Purpose in life predicts better emotional recovery from negative stimuli

Emotional state dynamics impacts temporal memory

Emotional fluctuations are ubiquitous in everyday life, but precisely how they sculpt the temporal organisation of memories remains unclear. Here, we designed a novel task - the Emotion Boundary Task - wherein participants viewed sequences of negative and neutral images surrounded by a colour border. We manipulated perceptual context (border colour), emotional-picture valence, as well as the direction of emotional-valence shifts (i.e., shifts from neutral-to-negative and negative-to-neutral events) to create events with a shared perceptual and/or emotional context. We measured memory for temporal order and temporal distances for images processed within and across events. Negative images processed within events were remembered as closer in time compared to neutral ones. In contrast, temporal distances were remembered as longer for images spanning neutral-to-negative shifts - suggesting temporal dilation in memory with the onset of a negative event following a previously-neutral state. The extent of negative-picture induced temporal dilation in memory correlated with dispositional negativity across individuals. Lastly, temporal order memory was enhanced for recently-presented negative (versus neutral) images. These findings suggest that emotional-state dynamics matters when considering emotion-temporal memory interactions: While persistent negative events may compress subjectively remembered time, dynamic shifts from neutral-to-negative events produce temporal dilation in memory, with implications for adaptive emotional functioning.

Resilience and coping: a qualitative analysis of cognitive and behavioral factors in adults with osteogenesis Imperfecta

PURPOSE

The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate resilience among adults with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 adults with OI. Transcripts were coded and subsequently abstracted, yielding themes specific to resilience and coping. Interview guides covered broad topics including pain challenges specific to OI, mental health issues related to OI, and priorities for future interventions for individuals with OI.

RESULTS

Participants described resilience in the context of OI as the ability to grow from adversity, adapt to challenges resulting from OI-related injuries, and find identities apart from their condition. Psychological coping strategies included acceptance, self-efficacy, cognitive reframing, perspective-taking, and positivity. Behavioral factors that helped participants develop resilience included developing new skills, pursuing meaningful goals, practicing spirituality, and seeking external resources such as psychotherapy, education, and connection with community.

CONCLUSION

Having identified how adults with OI define resilience and the strategies they use to cope, we can now develop interventions and guide healthcare providers in improving psychological wellbeing in this population.

Trajectories of Purpose in Life Across Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease or Related Dementias in Older Adulthood

Objectives: Sense of purpose serves as a psychological resource for late-life health. Limited research has examined how purpose changes across chronic illness diagnoses, including a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).Method: This study leverages data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS; N = 831) to establish trajectories of purpose across ADRD diagnosis using three-year (pre-diagnosis, year of diagnosis, post-diagnosis) timespans and two comparison groups (heart disease diagnosis, no diagnosis). Results: We observed a longitudinal decrease in purpose in the ADRD diagnosis group, t = 3.85, p = .003, d = -0.258. This contrasts with heart disease diagnosis and no diagnosis groups, where purpose did not change over time. Discussion: Older adults who receive an ADRD diagnosis may be vulnerable to a decreasing sense of purpose across their diagnosis experience. We consider social, psychological, and clinical antecedents for this trend.

Relationship Between Resilience, Social Support, Existential Well-Being and Negative Emotions in Cervical Cancer Patients: a Mediation Analysis

Background: The patients of cervical cancer have more negative emotions and lower quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between existential well-being (EWB), social support, resilience, negative emotions in patients with cervical cancer, and to examine whether resilience mediates the associations between EWB or social support and negative emotions. Material and methods: This study enrolled patients with cervical cancer who were treated at the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital in China during 2012-2019. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Resilience Scale of 14 items (RS-14) and the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL) were utilized to assess patient's anxiety, depression, resilience, social support and EWB via telephone. Spearman's correlation analyses were used to assess bivariate correlations, and mediation analyses were applied to examine whether resilience mediated the relationship between social support or EWB and negative emotions. Results: A total of 150 (92.0%) out of 163 eligible patients completed the questionnaires. EWB and social support were negatively correlated with anxiety (r=-0.560 and r=-0.561) and depression (r=-0.508 and r=-0.526), and positively correlated with resilience (r=0.691 and r=0.652). Resilience was negatively associated with anxiety (r=-0.545) and depression (r=-0.505). Negative direct effects of social support on anxiety and EWB on anxiety and depression were statistically significant (P<0.05). Resilience played a partial mediating role in the relationship between EWB and depression (β=-0.085, 95%CI: -0.150 to -0.020), accounting for 37.12% of the total effect. It also served as a partial mediator in the association between EWB and anxiety (β=-0.061, 95%CI: -0.107 to -0.015), explaining 34.46% of the overall effect. Additionally, resilience partially mediated the connection between social support and depression (β=-0.173, 95%CI: -0.312 to -0.053), explicating 57.48% of the total effect. Conclusions: A combination of existential, supportive and resilient interventions may help reduce psychological distress and improve quality of life among cervical cancer patients, thereby promoting both physical and psychological health.

Protective Factors in the Context of Childhood Bereavement: Youth Gratitude, Future Orientation, and Purpose in Life

The objective of the study was to examine potential associations between positive youth development constructs (gratitude, future orientation, purpose in life) and psychological functioning (posttraumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, maladaptive grief reactions) among bereaved youth and test whether these associations vary by age. A diverse sample of 197 clinic-referred bereaved youth (56.2% female; M = 12.36, SD = 3.18; 36.1% Hispanic, 23.7% White, 20.1% Black, 11.9% Multiracial, and 8.2% another race/ethnicity) completed self-report measures of psychological functioning and positive youth development constructs. Linear regression models indicated that gratitude and purpose were associated with lower posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms among bereaved youth. Future orientation was associated with higher posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results were consistent across age. If replicated longitudinally, gratitude and purpose may be important protective factors against negative mental health outcomes in the aftermath of losing a loved one.

Emotional state dynamics impacts temporal memory

Emotional fluctuations are ubiquitous in everyday life, but precisely how they sculpt the temporal organization of memories remains unclear. Here, we designed a novel task-the Emotion Boundary Task-wherein participants viewed sequences of negative and neutral images surrounded by a color border. We manipulated perceptual context (border color), emotional valence, as well as the direction of emotional-valence shifts (i.e., shifts from neutral-to-negative and negative-to-neutral events) to create encoding events comprised of image sequences with a shared perceptual and/or emotional context. We measured memory for temporal order and subjectively remembered temporal distances for images processed within and across events. Negative images processed within events were remembered as closer in time compared to neutral ones. In contrast, temporal distance was remembered as longer for images spanning neutral-to-negative shifts-suggesting temporal dilation in memory with the onset of a negative event following a previously-neutral state. The extent of this negative-picture induced temporal dilation in memory correlated with dispositional negativity across individuals. Lastly, temporal order memory was enhanced for recently presented negative (compared to neutral) images. These findings suggest that emotional-state dynamics matters when considering emotion-temporal memory interactions: While persistent negative events may compress subjectively remembered time, dynamic shifts from neutral to negative events produce temporal dilation in memory, which may be relevant for adaptive emotional functioning.

