Presence Of Meaning In Life Research Articles

Evaluation of a meaning in life intervention applied to work: A randomized clinical trial.

Meaning-based interventions have demonstrated promising outcomes in enhancing meaning in life. However, understanding their efficacy in diverse contexts requires further research. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a meaning-based intervention in a military sample and the impact of incorporating an additional emotion regulation module into the intervention. We conducted a randomized three-group parallel trial with active-duty military personnel: a waitlist control group (n= 21), a meaning-based intervention group (n= 42), and a meaning-based intervention with emotion regulation group (n= 43). Both intervention groups received six 2-hour sessions and a follow-up session 4 months later. Meaning in life and work-related variables, as well as well-being, depression, emotion regulation, and work-related factors, were assessed using a mixed-factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that only the meaning-based intervention with an emotion regulation component significantly increased the presence of meaning in life. We also observed a trend toward improved well-being scores over time that did not emerge for the other intervention. This study provides initial support for the efficacy of meaning-based interventions within the military context when supplemented with emotion regulation skills.

The Effect of Athletic Identity and Other Factors on Adaptation to Sport Retirement

Sport retirement is a major life transition that student-athletes must navigate successfully to achieve adaptation to post-sport life. Numerous factors dictate the likelihood of successful adaptation, one of which is athletic identity. Based on thorough review of the occupational retirement literature, it has been determined that adaptation can be measured by life satisfaction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine how athletic identity impacts present-day life satisfaction and if meaning in life mediates that effect. Meaning in life can be separated into two categories, the presence of and search for meaning in life. Through a quantitative survey of 104 former Division I student-athletes, we discovered significant relationships between the search for and presence of meaning in life and life satisfaction. No relationship was found between athletic identity and life satisfaction. Thus, retrospective athletic identity does not predict present-day life satisfaction unless the mediating effect of the search for meaning in life is present. Additionally, group differences were measured between sexes, type of sport played (e.g., draft eligible or non-draft eligible), and predictability of retirement. There were significant differences on the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale between males (M = 36.1, SD = 7.9) and females (M = 32.1, SD = 7.8), t(100) = 2.55, p = .01.

Interaction Effects Between Low Self-Control and Meaning in Life on Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms and Functioning in Chinese Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Latent Moderated Structural Equation Modeling Study.

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an emerging behavioral addiction with mental health implications among adolescents. Low self-control is an established risk factor of IGD. Few studies have, however, examined the moderating role of meaning in life (MIL) on the relationships between low self-control and IGD symptoms and functioning. This study aimed to examine the effects of low self-control and MIL and their interaction effects on IGD symptoms and family and school functioning in a structural equation model. A sample of 2064 adolescents (967, 46.9% male; mean age 14.6 years) was recruited by multistage cluster random sampling from 5 middle schools in Sichuan, China, in 2022. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire with validated measures on low self-control, presence of MIL, search for MIL, IGD symptoms, school commitment, and family functioning. Construct validity, measurement invariance, and structural invariance of the measures were evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis across sex. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the indirect effects of low self-control and MIL on family and school functioning through IGD symptoms. Latent moderated structural equation modeling was performed to examine the interaction effects between low self-control and MIL on IGD symptoms, school commitment, and family functioning. All scales showed satisfactory model fit and scalar measurement invariance by sex. Males showed significantly greater IGD symptoms and lower levels of self-control (Cohen d=0.25-1.20, P<.001) than females. IGD symptoms were significantly and positively associated with impulsivity (β=.20, P=.01), temper (β=.25, P<.001), and search for meaning (β=.11, P=.048) and significantly and negatively associated with presence of meaning (β=-.21, P<.001). Presence of MIL and impulsivity showed a significant and negative interaction effect (β=-.11, SE .05; P=.03) on IGD symptoms. The positive effect of impulsivity on IGD symptoms was stronger among adolescents with low presence of MIL than those with high presence of MIL. Temper showed significant and positive interaction effects with presence of MIL (β=.08, SE .04; P=.03) and search for MIL (β=.08, SE .04; P=.04) on family functioning. The negative effects of temper on family functioning were stronger among adolescents with low levels of MIL than among those with high levels of MIL. This study provides the first findings on the interaction effects between low self-control and presence of MIL and search for MIL on IGD symptoms and functioning among a large sample of adolescents in rural China. The results have implications for targeted interventions to help male adolescents with lower self-control and presence of meaning.

