Stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students: a latent transition analysis
BackgroundResearch on meaning in life (MIL) has predominately adopted variable-centered approaches. The few person-centered studies conducted were generally cross-sectional in nature and have failed to address changes in MIL. Furthermore, few studies have explored the stability of and changes in MIL...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1529851/full |
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| author | Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok Siqi Fang Bella Meici Huang Alebel Addis Tesfaw Xi Deng |
| author_facet | Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok Siqi Fang Bella Meici Huang Alebel Addis Tesfaw Xi Deng |
| author_sort | Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundResearch on meaning in life (MIL) has predominately adopted variable-centered approaches. The few person-centered studies conducted were generally cross-sectional in nature and have failed to address changes in MIL. Furthermore, few studies have explored the stability of and changes in MIL on wellbeing.MethodsWe used latent transition analysis (LTA) to assess the MIL profiles of Chinese university students and to relate their experiences of meaning to their wellbeing. Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form were applied. In total, 317 students from five universities in Hong Kong participated in the survey at two time points 9 months apart.ResultsThe LTA identified three distinct profiles among the participants: meaning-oriented, bewildered, and indifferent. The LTA mover–stayer model revealed the relative stability of the students’ MIL profiles over 9 months. Specifically, the indifferent profile group was the most unstable, with a stability of 66.6%, suggesting that a significant portion of students in this group changed profiles. Conversely, the bewildered profile group had the greatest number of movers (64.8%), indicating a higher degree of flux within this group as well. Regarding the adaptive outcomes associated with each profile, results showed that students in the meaning-oriented profile group demonstrated the most adaptive outcomes, evidenced by the highest wellbeing scores and the lowest anxiety and depression scores among all the students.ConclusionThese findings provide insights into MIL profiles and how they change among Chinese university students. We also identified a relatively adaptive profile. Overall, these findings have practical implications and can contribute to advancing research on mental health and meaning. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7c4b92efc21e4825ad1b0c17ba9e6c98 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-7c4b92efc21e4825ad1b0c17ba9e6c982025-02-06T12:08:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-02-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15298511529851Stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students: a latent transition analysisSylvia Y. C. L. Kwok0Siqi Fang1Bella Meici Huang2Alebel Addis Tesfaw3Xi Deng4Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaDepartment of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, Wolkite University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaBackgroundResearch on meaning in life (MIL) has predominately adopted variable-centered approaches. The few person-centered studies conducted were generally cross-sectional in nature and have failed to address changes in MIL. Furthermore, few studies have explored the stability of and changes in MIL on wellbeing.MethodsWe used latent transition analysis (LTA) to assess the MIL profiles of Chinese university students and to relate their experiences of meaning to their wellbeing. Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form were applied. In total, 317 students from five universities in Hong Kong participated in the survey at two time points 9 months apart.ResultsThe LTA identified three distinct profiles among the participants: meaning-oriented, bewildered, and indifferent. The LTA mover–stayer model revealed the relative stability of the students’ MIL profiles over 9 months. Specifically, the indifferent profile group was the most unstable, with a stability of 66.6%, suggesting that a significant portion of students in this group changed profiles. Conversely, the bewildered profile group had the greatest number of movers (64.8%), indicating a higher degree of flux within this group as well. Regarding the adaptive outcomes associated with each profile, results showed that students in the meaning-oriented profile group demonstrated the most adaptive outcomes, evidenced by the highest wellbeing scores and the lowest anxiety and depression scores among all the students.ConclusionThese findings provide insights into MIL profiles and how they change among Chinese university students. We also identified a relatively adaptive profile. Overall, these findings have practical implications and can contribute to advancing research on mental health and meaning.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1529851/fullmeaning in lifemental healthanxietydepressionlatent transition analysis |
| spellingShingle | Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok Siqi Fang Bella Meici Huang Alebel Addis Tesfaw Xi Deng Stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students: a latent transition analysis Frontiers in Psychology meaning in life mental health anxiety depression latent transition analysis |
| title | Stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students: a latent transition analysis |
| title_full | Stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students: a latent transition analysis |
| title_fullStr | Stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students: a latent transition analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students: a latent transition analysis |
| title_short | Stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students: a latent transition analysis |
| title_sort | stability and changes in meaning in life profiles and their impact on mental health among chinese university students a latent transition analysis |
| topic | meaning in life mental health anxiety depression latent transition analysis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1529851/full |
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