Self-Acceptance and Purpose in Life Are Mechanisms Linking Adverse Childhood Experiences to Mortality Risk

OBJECTIVE

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with an increased risk of premature mortality, but it is not clear why. Individuals with ACEs tend to have lower self-acceptance and purpose in life, which may be pathways between ACEs and risk of premature mortality. As such, we tested whether purpose and self-acceptance are mechanisms that link ACEs to mortality risk.

METHODS

We used the Midlife in the United States Survey ( N = 6218; mean [standard deviation] = 46.89 [12.94] years) to test whether these factors were indirect pathways between ACEs and mortality hazards over 24 years of follow-up. We used a comprehensive ACE measure that included 20 possible childhood adversities including emotional and physical abuse, household instability, socioeconomic climate, and ill health.

RESULTS

ACEs significantly increased mortality risk (hazard ratio = 1.028, 95% confidence interval = 1.008-1.047, p = .006). Self-acceptance and purpose accounted for an estimated 15% and 4% of the ACEs-mortality relation, respectively. These effects withstood a range of adjustments and sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

ACEs may affect mortality risk partially through lower self-acceptance and purpose during adulthood. Given that self-acceptance and purpose may change through intervention, these factors may be useful targets for individuals with ACEs that could lead to a longer life.

Purpose in life and stress: An individual-participant meta-analysis of 16 samples

Background

Purpose in life is a psychological resource that has been associated with better regulation of stress. The present research reports a coordinated analysis of the association between purpose in life and subjective stress and evaluates potential sociodemographic and mental health moderators of this association.

Methods

With individual participant data from 16 samples (total N=108,391), linear regression examined the association between purpose in life and general subjective feelings of stress, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Greater purpose in life was associated with less subjective stress (meta-analytic estimate=-.228, 95% Confidence Interval=-.292, -.164; p<.001). Interaction terms between sociodemographic factors and purpose tested in the individual samples and synthesized with meta-analysis were not significant, which indicated that the association between purpose and stress was similar across age, sex, race, ethnicity, and education. The association was also not moderated by psychological distress. Meta-regressions further indicated that this association was generally similar across scale length, content of the purpose measure, and across samples from Eastern and Western countries.

Limitations

The associations reported are observational. Experimental work is needed to evaluate causality.

Conclusions

Purpose in life is associated with less subjective stress across populations. Less subjective stress may be one mechanism through which purpose contributes to better mental and physical health.

Purpose Orientation and Its Protective Effect on Self-Esteem Among Chinese Depressive Patients: A Comparative Study

Purpose

Although previous studies have confirmed that purpose in life may negatively predict depressive symptoms, focusing on the intensity of purpose without focusing on content may ignore significant individual differences. This study explores differences in purpose orientations between depressive patients and healthy population to examine the relationship between the purpose content and self-esteem, one of the symptoms of depression. In addition, the moderating role of purpose orientations in the relationship between depression and self-esteem was analyzed to verify the protective effect of purpose orientation on self-esteem.

Patients and Methods

The study utilized the questionnaire approach. The Purpose Orientation Scale (Self and Forced Rating) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were administered to the participants. The study recruited 73 depressive patients using convenience sampling. Moreover, using random sampling, 146 participants matched based on depressive patients' demographics were selected as a healthy population in a 1:2 ratio.

Results

The results showed that: 1) depressive patients valued all four types of purpose orientations to a lesser extent compared to healthy population, both depressive patients and healthy population valued family well-being and personal growth to a greater extent than personal well-being and social promotion. 2) Depressive patients reported lower self-esteem than healthy people. 3) All four types of Purpose orientations positively correlated with self-esteem in depressive patients, while only personal well-being positively correlated with self-esteem in healthy population. Family well-being and social promotion moderated the predictive effect of depression on self-esteem.

Conclusion

The above results imply that prosocial purpose orientations may attenuate the harmful effects of depression on self-esteem. Additionally, intervention focusing on enhancing depressive patients' purpose in life (especially prosocial purpose) could be helpful.

The relationship between purpose in life and depression and anxiety: A meta-analysis

Purpose in life consists of having a sense of meaning and purpose regarding one's activities as well as an overall sense that life is meaningful. This study reports a comprehensive assessment of the relationship of purpose in life with depression and anxiety. A meta-analysis (total n = 66,468, total k = 99) investigated the association of purpose in life with depression and anxiety. Across samples, greater purpose in life was significantly associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety. The mean weighted effect size between purpose in life and depression was r = -0.49, [95% confidence intervals, CIs: -0.52, -0.45], p < 0.001. For the purpose in life and anxiety the mean weighted effect size was r = -0.36, [95% CIs: -0.40, -0.32], p < 0.001. The association of purpose in life with mental health was stronger for clinical populations, especially with regard to the relationship with anxiety. Both approach deficits and avoidance motivation are argued to play a role in the relationship between purpose and psychopathology, with greater purpose potentially limiting avoidance tendencies and reducing the effects of depression and anxiety. Understanding the role that purpose in life may play in depression and anxiety could help to inform current conceptualizations of these disorders and improve treatment outcomes.

Contributions of Eudaimonic Well-Being to Mental Health Practice

Purpose

Synergies between a eudaimonic model of psychological well-being (Ryff, 1989) and mental health practice are examined. The model grew out of clinical, developmental, existential, and humanistic perspectives that emphasized psychological strengths and capacities, in contrast to the focus on emotional distress and dysfunction in clinical psychology.

Design/Approach

Conceptual foundations of the eudaimonic approach are described, along with the six components positive functioning that are used to measure well-being. These qualities may be important in facilitating the recovery experiences, which are of interest in Mental Health and Social Inclusion.

Findings

Four categories of empirical evidence about eudaimonia are reviewed: (1) how it changes with aging, (2) how it matters for health, (3) what are its biological and neurological underpinnings, and (4) whether it can be promoted. Major contemporary forces against eudaimonia are also considered, including ever-widening inequality, the enduring pandemic, and world-wide strife. In contrast, encounters with the arts and nature are put forth as forces for eudaimonia. The relevance of these ideas for mental health research and practice is considered.

Originality

Mental health is often defined as the absence of mental illness. The novelty of the eudaimonic approach is to define mental health as the presence of well-being, assessed with different components of positive functioning.

Practical Implications

Enormous suffering defines our contemporary world. Such realities call for greater attention to factors that undermine as well as nurture the realization of human potential, the core of eudaimonic well-being.

Transition from Paediatric to adult health services: Aspirations and practices of human flourishing

BACKGROUND

Transition from paediatric to adult care is challenging for youths with a chronic condition. Most transition programmes place high value in autonomy and independence. We undertook a qualitative study to: (1) identify the needs and aspirations of youths and (2) better understand the well-being and flourishing of youths.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with youths, parents of youths and healthcare professionals recruited from four clinics. Thematic analysis focused on: (1) perceptions of transition; (2) key aspects of human flourishing during transition; and (3) salient concerns with respect to the transition and dimensions of human flourishing.