The role of temporal distancing on the sense of meaning in life among individuals experiencing daily stressors.

Existing evidence has indicated that adopting a temporally distanced perspective can enhance the search for and presence of meaning in life. However, this effect may not hold among individuals facing highly stressful situations, as meaning-search might be considered dysfunctional in such contexts. Furthermore, prior research has not distinguished between near and distant perspectives when examining the impact of temporal distancing on meaning-search and meaning-presence. To address these gaps, this study utilized a prescreening stage (N= 972) to recruit participants dealing with unresolved stressors of moderate-to-high severity. A pre-test and post-test design was employed, with participants randomly assigned to either near-future or distant-future conditions. The results (n= 129) showed that temporal distancing manipulation increased meaning-presence scores across both conditions. Meaning-search scores were significantly lower at post-test compared to pre-test within the distant-future condition but not within the near-future condition. By examining the differential effects of near-future versus distant-future perspectives and recruiting individuals experiencing moderate-to-severe unresolved stressors, this study sheds light on how temporal distancing serves as a coping strategy, enabling individuals to maintain a relatively balanced sense of meaning in life when confronted with significant stressors.

Death anxiety among the oldest old in Germany. Evidence from the nationally representative 'Old Age in Germany (D80+)'.

There is a lack of studies investigating death anxiety among the oldest old based on a large, nationally representative sample during the pandemic. Thus, our aim was to investigate the prevalence and determinants of death anxiety among the oldest old in Germany during the Covid-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional data were taken from the 'Old Age in Germany' (D80+) study. This is a large, nationwide representative study including individuals 80 years and over living at home and individuals in institutionalised settings (N = 9542 individuals in the analytic sample). Overall, 30% of the respondents reported the absence of death anxiety, 45.5% reported a rather not strong death anxiety, 20.2% reported a rather strong death anxiety, and 4.3% reported a very strong death anxiety. Linear regressions revealed that higher death anxiety was significantly associated with being female (β = 0.21, P < 0.01), younger age (β = -0.02, P < 0.001), being married (β = 0.09, P < 0.001), high education (compared to low education, β = 0.07, P < 0.05), the presence of meaning in life (β = 0.13, P < 0.001), higher loneliness levels (β = 0.18, P < 0.001), the presence of multimorbidity (β = 0.07, P < 0.05), and poorer self-rated health (β = -0.07, P < 0.001). A further analysis showed that probable depression (β = 0.31, P < 0.001) is also associated with higher death anxiety. About one in four individuals had a strong or very strong fear of death during the pandemic. Several sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health-related factors are associated with higher death anxiety. This better understanding of the determinants of death anxiety can be relevant for, among others, the affected individuals, informal and professional carers, as well as friends and relatives.

Meaning salience as a moderator of the relationship between presence of meaning in life and wellness

Meaning salience, or awareness of meaning in the present moment, is an emerging concept with potential implications for health and wellness. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between meaning salience and eight dimensions of wellness, and to see whether meaning salience moderated the relationship between presence of meaning and wellness. Participants (N = 1711) were recruited to complete a cross-sectional survey through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Meaning salience was related to better wellness in seven of the eight wellness domains (healthy eating and activity, financial stress, occupational wellness, sleep, perceived wellness, social wellness, and stress, excluding avoiding unhealthy foods). Meaning salience significantly moderated the relationships between presence of meaning and four of eight wellness dimensions, such that at high levels of meaning salience, both high and low presence of meaning had stronger relationships with wellness. Those with high meaning salience and high presence of meaning scored best on four wellness dimensions; however, those with high meaning salience and low presence of meaning scored the worst on four wellness dimensions. Future research should explore what factors drive the relationship between meaning salience and wellness.

Presence of meaning in life and subjective well-being as mediators of association between sense of community and academic engagement

We examined the associations between sense of community (SoC) and multidimensional academic engagement, including whether meaning in life and subjective well-being mediate the relationships. Participants were Nigerian students who completed the Classroom Sense of Community Inventory–School Form (CSCI-SF), Meaning in Life Questionnaire’s (MLQ) Presence subscale, Brief Adolescent Subjective Well-being in School Scale (BASWSS), and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale – Student Version (UWES-S-9). Data was analysed using Model 6 of Hayes’ regression-based PROCESS module. Results showed that both presence of meaning and subjective well-being mediated the effects of aspects of SoC on vigour, dedication and overall academic engagement. The effects of SoC on absorption was only mediated by subjective wellbeing. Mediation pathways were not significant for the effects of learning SoC on absorption. In all cases, the strongest mediation existed in the paths linking social SoC to academic engagement through subjective wellbeing. Promotion of classroom SoC may facilitate presence of meaning in life and subjective wellbeing thereby enhancing academic engagement

