspirations, dreams, and subjective visions play a significant role in explaining the universe and its manifestations.
 Methods: The study employs an analytical methodology, encompassing a comprehensive examination of the novel's text and interconnecting the significance and meanings within the interpretive dimension of the events, characters, time, and location depicted in the story.
 Results: The study found that a mythical vision guides the fictional work, leading to the realization of what Coelho refers to as "the personal legend" or "the Language of the Universe." It identifies Coelho's use of mythical dimensions and magical elements as means to achieve the novel's central goal, the pursuit of life's purpose. The study perceives this approach as distinctly mythical in nature.
 Conclusion: This novel offers rich content, inspiring readers to explore its deeper meanings and implications carried by the text and its narrative.

Correlation in Academic Performance, Purpose in Life and Hopelessness among Final year Medical Students

Background: Student’s academic performance is the major concern for the educational sector because students are the future practitioners who will serve the society. The academic performance of students is a key feature in teaching. The present study aims to determine the relationship between academic performance, purpose in life and hopelessness among final year MBBS students, by taking hopelessness as predicting variable.
 Methodology: A Correlational study was conduct at Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore Pakistan. A total no. of 240 final year medical students were included by using convenient sampling technique and they were administered Purpose in Life (PIL) Scale and Beck’s Hopelessness Scale (BHS) along with demographic details. The academic performance of students was measured through 4th year academic scores. Hopelessness was taken as independent variable (IV), while, academic performance and purpose in life served as dependent variables (DVs).
 Results: The mean age of students was 22.5 years. Results found negative correlation between hopelessness and academic performance (p<0.01), as well as a negative correlation between hopelessness and purpose in life (p <0.01). Hopelessness negatively predicted academic performance (β= -.19, p<.01) and purpose in life (β= -.72, p<.001) among students. Total 25% students were in the normal range of hopelessness, 45.4% students scored in mild range, 23.8% students were in the moderate category, while 5.8% students were found in the severely hopeless category.
 Conclusion: The study concluded that hopelessness does not only predict purpose in life negatively among students but also affect their academic performance. A wide range of students were found hopeless therefore, various interventions for the prediction of hopelessness in various academic institutes should be made by involving appropriate educational and administrative measures.

The post-traumatic growth approach to psychological trauma.

The post-traumatic growth approach to psychological trauma.

Process of Identifying One's Life Calling At an Early Stage within the Youth Community of Gideon Cilegon Banten

The identification of one's life purpose is a significant undertaking that contributes to the development of an individual's sense of self and life trajectory. Certain individuals possess the capacity to ascertain their life's purpose from their formative years, thereby affording them a distinct advantage in cultivating vocations that imbue their lives with significance and personal gratification. This article examines the significance and consequences of early identification of one's life purpose, with a specific emphasis on the various components that contribute to this process, as explored through collaboration with the Youth Gideon community. As part of conducting this study, a thorough examination of existing literature is undertaken to assess the findings of prior research and get a comprehensive comprehension of the subject matter. The findings of this research review indicate several elements that have led to the early identification of life calling. These aspects encompass familial influences, educational background, personal interests, and life experiences. Furthermore, this paper examines the ramifications of early identification of life purpose on personal growth and offers suggestions for educators, researchers, and professionals to facilitate the exploration and discovery of life calling among young individuals.

Biopsychosocial Factors That Influence the Purpose in Life among Working Adults and Retirees.

This study aimed to identify and characterize biopsychosocial factors that impact the purpose in life (PIL) among adults that are working or already retired. This cross-sectional study includes a sample of 1330 participants, of whom 62.2% were female, with ages ranging from 55 and 84 years, with a mean of 61.93 years and a standard deviation of 7.65. Results suggest that the education level, stress, spirituality (religion) and optimism, social support from friends, and quality of life related to physical health seem to contribute positively to the PIL for both groups. However, some variables such as age, marital status and environmental quality of life help explain the PIL of retired people and the quality of life related to social support helps explain the PIL of working adults. Overall, the reported findings suggest that the purpose in life is strongly related to physical, psychological, social and environmental health factors. It is highlighted that working adults and retired people have their purpose in life related to similar factors and others specific to each life stage, suggesting the need for crucial interventions to promote a healthier and more positive aging process.

