Presence and Search for the Meaning in Life and Adjustment Variables Nino Skhirtladze, Nino Javakhishvili, Seth J. Schwartz D. Uznadze Psychology Institute, Ilia State University, University of Miami Cadiz, 2016

Moderation studies have found either presence of meaning or search for meaning to serve as a moderator for links between presence of meaning and search for meaning on the one hand and outcomes such as life satisfaction and depression/happiness (Steger, Oishi, &Kesebir, 2011; Cohen &Carins, 2012).

Profiles/Clusters A recent study did typological analysis according to the presence of meaning and search for meaning and looked at adjustment - variables such as anxiety, depression and self-esteem (Dezutter, Schwartz, Waterman, Meca, 2014).

Research Aim To combine both approaches and to look at: Moderation interaction between search for and presence of meaning in life vis-à-vis various outcome variables including depression, state anxiety, and self-esteem Profiles Clusters according to combination of presence of meaning and search for meaning vis-à-vis various outcome variables including depression, state anxiety, and self-esteem

Method Sample: 300 young Georgian adults 78% students, 22% non-students; 80.3% - women; mean age - 20.76, SD 2.22.

Method Instruments: Meaning in Life - The Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. 2006 State Anxiety - State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Spielberger et al. 1983

Method State Anxiety - State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Spielberger et al. 1983 Depression - Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD,) Radloff, L. 1977 Self-esteem - Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Rosenberg, M. 1965

Results – Moderation analysis Search for meaning did not play any role vis-à-vis any of the dependent variables.

Results – Moderation analysis Presence of meaning serves as a predictor: Self-esteem – b=.14, p=000 Depression - b= -.16, p=000 State anxiety - b= -.16, p=000

Results – summing up Moderation hypothesis was not confirmed As search for meaning in life did not play any role for the outcome variables studied Only presence of meaning in life plays a modest role for all three studied variables 5/6/2018

Results - Cluster Analysis 5 cluster solution: Cluster 1 - diffusion - 16.7% Cluster 2 – foreclosure - 9.7% Cluster 3 – moratorium - 28.7% Cluster 4 - achievement -18.6 % Cluster 5 – undifferentiated - 26.3% We used Marcia’s model to name the clusters

Results

Results

Discussion The most adjusted cluster is foreclosed, with high presence and low search The next well adjusted cluster is achieved, with high presence and high search The least adjusted cluster is diffused - with low presence and low search The next least adjusted cluster is moratorium - high search and low presence

Discussion Presence of meaning in life is crucial for adjustment for Georgian young adults; However, in case of lack of presence of meaning in life, search for meaning in life supports better adjustment; While those, who neither hold meaning in life, nor search for it, are the least adjusted.

Discussion Presence of meaning in life appears to be an important predictor for depression, as shown elsewhere, as well as for anxiety and for self-esteem We might suppose that there are some personality traits that moderate or mediate links between search for meaning in life and outcome/ adjustment variables

Discussion The initial aim of combining the moderation and cluster analysis Moderation analysis did not yield any significant results Cluster analysis did

Thank you!