Higher Sense Of Purpose Research Articles

Sense of Purpose in Life and Subsequent Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Health: An Outcome-Wide Approach.

Purpose:Growing evidence indicates that a higher sense of purpose in life (purpose) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated if change in purpose is associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes.Design:We evaluated if positive change in purpose (between t0; 2006/2008 and t1;2010/2012) was associated with better outcomes on 35 indicators of physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being (at t2;2014/2016).Sample:We used data from 12,998 participants in the Health and Retirement study—a prospective and nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults aged >50.Analysis:We conducted multiple linear-, logistic-, and generalized linear regressions.Results:Over the 4-year follow-up period, people with the highest (versus lowest) purpose had better subsequent physical health outcomes (e.g., 46% reduced risk of mortality (95% CI [0.44, 0.66])), health behaviors (e.g., 13% reduced risk of sleep problems (95% CI [0.77, 0.99])), and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., higher optimism (β = 0.41, 95% CI [0.35, 0.47]), 43% reduced risk of depression (95% CI [0.46, 0.69]), lower loneliness (β = −0.35, 95% CI [−0.41, −0.29])). Importantly, however, purpose was not associated with other physical health outcomes, health behaviors, and social factors.Conclusion:With further research, these results suggest that sense of purpose might be a valuable target for innovative policy and intervention work aimed at improving health and well-being.

Religiosity, Higher Purpose, and the Effectiveness of Intense Board Oversight

Using a novel measure, we study how the personal religiosity (or sense of higher purpose) of independent directors affects the effectiveness of their intense board oversight. We find that, relative to their non-religious counterparts, religious monitoring-intensive directors exhibit significantly lower sensitivity of CEO turnover to firm performance over a holding period of 1 year. However, for the more extended holding period of 2 years, this difference in sensitivity significantly switches direction, consistent with the “higher purpose, incentives, and economic performance” theory, which suggests that believers in higher purpose will tend to hold a longer-term perspective. We also find that religious monitoring-intensive directors further reduce both earnings management and excess total CEO compensation, especially when the lead independent director and/or a majority of the principal monitoring committee chairs are also religious. Overall, our findings show that religious monitoring-intensive directors differentially influence intense board oversight results and, thereby, help infuse or propagate a corporate culture consistent with an authentic organizational higher purpose.

Self-distancing and narrative wisdom in older adults’ autobiographical reflection

The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between the ability of older adults to distance themselves from their life stories and the intensity of their narrative wisdom. In the study, we followed a narrative-constructivist approach while using mixed research strategies, including our working concept of narrative wisdom. We used our original coding system to analyze the transcripts of life stories obtained from 259 Polish older adults (aged 60 to 97). The coding outcomes were subsequently compared with the self-distancing questionnaire results. Our findings suggest that self-distancing is a differentiating factor for the strategies used by older adults in their autobiographical reflection: in its structure-, content-, and process-related qualities. When based on self-distancing strategies, narrative autobiographical reflection correlates with a higher sense of purpose and a higher level of agency. This interplay facilitates older adults in their author-like, flexible, and open attitudes toward their life stories; it can also be applied in counseling and older adults’ therapy.

Sense of Purpose in Life and Likelihood of Future Illicit Drug Use or Prescription Medication Misuse.

In the United States, 28.6 million people used illicit drugs or misused prescription drugs in the last 30 days. Thus, identifying factors linked with lower likelihood of future drug misuse is an important target for research and practice. Sense of purpose in life has been linked with better behavioral and physical health outcomes. Furthermore, a higher sense of purpose may reduce the likelihood of drug misuse because it has been linked with several protective factors including enhanced ability to handle stress, higher pain tolerance, and lower impulsivity. However, the association between sense of purpose and drug misuse has been understudied. Thus, we tested whether people with a higher sense of purpose at baseline had a lower likelihood of future drug misuse 9 to 10 years later. This study included 3535 middle-aged adults from the Midlife in the United States Study who were not misusing drugs at baseline. Using multiple logistic regression models, we assessed whether baseline purpose in life was associated with risk of misusing drugs 9 to 10 years later. Among respondents not misusing drugs at baseline, people in the highest quartile of purpose (versus lowest quartile) had a substantially lower likelihood of future drug misuse in a model adjusting for demographic variables (odds ratio = 0.50, 95% confidence interval = 0.31-0.83). Associations remained evident after additionally adjusting for psychological distress, baseline health, and health behaviors. A growing knowledge base suggests that a sense of purpose can be increased. Additional research is needed to evaluate sense of purpose as a novel target in the prevention and reduction of drug misuse.