Purpose in life and physical health in older U.S. military veterans: Cross-sectional results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

General population studies suggest purpose in life (PIL) is associated with a number of positive outcomes, including better mental and physical health. At present, however, scarce research has examined how PIL relates to these outcomes in veterans. The goal of this study was to determine the current prevalence of different levels of PIL and their associations with reported physical health in a nationally representative sample of predominantly older U.S. veterans. Cross-sectional data were analyzed from the 2019–2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (N = 4069; M(age) = 62.2). Veterans were classified into low, average, and high PIL. Self-report assessments were administered to assess physical health conditions and physical functioning. Results showed most veterans endorsed average PIL (71.7%), while 16.0% endorsed low PIL and 12.3% endorsed high PIL. Low PIL was associated with lower overall self-reported health and physical and cognitive functioning, as well as higher bodily pain, somatic symptoms, and physical role limitations (Cohen's d = 0.06–0.77). Low PIL was also associated with elevated rates of several physical health conditions, including sleep disorders, as well as obesity and disability with activities of daily living (i.e., ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (i.e., IADLs). These results suggest low PIL is associated with physical health difficulties, and underscore the importance of assessing and monitoring PIL, and evaluating whether interventions to promote PIL may help improve physical health and vice versa.

An Overview Of Interpreting Social Issues In Pakistani Urdu Novels

Literature is deemed to be the ideal medium for expressing human emotions and feelings, as well as the way by which a person expresses his or her life's purpose and thoughts in spoken form. There are numerous authors that gave it their own distinctive writing style as well as the introduction of other literary genres, all of which place a great deal of emphasis on Urdu novels. The novel is a valuable, great, and singular pen that reflects and defines individuals in society in addition to reflecting a wide range of cultural, social, economic, religious, and psychological difficulties and attitudes. These people are a priceless resource for our nation, and society as a whole is better off because of them

Purpose in life promotes resilience to age-related brain burden in middle-aged adults

BackgroundDisease-modifying agents to counteract cognitive impairment in older age remain elusive. Hence, identifying modifiable factors promoting resilience, as the capacity of the brain to maintain cognition and function with aging and disease, is paramount. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), education and occupation are typical cognitive reserve proxies. However, the importance of psychological factors is being increasingly recognized, as their operating biological mechanisms are elucidated. Purpose in life (PiL), one of the pillars of psychological well-being, has previously been found to reduce the deleterious effects of AD-related pathological changes on cognition. However, whether PiL operates as a resilience factor in middle-aged individuals and what are the underlying neural mechanisms remain unknown.MethodsData was obtained from 624 middle-aged adults (mean age 53.71 ± 6.9; 303 women) from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative cohort. Individuals with lower (LP; N = 146) and higher (HP; N = 100) PiL rates, according to the division of this variable into quintiles, were compared in terms of cognitive status, a measure reflecting brain burden (white matter lesions; WMLs), and resting-state functional connectivity, examining system segregation (SyS) parameters using 14 common brain circuits.ResultsNeuropsychological status and WMLs burden did not differ between the PiL groups. However, in the LP group, greater WMLs entailed a negative impact on executive functions. Subjects in the HP group showed lower SyS of the dorsal default-mode network (dDMN), indicating lesser segregation of this network from other brain circuits. Specifically, HP individuals had greater inter-network connectivity between specific dDMN nodes, including the frontal cortex, the hippocampal formation, the midcingulate region, and the rest of the brain. Greater functional connectivity in some of these nodes positively correlated with cognitive performance.ConclusionExpanding previous findings on AD pathology and advanced age, the present results suggest that higher rates of PiL may promote resilience against brain changes already observable in middle age. Furthermore, having a purposeful life implies larger functional integration of the dDMN, which may potentially reflect greater brain reserve associated to better cognitive function.