Effects of perceived stress on college students’ sleep quality: a moderated chain mediation model

BackgroundPerceived Stress has been shown as a key contributor to sleep quality, but the underlying mechanism between perceived stress and sleep quality remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of perceived stress on sleep quality of college students and the chain mediating roles of presence of meaning in life (PML) and depression, as well as the moderating role of search for meaning in life (SML).MethodsParticipants were 8178 college students (4599 boys and 3579 girls; Mage = 19.10 years, SD = 1.08) who completed self-report questionnaire, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).ResultsThe results showed that higher perceived stress was directly related to poorer sleep quality. This negative impact on sleep quality was mediated through the chained roles of PML and depression. Additionally, the study found that SML moderates the influence of perceived stress, PML and depression on sleep quality. Specifically, for individuals actively search for meaning, the adverse effects of perceived stress and depression on sleep quality are diminished. Concurrently, the positive influence of PML on sleep quality is enhanced.ConclusionThis study revealed that the PML and depression mediate the effect of perceived stress on sleep quality, with SML playing a significant protective role. These results emphasize the necessity of integrating strategies to enhance PML and SML into interventions designed to improve emotion management and sleep quality among college students.

If not belief in God, then what? Identifying factors that contribute to well-being among Polish nonbelievers

Recent estimates by the Pew Research Center show that Poland is one of the fastest secularizing countries in the world. Despite the growing role of such attitudes in Poland and other countries around the world, still little is known about the psychosocial functioning and mental health of nonbelievers. The present study aimed to fill in this knowledge gap by examining various factors that may contribute to nonbelievers’ well-being, including perceived social support, emotion regulation strategies, secular beliefs (humanism and belief in science), and clarity of self-beliefs. Five hundred Polish nonbelievers took part in this study, of whom 38% reported no nominal affiliation with any religious or secular group, 33% affiliated with Roman Catholics, and 22% identified as Atheists. Comparing these groups, we found that while Catholics and Atheists did not differ significantly in terms of their overall well-being, religious “nones” scored lower than Catholics on overall well-being (but not meaning in life or social support). In addition, it was found that—at the level of the whole sample—having greater clarity of self-beliefs, using functional emotion regulation strategies, as well as having greater perceived social support were all positively associated with the presence of meaning in life and well-being.

Correlations between meaning in life and nature connectedness: German-language validation of two topic-related measures and practical implications

Abstract Meaning in life and nature connectedness are indicators of a healthy life and correlate with health and well-being. We conducted a validation study of German versions of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (Steger et al. 2006) and Nature Connection Index (Richardson et al. 2019) and assessed mindfulness as a trait and personality (big five personality traits) among participating students (n = 353). Results indicated a significant positive correlation between nature connectedness and presence of meaning in life. Presence of meaning correlated significantly with less neuroticism, more openness to new experiences, greater conscientiousness, and moderately with the two mindfulness subscales, ‘acceptance’ and ‘presence’. Search for meaning was associated with more neuroticism and less acceptance. A higher nature-connectedness score correlated with more presence and acceptance (mindfulness), greater openness, and less neuroticism (personality traits). Furthermore, we introduce a nature-assisted model of meaning fulfilment that can be applied in healthcare practices, counselling, and (psycho-) therapeutic treatment. Our results contribute to growing evidence on the preventive and curative effects of nature connectedness and meaning in life and their role as health-related resources. Nature connectedness and meaning in life are effective resources considering various aspects related to (global) crises such as climate change and the corona pandemic.