RESULTS

54 interviews were conducted. Perceptions of transition clustered around: (1) apprehension about adult care; (2) lack of clarity about the transition process; (3) emotional attachment to paediatric healthcare professionals; (4) the significance of the coinciding transition into adulthood. Fourteen salient concerns (e.g., Knowledge and information about the transition, Parental involvement in healthcare) were identified with corresponding recommendations. Salient concerns related to important dimensions of human flourishing (e.g., environmental mastery, autonomy).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The flourishing of youths is affected by suboptimal transition practices. We discuss the implications of our findings for environmental mastery, contextual autonomy, and the holistic and humanistic aspects of transition.

Posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms and symptom clusters in a sample of treatment-seeking US veterans: Longitudinal associations with meaning in life and general self-efficacy

OBJECTIVES

To quantify the associations between general self-efficacy, subjective meaning in life, and posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms and symptom clusters in US veterans, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

METHODS

Data from a Veteran Affairs (VA) funded intervention study (n = 191) were examined. Self-report measures of depressive symptoms, general self-efficacy, and meaning in life were collected, along with clinician-rated symptoms of PTSD.

RESULTS

Meaning in life was consistently inversely associated with posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms and symptom clusters cross-sectionally, whereas general self-efficacy was only inversely associated with some aspects of depressive symptoms. Longitudinal analyses further revealed that meaning in life was inversely associated with the cluster D symptoms of PTSD and the cognitive-affective symptoms of depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher meaning in life is associated with less severe symptoms of posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms, particularly those related to mood. Additional research is needed to determine whether interventions designed to increase meaning in life attenuate these symptoms.

With Great Sensitivity Comes Great Management: How Emotional Hypersensitivity Can Be the Superpower of Emotional Intelligence

With the goal of furthering the understanding and investigation of emotional intelligence (EI), the present paper aims to address some of the characteristics that make EI a useful skill and, ultimately, a predictor of important life outcomes. Recently, the construct of hypersensitivity has been presented as one such necessary function, suggesting that high-EI individuals are more sensitive to emotions and emotional information than low-EI individuals. In this contribution, we aim to shift the perception of hypersensitivity, which is mostly seen with a negative connotation in the literature, to the perspective that hypersensitivity has the capacity to result in both negative and positive outcomes. We advance this possibility by discussing the characteristics that distinguish hypersensitive individuals who are also emotionally intelligent from those who are not. Based on an emotion information processing approach, we posit that emotional intelligence stems from the ability to manage one's level of hypersensitivity: high-EI individuals are those who are better able to use hypersensitivity as an adaptive rather than a disabling feature. Ultimately, we propose that hypersensitivity can represent a sort of "superpower" that, when paired with regulatory processes that balance this hypersensitivity, characterizes the functioning of high-EI individuals and accounts for the positive outcomes reported in the literature.

Identifying significant correlates of purpose in life in older US military veterans: results from the national health and resilience in veterans study

OBJECTIVE

Perceived purpose in life (PIL) has been linked to a broad range of adverse physical, mental, and cognitive outcomes. However, limited research has examined factors associated with PIL that can be targeted in prevention and treatment efforts in aging populations at heightened risk of adverse outcomes. Using data from predominantly older US veterans, we sought to identify important correlates of PIL.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of 4069 US military veterans (Mage = 62.2). Elastic net and relative importance analyses were conducted to evaluate sociodemographic, military, health, and psychosocial variables that were strongly associated with PIL.

RESULTS

Of the 39 variables entered into an elastic net analysis, 10 were identified as significant correlates of PIL. In order of magnitude, these were resilience (18.7% relative variance explained [RVE]), optimism (12.1%), depressive symptoms (11.3%), community integration (10.7%), gratitude (10.2%), loneliness (9.8%), received social support (8.6%), conscientiousness (8.5%), openness to experience (5.4%), and intrinsic religiosity (4.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

Several modifiable psychosocial factors emerged as significant correlates of PIL in US military veterans. Interventions designed to target these factors may help increase PIL and mitigate risk for adverse health outcomes in this population.

Narrative-based autobiographical memory interventions for PTSD: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Introduction

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy of narrative-based interventions (NBIs) for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Investigating the efficacy of NBIs should yield insight on autobiographical memory (AM) phenomena implicated in PTSD onset and recovery, leading to improved intervention protocols. Furthermore, by analyzing how NBIs influence maladaptive AM distortions, we hope to shed light on the theorized narrative architecture of AM more generally.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted according to PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and PubMed. Additional studies were then also identified from the reference lists of other relevant literature and considered for inclusion. Studies were then evaluated for adherence to the inclusion/exclusion criteria and assessed for risk of bias. Various meta-analyses were performed on included studies to understand how NBIs may or may not influence the overall effect size of treatment.

Results

The results of the meta-analysis of 35 studies, involving 2,596 participants, suggest that NBIs are a viable and effective treatment option for PTSD, yielding a statistically significant within-group effect size and decrease in PTSD symptomatology at both post-treatment [g = 1.73, 95% CI (1.23-2.22)] and 3-9 month follow-up assessments [g = 2.33, 95% CI (1.41-3.26)]. Furthermore, the difference in effect sizes between NBIs compared to active and waitlist controls was statistically significant, suggesting that NBIs are superior. Sub-analyses showed that NET provided a stronger effect size than FORNET, which may be due to the nature of the traumatic event itself and not the treatment protocol. While evidence of small study and publication bias was present, a weight-function model and trim-and-fill method suggested it was not influencing the overall results.

Discussion

This meta-analysis presents strong evidence supporting the use of NBIs in the treatment of PTSD. Clear similarities can be identified between NBIs included in this analysis that make them distinct from non-NBI interventions, which are reviewed in the discussion. Controlled comparisons between NBIs and non-NBIs would help to further understand AM mechanisms of action implicated in recovery and how various interventions facilitate them. Future research should also aim to elucidate the full range of AM impairment in individuals with PTSD to gain insight on how other memory capabilities, such as the ability to mentally simulate the future, are implicated in the pathogenesis of PTSD.

Important Correlates of Purpose in Life in a Diverse Population-Based Cohort: A Machine Learning Approach

BACKGROUND

Purpose-in-life (PiL) refers to the tendency to derive meaning and purpose from daily life experiences. Individuals with higher PiL were more likely to have better physical, mental, and cognitive health in prospective studies. Here, we aimed to identify important correlates of PiL among people of diverse backgrounds.

METHODS

Participants were recruited by the population-based Health and Retirement Study and provided information on 34 different sociodemographic and psychosocial factors through psychometrically validated measures. To identify important correlates of PiL, we employed regularized regression implemented by Elastic Net on the entire cohort as well as among self-identified black participants only and white participants only, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 6,620 participants were included in this study, among whom 913 were black and 5,707 were white. We identified 12 and 23 important sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of PiL among black and white participants, respectively. Notably, all the 12 correlates in black participants were also correlates among white participants. Interestingly, when we examined both black and white participants together, being black was associated with having higher PiL. The correlates with the largest effect on PiL that were shared among black and white participants were hopelessness, perceived constraint on personal control, and self-mastery.

CONCLUSION

Several sociodemographic and psychosocial factors most strongly associated with PiL were shared among black and white participants. Future studies should investigate whether interventions targeting correlates of PiL can lead to higher sense of life purpose in participants of diverse backgrounds.