Spiritual Well-Being and Resilience of Emerging Adults of a Catholic College in Central Negros

Finding one's meaning and purpose in life depends on one's spiritual well-being. This is connected to resilience, which is a dynamic attribute of overcoming difficult conditions and a growth mindset. Thus, this descriptive, comparative, and correlational study wanted to know the degree of spiritual well-being and the level of resilience of emerging adults of a Catholic college in Central Negros. Spiritual Well-Being Scale and Resilience Scale standardized questionnaires were used among the 237 respondents. The results show that the emerging adults' degree of spiritual well-being is moderate, indicating that they have a fair sense of purpose in life. Likewise, the level of resilience yielded a moderate result. Further, results show a significant relationship between spiritual well-being and resilience. The findings typically indicate that emerging adults have a moderate sense of life's pleasure and purpose as well as the ability to bounce back from difficult situations. The results show that they have clung to God somewhat, but not entirely, and that their sense of purpose and direction in life are still unclear. They are still halfway to reaching their full potential and defining a clear life purpose. The study recommends the creation of a counseling program for the development of emerging adults.

God, Technology, and the Christian Life

God, Technology, and the Christian Life

Relationships of Social Support and Activity Attachment with Purpose in Life among Older Forest Bathers: A Mediated Model

Forest bathing as a recreation activity may connect to experiences of social support, activity attachment, and purpose in life (PIL) among older adults. However, it is unclear whether activity attachment mediates the relationship between social support and PIL experienced by older forest bathers. To address this area of limited research, we examined such a mediated relationship in this population. In total, 292 older forest bathers completed a survey including measures of social support, activity attachment, and PIL. We performed structural equation modeling to analyze data. Results indicated that high levels of social support predicted high levels of activity attachment; high levels of activity attachment predicted high levels of PIL; and high levels of social support predicted high levels of PIL. Therefore, it is advantageous to create contexts and situations conducive for forest bathing to develop social support when practitioners attempt to help older adults foster activity attachment and PIL.

Striving for equity in academia: embracing the power of no in decision-making.

In academia, saying "yes" to opportunities and "no" to distractions is crucial for effective decision-making. Here, we emphasize the importance of carefully considering commitments and courageously declining those that may lead to overextension. We highlight that discernment is vital, particularly for junior faculty/scientists and those with marginalized identities, as overcommitment can hinder career advancement. The "Fame, Fortune, and Fun test" offers a practical heuristic for evaluating opportunities, enabling academics to make informed choices. Saying "no" effectively involves preserving personal and professional integrity by declining tasks that do not align with one's abilities or interests. However, challenges in saying "no" are multifaceted, including fear of missing career advancements, pressures to please superiors or peers, and perceived negative consequences. This decision can be even more complex for individuals with minoritized identities, as additional expectations and responsibilities may arise due to implicit biases. The article provides a scheme for academics when deciding whether to accept or decline opportunities. The "Fame, Fortune, and Fun test" is a simplified scheme based on the Japanese concept of Ikigai, which comes from two words that mean life's purpose. The concept allows an individual to determine their reason for being and aim to align their time spent with as many components that satisfy the following four categories: what one loves, what one is good at, what one can be paid for, and what the world needs. The more overlap, the more alignment with Ikigai, and the more compelling reason to say yes. Once one has determined that they can say no, effectively saying "no" involves clear and direct communication, offering alternatives, expressing gratitude, and considering a "not now" approach if unable to commit immediately. To promote inclusivity, we suggest recommending individuals from diverse backgrounds for opportunities. By amplifying underrepresented voices, we can foster a healthier academic environment. Saying "no" empowers academics to prioritize meaningful contributions and maintain work-life balance. Embracing the power of "no" is essential for maintaining integrity and well-being in academia. Junior faculty/scientists and individuals with marginalized identities may face additional challenges in their decision-making. By carefully evaluating commitments and effectively declining non-aligning opportunities, academics can focus on what truly matters, fostering a supportive and thriving academic environment.