P-484 Infertility stigma, openness with others, and their relationship to depression and meaning in life among men and women experiencing infertility

Abstract Study question Does infertility-related stigma and being open with others relate to depression and meaning in life among men and women experiencing infertility? Summary answer Higher infertility stigma was related to higher depression and search for meaning, whereas higher openness was related to lower depression and higher presence of meaning. What is known already For men experiencing infertility, there is relatively scarce knowledge about the relationship between infertility stigma, openness, depression, and meaning in life. For women, previous studies have found that higher levels of infertility stigma are associated with higher levels of hopelessness (Kaya &amp; Oskay, 2020). Studies have also found that the presence of meaning in women is associated with the use of more adaptive coping strategies for infertility, while the search for meaning is associated with higher levels of depression (Morse &amp; Steger, 2019). Men who reported greater openness with others about infertility, reported lower depression (Babore, et al., 2017). Study design, size, duration The design was a cross-sectional survey where participants completed demographic and infertility information along with validated measures of meaning in life, depression, openness, and perceptions of stigma regarding their infertility. Participants were recruited via announcements on infertility discussion listservs and social media accounts in the United States. Data were collected in November-December of 2023. Participants were 89 men and 458 women who reported an infertility diagnosis. Eighty-one percent of participants were from the United States. Participants/materials, setting, methods The key outcome variables were the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression measure (Zhang et al., 2012) and the Meaning in Life measure, which consists of two 5-item subscales, Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning (Steger et al., 2006). Along with demographic and infertility factors, key psychological variables were measured including infertility stigma (Fu et al., 2015) and openness with others and their partner about their infertility experience (Babore, 2017). Participants mean age was 33. Main results and the role of chance Multiple linear hierarchical regression models explained substantial variance (adjusted R-squared) for depression (48% men; 29% women), presence of meaning (28% men; 27% women), and search for meaning (22% men; 16% women). Men and women who reported higher levels of personal infertility stigma had higher levels of depression (Betas = .23 men and .24 women; ps &amp;lt; .05), as well as higher levels of searching for meaning (Beta = .26 men, p = .051; Beta = .16 women, p = .016). Higher stigma was also associated with lower presence of meaning in women (Beta = -.233, ps &amp;lt;.001). Men and women who reported higher levels of openness with others about infertility reported substantially lower levels of depression (Betas = -.51 men and -.32 women; ps &amp;lt;.001), and greater presence of meaning in life (Betas = .29 men and .22 women; ps &amp;lt; .05). Openness with others was also associated with lower search for meaning among women (Beta = -.127, p = .011). Women who were currently in treatment reported more depression compared to both women who were never in treatment (Beta = -.245, p = .019), and women who had previously been in treatment (Beta = -.244, p = .031). Limitations, reasons for caution This study provided the rare opportunity to examine infertility and mental health among men, but caution is necessary when interpreting these results due to the relatively small sample size. The correlational findings do not allow for inferences of causality, and testing the generalizability of findings is an important next step. Wider implications of the findings The study highlights that higher infertility stigma and lower openness with others are key factors in understanding men and women’s mental health and worldview perceptions. Encouraging individuals with infertility to share their experiences with others may reduce feelings of depression, while also increasing one’s sense of meaning in life. Trial registration number not applicable

Meaningful Activities, Meaning in Life, and Health-Related Quality of Life. Validation and Reliability of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey in Spanish Health Care Students

Introduction: To carry out meaningful activities contributes to individual wellbeing, so it is essential to have specific evaluation tools that can assess this difficult construct. The objective of this study was to validate a Spanish version (EDIAS) of the Engagement in Meaningful Activity Survey (EMAS) in health care students. Methods: This study was a validation study using a cross-sectional survey design. The empirical application of the instrument was carried out to obtain quantitative evidence on the internal consistency, the convergent validity and test-retest reliability. Results: The psychometric properties of the EDIAS were assessed in a sample of 98 Spanish college students. The EDIAS demonstrated high internal consistency as well as convergent validity, correlating it with measures of quality of life related to health and presence of meaning in life. The EDIAS showed similar test-retest reliability to the original English version of EMAS in older adults (r = .502; p < .001). Discussion: The results indicate that EDIAS is reliable and valid for assessment of meaningful activities in Spanish-speaking populations.

Mediating effect of meaning in life on death anxiety and attitude toward palliative care among undergraduate nursing students

BackgroundThis study investigates the mediating effect of meaning in life between death anxiety and attitude toward palliative care among nursing students.MethodsWe enrolled 363 undergraduate nursing students using a convenience sampling method as the respondents and conducted a survey using general information about nursing students, the Chinese version of the FATCOD-B Scale, the Chinese version of the Death Anxiety Scale, and the Chinese version of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. The SPSS25.0 statistical software was used to analyze the mediating effect.ResultsThe mean total attitude score toward palliative care was (104.72 ± 10.62). Death anxiety had a significant negative predictive effect on the attitude toward palliative care (β = -0.520, P < 0.01). When the mediating variable of the presence of meaning in life was included, the negative predictive effect of death anxiety on attitude toward palliative care remained significant (β = -0.379, P = 0.036); the mediating effect (-0.141) accounted for 27.12% of the total impact (-0.520).ConclusionsThe presence of meaning in life mediates the relationship between death anxiety and attitude toward palliative care. This implies that nursing educators, through their role in educating nursing students about the meaning of life, can significantly influence the development of a positive attitude toward palliative care.