Purpose in life, stress mindset, and perceived stress: Test of a mediational model

Purpose in life is associated with less perceived stress and more positive worldviews. This study examined whether people with more purpose adopt a mindset that views stress as beneficial rather than harmful and whether this mindset is one mechanism between purpose and less stress. We used a short-term longitudinal study (N=2,147) to test stress mindset as a mediator between purpose in life measured prior to the pandemic and stress measured early in the pandemic. We also tested Covid-related worry as a mechanism, given the measurement period spanned pre-pandemic to the first shutdowns in the United States. In contrast to expectations, purpose was unrelated to whether stress was conceptualized as beneficial or harmful (b=.00, SE=.02; p=.710) and thus stress mindset did not mediate the prospective association between purpose and stress. Both purpose in life (b=-.41, SE=.04, p<.001) and stress mindset (b=-.24, SE=.04; p<.001) were independent prospective predictors of stress. Purpose was related to less Covid-related worry, which was a significant mechanism between purpose and stress (indirect effect=-.03, SE=.01; p=.023). A stress-is-enhancing mindset predicted less stress but did not explain why purpose was associated with less perceived stress, whereas fewer Covid-related worries was one pathway from purpose to less stress.

Meaning in life as a protective factor against depression

The main objective of this study was to analyze the mediating role that meaning in life has between emotion dysregulation and depressive symptomatology in Spanish university students. Five hundred and sixty-six Spanish university students participated in the study. All of them completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Purpose in Life Test (PIL-10). A mediation model was performed to test the hypothesis that meaning in life mediates the effect of emotional dysregulation on depressive symptomatology in college students. The results show a positive, moderate, and statistically significant correlation between depression and emotional dysregulation. In addition, a negative, moderate, and statistically significant correlation was found between depression and meaning in life, and a negative, small, and statistically significant correlation between emotional dysregulation and meaning in life. Finally, the results of the mediation model evidence the role of meaning in life in different emotional dysregulation strategies and depressive symptomatology. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating the meaning in life variable in the development and implementation of prevention and treatment programs for psychological disorders.

Reduced Epigenetic Age in Older Adults With High Sense of Purpose in Life

Psychosocial risk factors have been linked with accelerated epigenetic aging, but little is known about whether psychosocial resilience factors (eg, Sense of Purpose in Life) might reduce epigenetic age acceleration. In this study, we tested if older adults who experience high levels of Purpose might show reduced epigenetic age acceleration. We evaluated the relationship between Purpose and epigenetic age acceleration as measured by 13 DNA methylation (DNAm) "epigenetic clocks" assessed in 1 572 older adults from the Health and Retirement Study (mean age 70 years). We quantified the total association between Purpose and DNAm age acceleration as well as the extent to which that total association might be attributable to demographic factors, chronic disease, other psychosocial variables (eg, positive affect), and health-related behaviors (heavy drinking, smoking, physical activity, and body mass index [BMI]). Purpose in Life was associated with reduced epigenetic age acceleration across 4 "second-generation" DNAm clocks optimized for predicting health and longevity (false discovery rate [FDR] q < 0.0001: PhenoAge, GrimAge, Zhang epigenetic mortality index; FDR q < 0.05: DunedinPoAm). These associations were independent of demographic and psychosocial factors, but substantially attenuated after adjusting for health-related behaviors (drinking, smoking, physical activity, and BMI). Purpose showed no significant association with 9 "first-generation" DNAm epigenetic clocks trained on chronological age. Older adults with greater Purpose in Life show "younger" DNAm epigenetic age acceleration. These results may be due in part to associated differences in health-related behaviors. Results suggest new opportunities to reduce biological age acceleration by enhancing Purpose and its behavioral sequelae in late adulthood.

Sense of purpose in life and allostatic load in two longitudinal cohorts

OBJECTIVE

Sense of purpose in life has been linked with better physical health, longevity, and reduced risk for disability and dementia, but the mechanisms linking sense of purpose with diverse health outcomes are unclear. Sense of purpose may promote better physiological regulation in response to stressors and health challenges, leading to lower allostatic load and disease risk over time. The current study examined the association between sense of purpose in life and allostatic load over time in adults over age 50.

METHODS

Data from the nationally representative US Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) were used to examine associations between sense of purpose and allostatic load across 8 and 12 years of follow-up, respectively. Blood-based and anthropometric biomarkers were collected at four-year intervals and used to compute allostatic load scores based on clinical cut-off values representing low, moderate, and high risk.

RESULTS

Population-weighted multilevel models revealed that sense of purpose in life was associated with lower overall levels of allostatic load in HRS, but not in ELSA after adjusting for relevant covariates. Sense of purpose in life did not predict rate of change in allostatic load in either sample.

CONCLUSIONS

The present investigation supports sense of purpose predicting preserved differentiation of allostatic regulation, with more purposeful individuals demonstrating consistently lower allostatic load over time. Persistent differences in allostatic burden may account for divergent health trajectories between individuals low and high in sense of purpose.

Longitudinal Trends in Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among US Military Veterans During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Importance

Concerns have been raised since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that vulnerable populations, such as military veterans, may be at increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs).

Objective

To examine longitudinal trends in STBs in US military veterans during the first 3 years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study is a population-based longitudinal study including US military veterans that used 3 surveys from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Median dates of data collection were November 21, 2019 (prepandemic); November 14, 2020; and August 18, 2022.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Lifetime and past-year suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempt.

Results

In this longitudinal study including 2441 veterans (mean [SD] age, 63.2 years [14.0]; 2182 [92.1%] male), past-year suicidal ideation decreased from 9.3% prepandemic (95% CI, 8.2%-10.6%) to 6.8% a year later (95% CI%, 5.8-7.9%) and then slightly increased to 7.7% (95% CI, 6.7%-8.9%) 2 years later. In total, 9 veterans (0.4%) reported attempting suicide at least once during the follow-up period, while 100 (3.8%) developed new-onset suicidal ideation and 28 (1.2%) developed new-onset suicide planning. After adjusting for sociodemographic and military characteristics, factors strongly associated with new-onset suicidal ideation included higher education (odds ratio [OR], 3.27; 95% CI, 1.95-5.46), lifetime substance use disorder (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.23-3.46), prepandemic loneliness (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.09-1.49), and lower prepandemic purpose in life (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.97). Factors associated with new-onset suicide planning included lifetime substance use disorder (OR, 3.03; 95% CI, 1.22-7.55), higher prepandemic psychiatric distress (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.06-2.18), and lower prepandemic purpose in life (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.81-0.95).

Conclusions and Relevance

Contrary to expectations, the prevalence of STBs did not increase for most US veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, veterans with preexisting loneliness, psychiatric distress, and lower purpose in life were at heightened risk of developing new-onset suicidal ideation and suicide planning during the pandemic. Evidence-based prevention and intervention efforts that target these factors may help mitigate suicide risk in this population.

