Abstract

It was been suggested that “if you have your why for life, you can get by with almost any how” (Nietzsche, 1889/1997, p. 6). Purpose in life is the “why”, the viewpoint that your life has personal meaning and direction (Ryff, 2014). Numerous studies have found empirical support for the abundance of benefits that are associated with having a sense of purpose, including its positive effects on mental and physical health (e.g., Boyle et al., 2012), as well as its ties to other adaptive traits, such as gratitude, compassion, and grit (Damon & Malin, 2020). However, gaps in the research literature remain in terms of particular populations that may benefit from purpose, when it might be effective, how it functions, and how it is maintained. The current investigation into purpose in life was done across three studies, with a particular focus on the emerging adulthood period of the lifespan, which some have argued is a time of inherent purposeful exploration and development (Pfund et al., 2020). Using longitudinal multilevel modeling in study 1, the benefits of purpose in life were explored during a transitional period in emerging adulthood, namely the passage from postsecondary studies to employment. It was found that a greater sense of purpose in life helps emerging adults during this often challenging transition, by allowing them to appraise their employment situation more positively. In study 2, with a cross-sectional design, results indicated that a greater sense of purpose was associated with lower rates of distress among university students in the face of a global stressful event (i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic). Notably, a stronger purpose in life allowed emerging adults to engage in adaptive strategies such as positive reframing and appraising a stressful event as less threatening to oneself, thus reporting lower distress. Lastly, in study 3, a longitudinal structural equation model showed that, by engaging in acceptance-based meaning making strategies, university students were able to sustain their sense of purpose during an unprecedented global health crisis. These findings aim to inform future interventions and research into how individuals may develop a purpose in life and experience its benefits.