In the End It All Makes Sense

Abstract

This study explored psychological well-being in Australian adults with a particular focus on meaning in life. Older adults ( N = 57) reported lower levels of search for meaning and higher levels of presence of meaning than young adults ( N = 208) suggesting that both groups were able to distinguish between the two aspects of meaning. For older adults, higher presence was associated with better mental health and well-being outcomes, regardless of level of search. For the young adults, higher presence and lower search was associated with better outcomes. These results suggest that presence of meaning is an important aspect of well-being for older adults living in a high income English-speaking country and may be an important focus when working with depressed or anxious older adults, while both presence of, and search for meaning may be more meaningful therapeutic targets when working with depressed or anxious younger adults. Theoretical implications are discussed.