The Relationship between Meaning in Life and the Childhood Family Environment among Emerging Adults

This study investigates the impact of the childhood family environment on reported meaning in life among emerging adults (n = 507) at a private, urban, religious university. This study found that participants who reported growing up in an emotionally warm family environment ultimately reported more meaning in life as adults and that this effect was mediated by loneliness. This suggests that people from emotionally cold and rejecting early family environments may struggle with meaning in life as adults because they are lonelier. This research contributes a developmental perspective to understanding meaning in life. The public health implications of these findings are discussed. Future research should consider accounting for the effects of early life experiences on meaning in life.

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.

Changes in suicide in California from 2017 to 2021: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a major public health problem with immediate and long-term effects on individuals, families, and communities. In 2020 and 2021, stressors wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, stay-at-home mandates, economic turmoil, social unrest, and growing inequality likely modified risk for self-harm. The coinciding surge in firearm purchasing may have increased risk for firearm suicide. In this study, we examined changes in counts and rates of suicide in California across sociodemographic groups during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic relative to prior years.

METHODS

We used California-wide death data to summarize suicide and firearm suicide across race/ethnicity, age, education, gender, and urbanicity. We compared case counts and rates in 2020 and 2021 with 2017-2019 averages.

RESULTS

Suicide decreased overall in 2020 (4123 deaths; 10.5 per 100,000) and 2021 (4104; 10.4 per 100,000), compared to pre-pandemic (4484; 11.4 per 100,000). The decrease in counts was driven largely by males, white, and middle-aged Californians. Conversely, Black Californians and young people (age 10 to 19) experienced increased burden and rates of suicide. Firearm suicide also decreased following the onset of the pandemic, but relatively less than overall suicide; as a result, the proportion of suicides that involved a firearm increased (from 36.1% pre-pandemic to 37.6% in 2020 and 38.1% in 2021). Females, people aged 20 to 29, and Black Californians had the largest increase in the likelihood of using a firearm in suicide following the onset of the pandemic. The proportion of suicides that involved a firearm in 2020 and 2021 decreased in rural areas compared to prior years, while there were modest increases in urban areas.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic and co-occurring stressors coincided with heterogeneous changes in risk of suicide across the California population. Marginalized racial groups and younger people experienced increased risk for suicide, particularly involving a firearm. Public health intervention and policy action are necessary to prevent fatal self-harm injuries and reduce related inequities.

Bereaved mothers' experience of expressing and donating breast milk: An interpretative phenomenological study

Perinatal loss is a devastating event for any mother. What is often overlooked is a mothers continued ability to lactate following the death of her child. Donor breast milk is a commodity highly sought after given its value for feeding sick babies resident in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. This study aimed to explore the lived experience of mothers who have expressed and donated their breast milk following the loss of their infant. Seven bereaved mothers who donated milk to the Human Milk Bank in Northern Ireland were recruited. These women took part in semistructured interviews, which explored their experiences of perinatal loss and the role that expression/donation played for them in their grief. Their accounts were analysed using a qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) method. After transcription and analysis, three superordinate themes emerged; (1) fulfilling the mother role; (2) the power of being able to 'Do'; (3) making good from the bad. The stories of these women reflect the independent and individual nature of grief. Each mother gained a great deal of comfort in having the ability to express milk. For some this created a physical connection to their child, for others, it created time alone to process what had happened and for all, it created a sense of autonomy and ownership in what was otherwise a very turbulent time in their lives.

Within-Person Temporal Associations Among Self-Reported Physical Activity, Sleep, and Well-Being in College Students

OBJECTIVE

A holistic understanding of the naturalistic dynamics among physical activity, sleep, emotions, and purpose in life as part of a system reflecting wellness is key to promoting well-being. The main aim of this study was to examine the day-to-day dynamics within this wellness system.

METHODS

Using self-reported emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, anxiousness) and physical activity periods collected twice per day, and daily reports of sleep and purpose in life via smartphone experience sampling, more than 28 days as college students ( n = 226 young adults; mean [standard deviation] = 20.2 [1.7] years) went about their daily lives, we examined day-to-day temporal and contemporaneous dynamics using multilevel vector autoregressive models that consider the network of wellness together.

RESULTS

Network analyses revealed that higher physical activity on a given day predicted an increase of happiness the next day. Higher sleep quality on a given night predicted a decrease in negative emotions the next day, and higher purpose in life predicted decreased negative emotions up to 2 days later. Nodes with the highest centrality were sadness, anxiety, and happiness in the temporal network and purpose in life, anxiety, and anger in the contemporaneous network.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the effects of sleep and physical activity on emotions and purpose in life may be shorter term, a sense of purpose in life is a critical component of wellness that can have slightly longer effects, bleeding into the next few days. High-arousal emotions and purpose in life are central to motivating people into action, which can lead to behavior change.

Changes in self-harm and suicide in California from 2017-2021: a population-based study

Background : Self-harm and suicide are major public health problems with immediate and long-term effects on individuals, families, and communities. In 2020 and 2021, stressors wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, stay-at-home mandates, economic turmoil, social unrest, and growing inequality likely modified risk for self-harm. The coinciding surge in firearm purchasing may have increased risk for firearm suicide. In this study, we examined changes in counts and rates of fatal and nonfatal intentional self-harm in California across sociodemographic groups during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic relative to prior years. Methods: We used California-wide death data and University of California (UC)-wide hospital data to summarize fatal and nonfatal instances of intentional self-harm across race/ethnicity, age, education, gender, region, and method of harm. We compared case counts and rates in 2020 and 2021 with 2017-2019 averages. Results : Suicide decreased overall in 2020 (4123 deaths; 10.5 per 100,000) and 2021 (4104; 10.4 per 100,000), compared to pre-pandemic (4484; 11.4 per 100,000). The decrease in counts was driven largely by males, white, and middle-aged Californians. Conversely, Black Californians and young people (age 10-19) experienced increased burden and rates of suicide. Firearm suicide also decreased following the onset of the pandemic, but relatively less than overall suicide; as a result, the proportion of suicides that involved a firearm increased (from 36.1% pre-pandemic to 37.6% in 2020 and 38.1% in 2021). Females, people aged 20-29, and Black Californians had the largest increase in the likelihood of using a firearm in suicide following the onset of the pandemic. Counts and rates of nonfatal, intentional self-harm in UC hospitals increased in 2020 (2160; 30.7 per 100,000) and 2021 (2175; 30.9 per 100,000) compared to pre-pandemic (2083; 29.6 per 100,000), especially among young people (age 10-19), females, and Hispanic Californians. Conclusions : The COVID-19 pandemic and co-occurring stressors coincided with heterogeneous changes in risk of self-harm and suicide across the California population. Marginalized racial groups, females, and younger people experienced increased risk for self-harm, particularly involving a firearm. Public health intervention and policy action are necessary to prevent fatal and nonfatal self-harm injuries and reduce related inequities.

Investigating the Link Between IADL and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Serial Mediation Model

OBJECTIVES

There is a dearth of research on the psychological processes that underlie the negative relation between impaired instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and depressive symptoms in older adults. Drawing on the stress process model and the resilience framework, we investigated whether purpose in life and resilience serially mediate the relationship between impaired IADL and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

We recruited 111 cognitively healthy community-dwelling older adults (ages 54-85; M = 66.5) who scored a minimum of 25 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination.

