Development and Validation of the Youth Purpose Orientation Scale Among Chinese Sample

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.

A Person-Centered Analysis of Meaning in Life, Purpose Orientations, and Attitudes toward Life among Chinese Youth

Background: Meaning in life, purpose orientations, and attitudes toward life have a significant impact on youths' well-being. The purpose of this study is to investigate the developmental trends of youths' meaning in life, purpose orientations, and attitudes toward life. Methods: The sample consisted of 94,219 students aged 13 to 23 years (M = 16.67, SD = 2.70). Person-centered analysis, MANOVA, and an independent sample t-test were used to analyze the data. Results: Most youths were in the "search" or "presence" type in terms of meaning in life status. Fewer students were identified as being in the "ruminative exploration" or "diffusion" type. Very few were in the "precontemplation" or "foreclosure" stages. The status of the sense of meaning did not change significantly with age. Second, in terms of purpose orientations, Chinese youths consider family well-being and personal growth to be the most important goals, whereas personal well-being and social promotion are less important. Third, in terms of attitudes toward life, most young people take an active, accepting, and optimistic view of their lives, seeing life as an experience or process, rather than a good or bad result. Fourthly, the age of 16 was found to be a significant turning point. More emerging adults were in the "presence" state than adolescents, but their attitudes toward life were not as positive as those of adolescents. Conclusions: This study reveals that Chinese youth consider the question of meaning in life as early as age 13. Most of them were in the state of "searching for meaning". Therefore, education about meaning in life should be integrated into the primary school context. Family well-being is emphasized by Chinese youth because of the collectivist culture. Family well-being and personal growth should be recognized, and social promotion should be enhanced in guidance of Chinese youth's meaning acquisition.