Sense of purpose in life and five health behaviors in older adults

Accumulating evidence shows that a higher sense of purpose in life is associated with lower risk of chronic conditions and premature mortality. Health behaviors might partially explain these findings, however, the prospective association between sense of purpose and health behaviors is understudied. We tested whether a higher sense of purpose at baseline was associated with lower likelihood of developing unhealthy behaviors over time. Prospective data were from the Health and Retirement Study, a national sample of U.S. older adults. Our sample included 13,770 adults assessed up to five times across eight years. Among people who met recommended guidelines for a given health behavior outcome at baseline, those in the top versus lowest quartile of purpose in life had 24% lower likelihood of becoming physically inactive (95% CI: 0.68–0.85), 33% lower likelihood of developing sleep problems (95% CI: 0.58–0.79), and 22% lower likelihood of developing unhealthy body mass index (BMI) (95% CI: 0.69–0.87) in sociodemographic-adjusted models. Further there was a marginal reduction in smoking relapse (HR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.41–1.03) and no association with heavy alcohol use (HR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.81–1.29). Findings for physical inactivity, sleep problems, and unhealthy BMI remained evident after further adjusting for baseline health status and depression. Our results, suggest that a sense of purpose in life might emerge (with further research) as a valuable target to consider for interventions aimed at helping older adults maintain some health behaviors.

Analyzing the Devotional Biology of Andalusian Lice - A Study

In the liturgy of Andal worship, administrative management is performed to create a plan, place, time, assurance, implementation, and so on. Love is one of the goals that God has set out to accomplish, because both love and devotion are matures of love for God. The love of the head of world relations is pure. Not selfish. Such a state of pure love is rooted in the pastures. Here, after the sixth century AD, vegetarianism had a profound influence on the political and the people. During the Vaishnavas, Thirumangai will become deep. Kulasekera and Alwar were kings. Nevertheless, in Tamil Nadu, the political status of vegetarianism has been very influential. The role of women in the history of the Tamil Bhakti movement was negligible. Andal was the forerunner and foremost of the women's role in their devotional movement. The piety of the year manifested as a deeper love than the piety of the subordinates of his time. He portrayed the romantic feelings of the world in different ways. This expression of sentiment is found in his devotional literature. The love between the leader and the leader evolves into a feeling of devotion to the Lord. Devotional literature regulates man and makes him live. It adheres to the norm with extremes and intuition, and lives from it. A pious morality with a high sense of purpose and a common purpose works in the interests of society. The purpose of this article is to illustrate how the pastures of this year describe the life of piety.

PURPOSE AND NUMBER OF CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS AMONG OLDER ADULTS

An overwhelming three-quarters of persons age 65 and over have multiple chronic health conditions (Gerteis et al., 2014). With a growing population of older adults, understanding the factors that predict health and reduce the risk of chronic disease is critical. Recent evidence finds that a high sense of purpose- “the belief that one’s life is purposeful and meaningful” (Ryff & Keyes, 1995, p. 720)- is associated with positive health outcomes among older adults. This study investigated the association between purpose and number of chronic conditions among older adults, and whether the relationship depended on age. The study included 6148 older adults (mean age=83.8) who participated in a larger study on wellness. Participants completed a survey that included a measure of sense of purpose and questions about chronic health conditions. Data were analyzed controlling for demographics, optimism, pessimism, social contact, BMI, physical activity, and smoking. Lower levels of purpose were significantly associated with higher numbers of chronic conditions. There was a significant interaction between purpose and age, such that relatively younger older adults with high levels of purpose had fewer chronic conditions. There was no relationship between purpose and number of chronic conditions for the oldest adult participants. The results add new findings to the body of research that demonstrates that sense of purpose is associated with chronic disease. As sense of purpose is modifiable, interventions that increase purpose among older adults, with an emphasis on the youngest-old, should be developed and implemented.

Social support and sense of life in patients with anxiety disorders - preliminary report.