RESULTS

We found that purpose in life and resilience serially mediated the relationship between IADL and depressive symptomatology in older adults. This association held true when we controlled for covariates. Additional sensitivity analyses also supported these findings.

CONCLUSIONS

This study extends our understanding of how IADL limitations contribute to depressive symptoms. Using a community-dwelling, cognitively healthy sample, we demonstrate that functional limitations indirectly influence older adults' depressive symptoms through a decreased sense of purpose in life and decreased resilience.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Our findings have implications for intervention programs that aim to alleviate IADL limitations and mental health issues in an aging population and promote healthy aging by improving psychosocial resources (i.e., purpose in life and resilience).

The role of meaning in life in psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Meaning in life may function as a protective factor in the context of potentially traumatic experiences, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the associations between meaning and psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, COVID-19-related PTSD) prospectively and cross-sectionally. We hypothesized that meaning inversely predicts peri-pandemic distress and that meaning moderates the association between being negatively affected by the pandemic and distress. We additionally explored cross-sectional associations between meaning subcomponents and distress and a meaning violations perspective.

METHODS

Undergraduate students (N = 109) completed questionnaires before (October 2019 to March 2020; meaning, anxiety) and during the pandemic (April to June 2020; meaning, meaning subcomponents, depression, anxiety, PTSD).

RESULTS

Correcting for family-wise errors, meaning prospectively predicted less depression and anxiety, but not PTSD. Correcting for family-wise errors, peri-pandemic meaning was consistently related with peri-pandemic distress. Meaning did not moderate the link between being affected by the pandemic and distress. The meaning subcomponent comprehension was most strongly related with distress and a meaning violations perspective was partly supported.

CONCLUSION

Meaning emerged as a significant correlate of peri-pandemic distress. Current findings should be replicated longitudinally and experimentally to establish their robustness and to examine the causal influence of meaning on distress.

An empirical evaluation of The Resilience Shield model

Background

Resilience refers to the process through which individuals deal with the adversity they experience. Previous research has shown there are multiple factors that contribute to individuals’ resilience, leading to increasing interest in the development of multidimensional resilience models. Once such recently proposed model is The Resilience Shield, which clusters groups of protective factors into different shield layers. The stronger these layers, the better the protection against adversity (Pronk et al. in The Resilience Shield, Pan Macmillan Australia, 2021). While this model was based in part on existing literature, no empirical evaluation has occurred to date. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the model fit for each of the modifiable shield layers and the overall model, and to examine whether each of the constructs included contributes to observed resilience scores.

Methods

Participants completed a series of questionnaires via The Resilience Shield website assessing constructs relevant to each resilience shield layer. Data from 3337 participants was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling and regression analyses.

Results

The results showed acceptable fit of the measurement model for the Social, Mind, and Professional Layers, but poor fit for the Body Layer. There was also good fit for the overall model. In addition, all but one of the constructs included in The Resilience Shield survey explained independent variance in either dispositional resilience scores, or dispositional vulnerability scores.

Conclusion

These results broadly support the multidimensional structure proposed by The Resilience Shield model and suggest that (at least in the population in which it was tested) this may be an acceptable model to index individuals’ performance on a range of indicators that contribute to resilience.

The tie that binds: temporal coding and adaptive emotion

Emotions are temporally dynamic, but the persistence of emotions outside of their appropriate temporal context is detrimental to health and well-being. Yet, precisely how temporal coding and emotional processing interact remains unclear. Recently unveiled temporal context representations in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex (EC), and prefrontal cortex (PFC) support memory for what happened when. Here, we discuss how these neural temporal representations may interact with densely interconnected amygdala circuitry to shape emotional functioning. We propose a neuroanatomically informed framework suggesting that high-fidelity temporal representations linked to dynamic experiences promote emotion regulation and adaptive emotional memories. Then, we discuss how newly-identified synaptic and molecular features of amygdala-hippocampal projections suggest that intense, amygdala-dependent emotional responses may distort temporal-coding mechanisms. We conclude by identifying key avenues for future research.

The relationship between anxiety and depression under the pandemic: The role of life meaning

Introduction

COVID-19 is a stressor creating much anxiety for the general public, such as anxiety related to possible infection, social distancing, financial strain and uncertainty. As the scientific literature shows that there is an intimate relationship between anxiety and depression, it is important to ask whether anxiety is related to depression under the pandemic and whether spirituality indexed by life meaning can moderate the relationship between anxiety and depression. According to theories highlighting the importance of life meaning, relative to people with a higher level of life meaning, the relationship between anxiety and depression would be stronger in people with a lower level of life meaning.

Methods

Empirically, we collected data in two waves (i.e., before and after the first wave of COVID-19, respectively) from 4,981 adolescents recruited in Sichuan, China. Then, the 41-item “Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders” was employed to measure anxiety symptoms, 20-item “Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale” was utilized to examine depression symptoms, and the “Spirituality Subscale of the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale” for assessing life meaning.

Results

We found that anxiety significantly predicted depression at each wave and across time. Second, controlling for Wave 1 depression scores, results showed that a drop in Wave 1 anxiety predicted a drop in depressive symptoms over time. Regarding the relationship between meaning in life and depression, spirituality indexed by meaning in life negatively predicted depression at each wave and over time, and predicted change in depression across time. Finally, multiple regression analyses showed that life meaning moderated the predictive effect of anxiety on depression.

Discussion

The findings support the thesis that spirituality serves as a protective factor for psychological morbidity in Chinese adolescents. The study also suggests the importance of helping adolescents to develop life meaning under COVID-19.

The fear of COVID-19 and flourishing: the mediating role of search for meaning and presence of meaning

Past researches have found that sense of control and meaning in life can act as a protective factor against fear of COVID-19 pandemic. The current study examined whether the search for meaning and the presence of meaning could mediate the link between fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. A total of 312 Iranians who were identified by snowball sampling were recruited as the subjects of the cross-sectional study. The participants gave their consent to complete the Meaning in Life Scale, Flourishing Scale, and Fear of COVID-19 Scale. The findings demonstrated that fear of COVID-19 had a significant direct effect on flourishing. The presence meaning was positively and significantly connected with flourishing and the search for meaning. Both the search for - and the presence - of meaning were negatively and significantly linked with fear of COVID-19. Mediation analysis demonstrated that a presence of meaning is a protective factor for flourishing, but the search for meaning can be detrimental to flourishing. As a result, it may be worthwhile to conduct longitudinal research to track how the effects of the presence of meaning and the search for meaning vary over time. The study calls on mental health providers to take into account how the presence of meaning might lessen the negative impacts of fear in crisis situations and promote flourishing.