ПОГЛЯД НА ПРИРОДУ І СЕНС ЛЮДСЬКОГО ІСНУВАННЯ У КИТАЄЗОВАНОМУ МАРКСИЗМІ

B a c k g r o u n d . Sinicized Marxism involves the utilization of Marxist theory to address issues specific to China and the transformation of China's rich practical experience into theory, combined with Chinese history and traditional culture. This can be observed in the context of the exploration of philosophical-anthropological issues. M e t h o d s . The key methods employed to address the outlined tasks were comparative and dialectical. The use of the comparative method allowed for the identification of commonalities and differences in the understanding of the human problem in Western European and contemporary Chinese philosophy. The inclusion of the dialectical method helped reveal contradictions in the explication of the nature and meaning of human existence by various contemporary Chinese thinkers. R e s u l t s . It has been found that contemporary Chinese thinkers perceive a dichotomy in human nature–social and natural. Considering not only Karl Marx's works but also those of other Western philosophers, particularly Immanuel Kant, Marxist philosophers in China emphasize the social component of human nature, which is crucial to individuality. C o n c l u s i o n s . It is argued that Sinicized Marxism, like its Soviet counterpart, also incorporates the concept of the "new man" whose life's purpose is to exist exclusively based on the principles and values of Marxist philosophy. The formation and functioning of this concept are influenced by extensive discussions regarding the role of humans in history. Sinicized Marxism emphasizes that each individual, living in society, pursues their own specific values and, guided by them, acts to achieve their realization. Although these goals and actions are diverse, varied, and contradictory, there is a common essence underlying this mass of individual goals and actions. Accordingly, contemporary Chinese thinkers assert that within a specific historical society, people are integrated independently of their will and desire into a unique system of material relations that constitutes their social existence. As a result, they are in a certain way connected within each formation and with the means of production. Production relations organize people, stimulate their activities, generate certain relationships and dependencies among social groups. Common interests, reflected in consciousness, more or less consciously, unite people, motivating them to strive for the realization of certain social goals. The thesis is substantiated that although Sinicized Marxism emphasizes the social goal of human life, it also encompasses considerations about the existential aspect, manifested in living for self-improvement and for the sake of others.

Mindfulness and psychological distress in men during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of environmental mastery and purpose in life.

Men's mental health has been severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many studies focussing on the determinants of men's psychological distress. This study aimed at examining the relationships between mindfulness, environmental mastery (EM), purpose in life (PL) and indicators of psychological distress (i.e., common mental disorders and perceived stress). This was a cross-sectional online study in which participants were 1,006 men aged between 29 and 39 years (45.1%), residing in Brazil during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A parallel multiple mediator model was used to test the study variables' relationships, using mindfulness as the independent variable and indicators of psychological distress as the dependent variables. Results indicated that EM and PL significantly mediated the effects of mindfulness on men's psychological distress, lowering its levels and accounting for 31% of common mental disorders and 51% of perceived stress. Implications for public health policies and clinical practice are discussed.

EXPLORING SPIRITUALITY AND QUEST FOR IDENTITY IN ANITA DESAI'S NOVEL JOURNEY TO ITHACA

Life is like a travelogue in which many twists and circumstances come. People look for their life's purpose during their entire journey through it. Some of them travel in search of wisdom and vision of life. The plot of Journey to Ithaca is comparable. The narrative of the people who had a great desire to achieve their goals is told in Journey to Ithaca. To achieve their goal, they gave up their riches. In this novel, Matteo, Sophie, and Laila set out on a voyage for various reasons. Matteo travels for peace, a spiritual quest, and enlightenment, and Sophie wants her husband Matteo back home because she thinks India is a place of sanctimonious people. Laila first wants freedom from her life and further follows the spiritual journey. Anita Desai portrays the spiritual beliefs of Indians in the Vedas and Upanishads. Hindu gurus and holy sites are references in Journey to Ithaca. Reaching peace, discovering meaning in the small things, and developing self-awareness through reflection are the three main goals of the journey of life, as portrayed in this novel.