Verification of the level of social support perception and sense of life in patients with anxiety disorder and healthy people; evaluation of the relationship between these variables. The Social Support Questionnaire short version (F-SozU K-22) by G. Sommer and T. Fydrich and the Life Attitude Profile (LAP-R) by G.T. Reker were used. Social support and its dimensions prove to be significantly lower in patients with anxiety disorders. Healthy individuals have a higher sense of purpose, greater internal coherence, control of life, personal sense and balance of life attitudes, and lower intensity of existential emptiness. Higher emotional support and older age increase the level of sense of life in people with anxiety disorders. For preventive and therapeutic purposes, it is important to develop and sustain the internal resources of the individual (sense of life and age-related experience). In patients with neurotic disorders, it also seems essential to use psychotherapy aimed at changing the patterns of personality that impede them from building social support networks. This is due to the fact that anxiety disorders are often characterized by lower confidence, avoidance of interpersonal relationships, falsified perception of social support, leading thus to distorted interpretation of supportive actions.

Purpose in life and tobacco use among community-dwelling mothers of early adolescents

ObjectivesThe rising prevalence of tobacco use and tobacco-attributable deaths among women is of worldwide concern. In particular, smoking prevention for mothers in early midlife is a significant international public health...

Purpose in Life and Its Relationship to All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Events: A Meta-Analysis.

To assess the net impact of purpose in life on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events. The electronic databases PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO were systematically searched through June 2015 to identify all studies investigating the relationship between purpose in life, mortality, and cardiovascular events. Articles were selected for inclusion if, a) they were prospective, b) evaluated the association between some measure of purpose in life and all-cause mortality and/or cardiovascular events, and c) unadjusted and/or adjusted risk estimates and confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Ten prospective studies with a total of 136,265 participants were included in the analysis. A significant association was observed between having a higher purpose in life and reduced all-cause mortality (adjusted pooled relative risk = 0.83 [CI = 0.75-0.91], p < .001) and cardiovascular events (adjusted pooled relative risk = 0.83 [CI = 0.75-0.92], p = .001). Subgroup analyses by study country of origin, questionnaire used to measure purpose in life, age, and whether or not participants with baseline cardiovascular disease were included in the study all yielded similar results. Possessing a high sense of purpose in life is associated with a reduced risk for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events. Future research should focus on mechanisms linking purpose in life to health outcomes, as well as interventions to assist individuals identified as having a low sense of purpose in life.

Sense of purpose as a psychological resource for aging well.

Having a sense of purpose is recognized as an important resource for maintaining health and well-being over the life span. We examined associations of individual differences in sense of purpose with levels and rates of change in indices of aging well (health, cognition, and depressive symptoms) in a sample of 1,475 older adults (Mage = 77.06 years, SD = 6.27; 50% female) assessed on up to 6 occasions over 18 years. We also conducted survival analysis to examine associations of purpose with longevity. We hypothesized that a higher sense of purpose would be associated with better performance on the aging well measures, and that those with a higher sense of purpose would show shallower declines in aging well over time. Results indicated that participants who scored higher on sense of purpose reported lower levels of functional disability, performed better on cognitive tests (episodic memory and speed of processing), and reported better self-rated health and fewer depressive symptoms. Sense of purpose was not associated with individual differences in rates of change in the aging well indices with the exception of speed of processing, for which a higher sense of purpose was associated with marginally shallower rates of decline. Higher sense of purpose was also associated with increased probability of survival, although this association became weaker over time. The findings support the notion that purposeful living contributes to health and well-being. At the same time, higher sense of purpose may not buffer against more pervasive losses in health that become more common in oldest-old adulthood.

Psychological well‐being in out‐patients with eating disorders: A controlled study

Positive functioning is widely neglected in research on eating disorders (EDs). The aim of this exploratory study was to assess psychological well-being (PWB) in out-patients with ED and in controls. The authors assessed PWB in 245 out-patients with EDs [105 with bulimia nervosa (BN), 57 with anorexia nervosa (AN), and 83 with binge eating disorder (BED) who met DSM-IV-TR] and 60 controls. They tested whether PWB was associated with eating attitude test (EAT) scores and if such associations differed among ED groups while taking into account confounding variables. Significant differences between groups in all PWB scales were found. While individuals with BN reported significantly lower scores in all PWB dimensions than healthy controls, patients with BED scored significantly lower than controls in PWB autonomy, environmental mastery, and self-acceptance scales. Patients with AN showed similar scores to controls in all PWB dimensions, except for positive relationships and self-acceptance. In all ED groups, most PWB dimensions resulted significantly and negatively associated with EAT scales, except for AN where oral control was found to positively correlate with a high sense of purpose in life. All results were maintained even after adjusting for possible confounding variables. Patients with EDs reported an impairment in PWB. The paucity of PWB was not necessarily dependent on the presence of high levels of psychological distress and on the severity of the disorder. Such assessments may therefore yield a more comprehensive evaluation in this clinical population.