Older adults recall memories of life challenges: the role of sense of purpose in the life story

Late life is still often characterized as a time of loss and decline. The current study moved beyond this view, using both the resilience framework and the life story approach to highlight the rich life experiences of older adults. Doing so created an opportunity to explore perspectives on sense of purpose in life, from the vantage point of old age. The study had two central questions. That is, how have older adults drawn on their sense of purpose across their lives, and what factors led to the development of a sense of purpose? Following guidelines for the consensual qualitative research method (CQR; Hill et al., The Counseling Psychologist, 25(4), 517-572, 1997; Hill & Knox, 2021), in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 older women and men (aged 60 - 100 years) and transcribed for analysis. The CQR method revealed seven domains in the interviews. Three domains were relevant to the first research question, including: overcoming life challenges to pursue purpose, perspective-taking to maintain purpose, and purpose as part of one's religion. Four domains provided insights on the second research question: life background influencing purpose, shifts in purpose across life, fulfilling purpose across life, and obstacles to pursuing purpose in life. Findings highlighted how older people use sense of purpose as a guide in the face of life's inevitable challenges. They also revealed the unique life story paths that lead to the development of purpose across individuals' lifetimes. The implications of maintaining a sense of purpose in life, across the later years, are discussed.

Religious-based interventions for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies

BACKGROUND

Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder. In the treatment of depressive symptoms, patients' religious practices and beliefs are often not considered. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs to analyse the effect of religious interventions on depression.

METHODS

A literature screening was performed on August 2021, using the Cochrane Collaboration, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Primary source articles published from 2015 to August 2021 in peer-reviewed journals were eligible for inclusion if data were presented on religious interventions' effects on depression.

RESULTS

The literature search yielded 208 potentially relevant publications. Eight articles were identified and included in the review. One of the articles was excluded from the meta-analysis because it did not report the mean data for the baseline and follow-up assessment results. From the 7 out of 8 included studies, the results consistently indicated that religious-based interventions effectively reduced depressive symptoms among vulnerable persons with chronic medical illness, pregnant women, haemodialysis patients, elderly nursing home residents, people with major depressive disorders or dysthymia, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients.

LIMITATIONS

The definition of the religious-based intervention varied substantially among the trials. These differences can make interpretation and comparing implications on the treatment of depression difficult.

CONCLUSION

Compared to standard/other usual therapies for treating depression, religious-based interventions provide superior effects. This review and meta-analysis strongly suggest that patients' religious beliefs should be considered when diagnosing and treating depression.

Sense of purpose in life and inflammation in healthy older adults: A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

A higher sense of purpose in life has been linked with reduced risk of age-related chronic health conditions that share elevated inflammation as a key risk factor (e.g., neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, and diabetes). While prior research has documented cross-sectional associations between higher sense of purpose and lower inflammation, few studies have examined the association between purpose and changes in inflammation over time.

OBJECTIVE

We tested if a higher sense of purpose was prospectively associated with lower likelihood of developing unhealthy C-reactive protein levels in older adults who initially had healthy CRP levels (i.e., <3 ug/mL).

METHODS

Participants were 6925 adults aged > 50 in the Health and Retirement Study who were followed for 8 years. Participants completed the purpose in life subscale of the Ryff Psychological Well-being Scales at study baseline in 2006/2008. CRP was obtained from blood spots collected at baseline and after 4 and 8 years of follow-up. Pooled logistic regression estimated discrete-time hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between baseline purpose and onset of unhealthy CRP levels (>3 ug/mL).

RESULTS

There was no strong evidence of an association between baseline continuous purpose scores and onset of unhealthy CRP levels over time in the overall analytic sample. In sex-stratified models, higher purpose was associated with lower hazards of developing unhealthy CRP levels among men, while associations were null in women (e.g., in sociodemographics-adjusted model, men: HR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.79-0.99; women: HR=0.96, 95% CI: 0.85-1.08; interaction between continuous purpose scores and sex p = 0.15).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that a higher versus lower sense of purpose is associated with lower inflammation levels in older men. In specific populations, purpose may serve as a novel target for future interventions aimed at reducing inflammation.

Evaluating the Impact of Community Gardening on Sense of Purpose for Persons Living with Dementia: A Cluster-Randomized Mixed Methods Pilot Study

Background:

Gardening has been shown to have positive effects on persons living with dementia, but no studies have explored the effects of gardening on sense of purpose.

Objective:

Explore how gardening may influence sense of purpose for people with dementia.

Methods:

Ten residents with dementia diagnoses living in a skilled care facility participated in hour-long gardening sessions twice weekly at outdoor raised beds over a two-month duration. One group (n = 5) donated vegetables to a food pantry while the other (n = 5) harvested produce for personal use. Semi-structured interviews with participants and their caregivers conducted post-intervention were analyzed for themes.

Results:

Participants and caregivers reported biopsychosocial benefits of gardening, identifying four main themes: 1) Gardening outdoors provided specific physical benefits that improved quality of life; 2) Working on a project in a group setting improved mood and fostered a sense of community; 3) Gardening promoted reminiscence and reinforced a sense of self; 4) Gardening provided participants with a sense of purpose and pride.

Conclusion:

Gardening has biopsychosocial benefits for persons living with dementia, and there appears to be additive benefit linked to improved sense of purpose via charitable giving.

Association between purpose in life and healthcare use among women and men in Germany: cross-sectional analysis of the nationally representative German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) study

OBJECTIVES

It remains almost unknown whether purpose in life is associated with healthcare use (HCU) in general. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the association between purpose in life and HCU (in terms of frequency of outpatient physician visits and hospitalisation) stratified by sex.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A representative sample of the general adult population in Germany (n=1238; collected from September 2020 to February 2021); taken from the innovation sample of the German Socio-Economic Panel.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The frequency of outpatient physician visits in the past 3 months was used as first outcome measure. Hospitalisation in the last 12 months was used as the second outcome measure. Purpose in life was quantified by means of the subscale 'purpose in life' of the six-factor model of psychological well-being. Covariates were selected based on the Andersen model.

RESULTS

Average purpose in life equaled 4.5 (SD: 0.8; ranging on a scale from 1 to 6, with higher values indicating higher purpose in life). Adjusting for various potential confounders, regressions revealed that higher purpose in life was associated with an increased frequency of outpatient physician visits in the past 3 months among women (IRR 1.16, 95% CI:1.03 to 1.30), but not men (IRR 0.96, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.07). In contrast, higher purpose in life was associated with in an increased likelihood of hospitalisation among men (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.93), but not women (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.34).

CONCLUSION

Even after adjusting for various potential confounders, there was still a gender-specific association between higher purpose in life and increased HCU. This knowledge may assist in addressing individuals at risk for underuse or overuse of healthcare services.

Discourses of Mental Wellness Among Adolescents Living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa

Background

Adolescence is a unique period of development where individuals transition from childhood to adulthood, and where they are at heightened risk for developing mental health problems and engaging in risky behaviours. In addition, adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) must learn to cope with challenges related to the biological impact of a chronic condition, adhering to lifelong treatment, and managing HIV-related psychological and social challenges. Mental wellness as a precursor to mental wellbeing, is vital to facilitate persistent adherence and engagement in care for optimal treatment outcomes for ALHIV. However, little is known about how ALHIV understand and talk about mental wellness in the context being on HIV treatment.

Methods

We conducted a photovoice study with 12 groups, consisting of 43 ALHIV, aged 15–19 years, and receiving HIV treatment at three public primary health care facilities in the Western Cape Metropole in South Africa.