Purpose in life may promote cognitive resilience through default‐mode network connectivity in middle‐aged adults

AbstractBackgroundDisease‐modifying agents to counteract cognitive impairment in aging remain elusive, and identifying modifiable factors promoting brain reserve is paramount. In AD, education, occupation, and physical activity represent typical reserve proxies (Stern et al. Alzheimers Dement.2020;16(9):1305‐1311), but psychological factors are increasingly being recognized, as their operating biological mechanisms are elucidated (i.e., Arenaza‐Urquijo et al. Neurology 2020;95:e1571). Purpose in life (PiL), one of the pillars of psychological well‐being, was found to reduce the deleterious effects of AD‐related pathological changes on cognition (Boyle et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2012;69(5):499‐505). However, whether PiL operates as a cognitive resilience factor in middle‐aged individuals, as well as its associated neural mechanisms remains unknown.MethodData was obtained from 573 middle‐aged adults (mean age 54.28±7.2; 275 women) from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative cohort (Cattaneo et al. Front Aging Neurosci. 2018;10:321). Individuals with lower (LP; N = 131) and higher (HP; N = 94) PiL rates, according to the division of this variable into quintiles, were compared in terms of cognitive status; a measure reflecting brain burden (MRI‐derived white matter hyperintensities; WMHs); and resting‐state functional connectivity (rs‐FC), examining system segregation (SyS) using 14 brain circuits (Shirer et al. Cereb Cortex. 2012;22(1):158‐165).ResultsNeuropsychological status and WMHs burden did not differ between PiL groups. However, only in the LP group, greater WMHs entailed a negative impact on speed of processing and logical reasoning (Fig.1A‐B). Subjects in the HP group showed lower SyS on the dorsal DMN (dDMN), indicating lesser segregation of this network from other brain circuits (t = 2.423, p = 0.016; Fig.1C). Specifically, HP individuals had greater inter‐network connectivity between dDMN nodes and the rest of the brain. Conversely, subjects in the LP group exhibited more connectivity across DMN‐like regions. Notably, in the HP group, greater functional connectivity was positively correlated with cognitive function previously related to WMHs, while the opposite pattern was observed in the LP group (Fig.1D‐F).ConclusionExpanding previous findings on AD‐pathology and advanced age, present results suggest that higher rates of PiL may promote cognitive resilience already in middle age. Possible neurobiological mechanism by which PiL might operate could imply greater integration between the DMN and other brain areas.

Associations Among Loneliness, Purpose in Life and Subjective Cognitive Decline in Ethnoracially Diverse Older Adults Living in the United States.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), which precedes Mild Cognitive Impairment and dementia, may be affected by purpose in life (PiL) and loneliness in older adults. We investigated associations among PiL, loneliness, and SCD in US Latino (n = 126), Black (n = 74), Asian (n = 33), and White (n = 637) adults. Higher PiL predicted lower SCD in all groups (p-values < .012), except Black participants. Lower loneliness predicted lower SCD in Latino and White groups (p-values < .05), and PiL moderated this association in White adults. PiL and loneliness may play important roles in cognitive decline. Differential predictors of SCD suggest differential targets for preventing cognitive decline and dementia across ethnoracial groups.

Correlation between Stress and Meaning in Life in Early Career Doctors in Pakistan

Doctors experience significant stress in their everyday occupational activities. Objective: To assess the correlation between stress and meaning in life in early career doctors in Pakistan. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional. It was conducted from March to May 2021 using non-probability convenience sampling with early career doctors in Pakistan as the subjects. The data was collected using a form distributed online that included demographic variables, Purpose in Life (PIL) test and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). SPSS 26.0 was used for data entry and analysis. Results: The average score on PIL test was 67.64 ± 15.20 and PSS was 20.20 ± 5.88. Women doctors reported higher perceived stress (18.82 ± 6.11) than men (20.75 ± 5.07). A statistically significant negative correlation between the PIL and PSS was found, r (215) = -.610, p &lt;0.01. r = -0.610 represents a large effect size. Conclusions: Higher meaning in life is associated with lower perceived stress in doctors. Interventions that focus on meaning in life may help improve the well-being of doctors

Find Out What "The Meaning Of Life" Means To Women Who Have Breast Cancer

The goal of this study was to determine the extent to which women's lives after breast cancer treatment had been fulfilled with purpose and served as a solid foundation for their mental health. Their respective mean scores on the meaning of life and social support were 29.5 and 7.49. The social support score and perceived meaning of life exhibited no statistically significant relationships with any of the demographic factors, according to the ANOVA findings. Additionally, the results point to a statistically significant relationship (r = 0.773, P 0.001) between social support and life's purpose. To enhance cancer patients' quality of life, it is suggested that the family's degree of social support be increased.