Multiple Goals in a Hong Kong Chinese Educational Context: An Investigation of Developmental Trends and Learning Outcomes

Social goals have also been proposed as important additions to mastery and performance goals in educational contexts, particularly in non-Western cultures but no study has yet tested the possibility that such goals can also combine with mastery and performance goals leading to superior learning outcomes. Longitudinal studies are also rare in this area. The effect of changing motivational groups has also seldom been examined. This study examines the academic achievement, learning strategies and self-attributes at two points of time of students from multiple motivational groups: mastery, performance and social. The findings demonstrate that the usual grouping of mastery and performance is incomplete as the impact of goals on achievement cannot be properly understood unless social goals are included, although about a third of students had none of these goals at all. Those in the higher groups for all three goals had higher sense of purpose, but only those in high mastery and performance (and thus not social) had a higher sense of self-reliance and intellectual self. It is likely that the various dimensions of social goals may be related importantly to various desirable outcomes.

Baseline Purpose Oriented Life and Cognitive Outcomes (P04.220)

Objective: We examined 1) the relationship between purpose oriented life measured in midlife and the outcome of late life cognitive function, 2) whether engagement in physical, social, and cognitive activities mediated the relationship between purpose oriented life and cognitive function. Background Purpose oriented life was reported to be associated with decreased incidence of dementia. Additionally, purposed oriented life has been hypothesized to be potentially neuroprotective, but this has not been empirically validated. Design/Methods: A historical cohort study derived from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study, an NIH funded nationwide community-based sample that investigates midlife exposure and cognitive outcomes in late life. The sample for this study constituted of 1003 participants (Aged 51 to 75 at baseline i.e. in 1995). At least there was one follow-up data on cognitive function during the ten years follow up period. Purpose oriented life at baseline and follow-up was measured by a Purpose in Life (PIL) questionnaire. Other measures included demographic and health information (baseline and follow-up), self-report questionnaire of leisure activities at follow-up, and telephone-administered composite measures of episodic memory and executive function at follow up. Results: Overall, there was a statistically significant but very small decline in PIL over time [baseline: mean (SD) = 16.05 (3.76); follow-up: M= 15.63 (3.66); t = 5.35, p Conclusions: A higher sense of purpose at baseline is associated with a higher cognitive function in late life. Leisure activities appear to mediate the impact of purpose oriented life on cognitive outcomes. Supported by: A grant from the National Institute on Aging (P01-AG020166) to conduct a longitudinal follow-up of the MIDUS (Midlife in the U.S.) investigation for collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data. The original study was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development for collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data. Disclosure: Dr. Lin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Topazian has nothing to disclose. Dr. Geda has nothing to disclose.

A higher sense of purpose in life is associated with sexual enjoyment in midlife women

The aim of this study was to understand the association between sense of purpose in life and sexual well-being in a cohort of midlife women. Participation in partnered sexual activities and indicators of sexual well-being (the engagement in and enjoyment of sexually intimate activities) were measured in a longitudinal cohort of 677 eligible women aged 40 to 65 years. At a single time point, women completed the Life Engagement Test, a measure of life purpose. Univariable and multivariable mixed models were used to assess the association between the Life Engagement Test and longitudinal sexual well-being. A higher sense of purpose in life was associated with higher levels of enjoyment (coefficient = 2.89, P < 0.001) but not with participation in partnered sexual activity (coefficient = 0.49, P = 0.63) or engagement in partnered sexually intimate activities (coefficient = 1.0, P = 0.30). Participation was associated with younger age, lower body mass index, being married, reporting any vaginal dryness, and better emotional well-being. Hormone therapy use approached, but did not reach significance in association with participation, with P = 0.05. Engagement in sexually intimate activities was associated with younger age, more social support, and better emotional well-being. Higher levels of enjoyment were associated with more social support, better emotional well-being, and less vaginal dryness. Menopause status was not associated with engagement or enjoyment, and only being 5 years or more postmenopausal was related to decreased participation. Higher sense of purpose in life is associated with more enjoyment of sexually intimate activities, adjusting for other known factors that influence sexual well-being and independent of demographic factors and menopause or hormone therapy status.