Results

Through discourse analysis, we identified six themes that depicted mental wellness concepts that were prominent in their experiences, namely, connectedness, spirituality and mindfulness, social coherence and awareness, self-esteem, self-acceptance, and sense of coherence. In addition, the adolescents gave accounts of six mental wellness behaviours namely, self-efficacy, coping, resilience, life purpose, engagement in enjoyable life activities and physical functioning.

Discussion

These concepts and behaviours are similar to those identified in targeted interventions aimed at ALHIV. These mental wellness concepts and behaviours are critical to improving health outcomes for ALHIV and should be targeted in the delivery of youth friendly services and integrated HIV care in public healthcare facilities in South Africa and the sub-Saharan African continent.

Sense of purpose predicts daily positive events and attenuates their influence on positive affect

Sense of purpose has proven a consistent predictor of positive outcomes during adulthood. However, it remains unclear how purposeful adults respond to positive events in their daily lives. The current study examined whether sense of purpose predicted the frequency of daily positive events, as well as participants' affect on days with a positive event, across 8 days in an adult sample (n = 1959; mean age: 56 years). Sense of purpose predicted a greater frequency of daily positive events. Moreover, sense of purpose moderated the associations between daily positive events and daily positive affect; purposeful adults experienced less of an increase in positive affect both on the current day and the day following the positive event. Findings are discussed with respect to how purpose in life may serve homeostatic functions, insofar that having a life direction reduces responsivity to daily events and promote affect stability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Negative marital interaction, purpose in life, and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older couples: evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

OBJECTIVE

Negative marital interaction and purpose in life have been associated with depressive symptoms. Yet, these associations have not been fully explored in a dyadic context. This study examines the actor (intra-individual) and partner (cross-spousal) effects of negative marital interaction on depressive symptoms in couples and the potential mediating role of purpose in life.

METHODS

Data came from 1186 heterosexual married couples who participated in the 2016 (T1) and 2018 (T2) waves of the Health and Retirement Study and completed the psychosocial questionnaire in 2016. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the direct and indirect associations among T1 negative marital interaction, T1 purpose in life, and T2 depressive symptoms at the actor and partner levels. Models controlled for age, race, educational level, self-rated health, and length of marriage.

RESULTS

At the actor level, a greater negative marital interaction was associated with significantly lower levels of purpose in life for husbands and wives. Negative marital interaction was also associated with depressive symptoms for wives. Purpose in life mediated the relationship between negative marital interaction and depressive symptoms. At the partner level, wives' negative marital interaction was negatively associated with husbands' purpose in life, independent of husbands' own effects.

CONCLUSION

The findings support the dominant marital discord model of depression and highlight gender differences in the cross-spousal effects of negative marital interaction on purpose in life. Positive psychology interventions can be beneficial to promote purpose in life and subsequently improve mental health outcomes among couples.

Ikigai and subsequent health and wellbeing among Japanese older adults: Longitudinal outcome-wide analysis

Background

Methods

Findings

Interpretation

Funding

Post-traumatic Growth and Psychological Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Serial Mediation Model

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued guidelines for managing to contain, mitigate, and limit of the COVID-19. However, it is more essential to highlight the urgency and importance of evaluating social functioning and mental health status during the pandemic. College students have experienced serious problems and have had to overcome many negative situations brought about by the pandemic. Accordingly, the present study intended to use Chinese college students as sample to examine the positive adoption and changes during the ongoing COVID-19. Guided by literatures in this filed, we explored the internal mechanism of post-traumatic growth affecting psychological resilience, and considered about mediation roles of positive coping styles and cognitive reappraisal. A total of 463 college students from universities in China effectively completed online questionnaires. The result indicated that these four variables were positively correlated with each other (ps < 0.001). More importantly, our findings proved a direct and positive effect on psychological resilience. Positive coping styles and cognitive reappraisal, respectively, mediated the relationship between post-traumatic growth and psychological resilience. Over all, the hypothesized serial model conclusively fits the data: students with high-level post-traumatic growth tended to report increased use of positive coping strategies, which further facilitated their cognitive reappraisal, and subsequently, promoted their psychological resilience. The findings obtained in this study will provide a theoretical basis and possible viable strategies for both targeted crisis intervention and psychological trauma recovery plans.

Longitudinal Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Older Adults' Wellbeing

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major stressful life event. This pandemic is causing significant changes in older adults' daily life affecting their physical and mental health. Psychological wellbeing is a protective variable when facing adverse circumstances, like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on older adults' psychological wellbeing (personal growth and purpose in life) over time.

Materials and Methods

One hundred ninety-two people over 60 years old participated in a longitudinal study. Data were collected in three time points: during the lockdown on March 2020, when the lockdown finished (4 months after baseline), and during the third wave (10 months after baseline). We used latent growth curve models to assess the linear longitudinal trajectories of psychological wellbeing.

Results

Older adults did not show worse psychological wellbeing over time. Age has a positive impact on purpose in life. Furthermore, being a male, worrying about adverse effects of COVID-19, family functioning, resilience, personal growth, and acceptance associated with purpose in life.

Discussion

These results suggest that despite the difficult circumstances experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults have used protective variables for their psychological wellbeing.

Primary and secondary care approach to paediatric mental health conditions: a novel model of care

The enforced isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in mental health issues and severity of presentations to emergency departments in Ireland. Long waiting lists for both Psychology and Psychiatry are further impacting on children's mental well-being. We proposed the creation of a 'Happiness Toolkit' that can be given to children on presentation to their primary or secondary care provider with a mental health issue. The toolkit is comprised of six evidence-based techniques that are proven to boost self-esteem, develop resilience and promote positive mental health. A leaflet detailing the practices along with a physical 'box' that the children must make were created. This resource may therefore provide immediate support to those children that may endure long waiting periods, sometimes greater than a year and a half, for referral to tertiary services. Our toolkit allows children and their families to engage in positive mental health practices that may prevent regression during this waiting period and lead to improved mental health or cessation of symptoms.

Purpose in Life and Character Strengths as Predictors of Health Sciences Students' Psychopathology During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

Health sciences students experience high levels of psychopathology conditioned by psychosocial, financial, and academic factors. However, COVID-19 pandemic might even have worsened their mental health. Thus, this article aims to evaluate how the exposure to COVID-19 pandemic has affected these students' mental health and to determine the effect of purpose in life and character strengths on this psychopathology.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of unpaired samples was carried out in Spain during the first and third waves of the pandemic in 70 medical and 52 nursing students.

RESULTS

The risk factor that most determined the appearance of anxiety was the exposure of family and friends to COVID-19 (OR = 4.01; p < 0.001), while the most protective factors were honesty (OR = -1.14; p = 0.025) and purpose in life (OR = -0.18; p < 0.001). Purpose in life also protected against the onset of depression and total psychopathology. In addition, we observed studying medicine was a protective factor against total psychopathology while being a nursing student was associated with high levels of acute stress.

CONCLUSION

Exposure of the students' family and friends to SARS-CoV-2 favored the appearance of symptoms of anxiety. Honesty had a preventing role in the onset of anxiety and a high purpose in life was protective against the appearance of anxiety, depression, and total psychopathology.