Gratitude Predicts Meaning in Life in Family Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease.

Gratitude is a well-known and researched internal positive psychological resource. Empirical data, however, on the association between gratitude, meaning in life, and burden in family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease is scant. The aims of this study were to (1) investigate the relationships among these variables in a sample of family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's; and (2) determine if gratitude mediates the effects of perceived burden on meaning in life in this population. One-hundred and twenty-six adult family caregivers, most of whom were an intimate partner or adult child of a person with Alzheimer's, completed the Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Zarit Burden Inventory, and other relevant measures. A series of OLS regression models, guided by the caregiver stress process model, were conducted. These analyses demonstrated that gratitude was a predictor of the presence of meaning in life among the caregivers in this study even when other key variables were considered. Furthermore, analyses revealed that gratitude fully mediated the effects of caregiver burden on the presence of meaning in life in this sample. Thus, clinicians should consider gratitude as an important internal resource for cultivating meaning in life in this population, especially when caregiver burden is present. Gratitude-bolstering clinical interventions should be further developed and tested as both stand-alone and complimentary additions to empirically supported psychoeducational approaches for supporting health and well-being in this population.

Meaning in life among emerging adults: An examination of gender, relationship status, and social media use

AbstractUsing a sample of 450 emerging adult university students, this study examined the effects of relationship status and gender on meaning in life (MIL) dimensions and the relationship between social media use and MIL dimensions among participants. The MIL Questionnaire (MLQ) and a subscale of the Sources of Meaning and MLQ (SoMe) were used to measure three different life meaning dimensions (presence of meaning, search for meaning, and crises of meaning). Findings suggested that being in a romantic relationship is positively associated with the presence of MIL. Findings also revealed that the time spent on social media and social media satisfaction affects MIL dimensions. Implications for counselors and other mental health professionals are presented and have the potential to impact college students’ MIL issues.

The presence of meaning in life and character strengths as protective factors of anxious-depressive symptoms in adolescents from Spain and Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The presence of meaning in life (MiL) and character strengths (CS) are protective factors for adolescents’ mental health. The main objective of the present study was to explore transculturally the relationship between MiL and CS with anxiety and depression in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic among adolescents. Adolescents (N = 577) aged 14 to 18 (319 Russians and 258 Spaniards) completed online questionnaires during the pandemic. The results showed that in both samples, zest, gratitude, and love were the most robust predictors of depression symptoms; zest, hope, and love in girls, and self-regulation, hope, and presence of MiL in boys more robustly predicted anxiety symptoms. The findings provide data on the resilience function of CS and the presence of MiL during the COVID-19 pandemic and have important preventive practical implications.

Relationship between the presence of meaning in life and sleep quality: A moderated chain-mediation model.

Sleep is a vital component of health; however, sleep issues are particularly prominent among college students. Identifying protective factors for sleep among college students is of paramount importance. To investigate the mechanisms behind the association between the presence of meaning in life (PML) and sleep quality, we conducted two questionnaire surveys (separated by an interval of 6 months) with 5660 college students to collect longitudinal data. The results show that PML predicted sleep quality and that this relationship was influenced by the mediating effect of depression and the chain mediating effect of coping style and depression; further, the search for meaning in life played a moderating role in the chain mediation model. This study offers new theoretical perspectives on the protective factors of sleep quality and provides empirical insights useful for improving sleep health among college students.