Positive Changes, Increased Spiritual Importance, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use Among Cancer Survivors

Spirituality is an important component of the cancer experience. This study aims to assess characteristics of spiritual health following a cancer diagnosis, and evaluate the relationship between spiritual change and the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among a population-based cohort of cancer survivors. A mailed, cross-sectional survey was completed by 614 cancer survivors identified through the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry. All subjects were 3 to 4.5 years postdiagnosis. Relationships between various characteristics of spiritual health and CAM use were examined, along with clinical and sociodemographic factors. Although large proportions of individuals reported that having cancer had positively affected their spiritual well-being (eg, 40.3% experienced highly positive spiritual changes, 68% felt a high sense of purpose, 75.9% reported being very hopeful), some individuals experienced negative spiritual change (36.1%) and continued to experience high levels of uncertainty (27.2%). In multivariate analyses, those survivors who felt spiritual life became more important (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.21-3.04, P = .006), or experienced positive changes resulting from the cancer experience (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.26-3.15, P = .003), were more likely to use CAM than those who stated otherwise. Having cancer affects many different aspects of spiritual well-being, both positively and negatively. Positive changes and increased spiritual importance appear to be associated with the use of CAM. Prospective research is needed to test whether integrating CAM into conventional cancer care systems will facilitate positive, spiritually transformative processes among diverse groups of cancer survivors.

Editorial

Editorial

Factors associated with the use of violence among urban black adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to examine social and psychological factors associated with the use and nonuse of violence among Black adolescents living in a community with a high level of violent crime. Adolescents (n = 225, 44% male) 11 to 19 years of age living in or around nine housing projects in an urban area were administered an anonymous questionnaire. Self-reported use of violence was associated with exposure to violence and personal victimization, hopelessness, depression, family conflict, previous corporal punishment, purpose in life, self-assessment of the probability of being alive at age 25, and age and was higher among males. These data support the hypothesis that exposure to violence is associated with adolescents' self-reported use of violence. However, adolescents with a higher sense of purpose in life and less depression were better able to withstand the influence of exposure to violence in the home and in the community.

On Becoming Oriented to Inpatient Addiction Treatment: Inducting New Patients and Professionals to the Recovery Movement

Professionals starting on a rehabilitation unit must join the unit culture, learning to work side by side with addiction counselors who are often "in recovery." They then face the task of integrating self-help and psychological models of treatment. Patients undergo their own induction, first accepting the attribution of "addict," and then joining a subculture of recovery that provides ego support and a sense of higher purpose. Group therapy is the primary avenue of acculturation for both patients and professionals.

The quest for authority and honor in the American professions, 1750-1900

With the decline in the size of our industrial work force and the rise of the service occupations, the professions today are prominent models for a singular kind of social position. The professions and professionalism seem to offer an escape from vexing supervision at work as well as from some of the depersonalization and uncertainty of markets and bureaucracies. In taking account of our hunger for professional status and privileges, Samuel Haber presents the first synthetic history of major professions in America. His account emphasizes the substance of each profession's work experience, told from the vantage point of the doctors, lawyers, ministers, and their emulators whose work gave them a high sense of purpose and a durable sense of community. Contrary to those who regard the professions as exemplary and up-to-date specimens of social modernization or economic monopoly, Haber argues that they bring both preindustrial and predemocratic ideals and standards into our modern world. He proposes that the values embedded in the professions authority and honor, fused with duty and responsibility have their origins in the class position and occupational prescriptions of eighteenth-century English gentlemen. Such an argument has implications for the understanding of American society; it underscores the cumulative and variegated nature of our culture and suggests the drawbacks of trying to describe society as a system. It also accords with Haber's endeavor to write a history that rescues for description and analysis mixed motives, composite conditions, and persons and parties acting upon contradictory explanatory schemes. Haber traces the cultural evolution of the professions through three stages establishment (1750-1830), disestablishment (1830-1880), and reestablishment (1880-1900). He shows that when the gentlemanly class declined in the United States, the professions maintained status even in somewhat hostile settings. The professions thus came to be seen as a middle way between the pursuits of laborers and those of capitalists. Massive in scale and ambition, this book will have a formidable impact among scholars newly attuned to the history of American middle-class culture.