Психологическая сепарация от родителей в юношеском возрасте в контексте ценностных и смысловых ориентаций

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Relevance. The problem of psychological separation in adolescence comes up against many contradictions, such as high demands of society to the young generation and difficulties on the way to comply with them (prolongation of the adolescent period, dependence on parents, personal immaturity, infantilism, instability of axiological orientations, etc.). Aim. The goal is to study the relationship between the level of separation anxiety, components of psychological separation from parents and axiological and life&amp;ndash;purpose orientations in adolescence. Materials and methods. Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire ASA&amp;ndash;27, adapted by A.A. Dityuk Hoffman&amp;rsquo;s questionnaire of psychological separation, D.A. Leontyev&amp;rsquo;s test of life&amp;ndash;purpose orientations, E.B. Fantalova&amp;rsquo;s &amp;laquo;Level of Value and Availability Ratio in Different Life Spheres&amp;raquo;. Sampling: 98 students of higher and secondary specialized educational institutions at the age of 17&amp;ndash;21 years (52% boys and 48% girls). Results and conclusions. Components of psychological separation from parents in adolescence is uneven; psychological separation from parents has been partially completed. Separation from the mother is more pronounced than from the father. Separation anxiety is expressed to a moderate degree. The conflicting style of separation prevails. Attitudinal separation from parents has been achieved to a greater extent affective and behavioral separations are insufficiently formed; in boys and girls, pronounced separation anxiety is associated with unformed life&amp;ndash;purpose orientations and motivational and personal integration in the &amp;laquo;value&amp;ndash;availability&amp;raquo; plane in the areas of &amp;laquo;happy family life&amp;raquo;, &amp;laquo;materially secure life&amp;raquo;, &amp;laquo;freedom&amp;raquo;; incomplete separation from the mother and the presence of meaning in life for her children are interconnected; incomplete separation from the father is associated with the present life&amp;ndash;meaning crisis in his children.&lt;/p&gt;

Psychological preservation of volunteers during the war: An empirical analysis

The article presents the results of an empirical study of the psychological self-preservation of volunteers with varying lengths of volunteer experience. The main structural components of psychological self preservation, the level of subjective stress, and the psychological safety of the individual are identified. The presence of meaning in life and personal characteristics such as extraversion, friendliness, conscientiousness, and openness to new experiences were examined. The use of basic coping strategies in stressful situations was analysed. In order to study the psychological self-preservation of the personality of volunteers through structural components, including cognitive, emotional, behavioural, and social, the following psychodiagnostic methods were used: Ukrainian adaptation of the short five-factor personality questionnaire (TIPI-UKR); “Express diagnostics of the psychological safety of the individual”; Questionnaire of the Perceived Stress Scale PSS-10; The Meaning of Life Questionnaire MLQ 2006, and the method of psychological diagnostics of coping mechanisms (E. Heim). Psychological self-preservation implies the ability of a person to effectively adapt to negative events and the ability to think positively and rationally assess the situation. This implies the ability to manage emotions, create a positive social environment, and have the resources to restore mental and physical health after difficult life events. It was found that in the subjects, with an increase in the duration of volunteer work, the level of subjective stress increases and the level of feeling of psychological safety decreases, which also indicates that volunteer work is a complex multifaceted process and requires resources and energy. However, with regard to the presence of meaning in life, it can be seen that with increasing experience of volunteering, there is a higher level of presence and search for meaning in life. It can be assumed that volunteer work and helping others gives a sense of self realisation, significance, and personal importance. The search for meaning in life is relevant for all the subjects studied and reflects the current situation of self-realisation both professional and personal life and serves as a structural element of the psychological self-preservation framework, giving meaning and awareness to a person's activities. Further study of the structural components of psychological self-preservation requires the development and implementation of psychological training on the development of resistance to stressful situations, taking into account the presented results of empirical research

Investigating the relationships of free will belief, presence of meaning in life, and self-consciousness with authenticity: a mixed-methods study

Authenticity refers to personality and situational characteristics that enhance the psychological well-being of individuals. Authenticity develops under the influence of various factors. Drawing on the Theory of Existential Psychotherapy (EPT) framework, the present study aimed to investigate the extent to which free will belief, self-consciousness, and presence of meaning in life predict authenticity. The researchers used a mixed-method design to examine the relationship between these predictors and authenticity. The sample consisted of 505 participants, with 455 in the quantitative design and 50 in the qualitative design. The quantitative analyses revealed a positive association between presence of meaning in life and self-consciousness with authenticity. The findings suggest that self-consciousness mediates the relationship between presence of meaning in life and authenticity, and between free will belief and authenticity, with a full mediating effect for free will belief and a partial mediating effect for presence of meaning in life. The qualitative analyses elucidated the relationships between free will belief-authenticity, life meaning-authenticity, self-consciousness-authenticity, and free will belief-presence of meaning in life-self-consciousness-authenticity. Overall, the findings indicate that the factors investigated, in line with the theoretical framework proposed in EPT, can enhance authenticity.