Purpose in life and depressive symptoms: An individual-participant meta-analysis of >500,000 participants across six world regions.

OBJECTIVE

Purpose in life is an aspect of eudaimonic well-being associated with better mental health. This research evaluated the generalizability and robustness of the association between purpose in life and concurrent depressive symptoms.

METHODS

An individual-participant meta-analysis of 72 samples of 531,038 participants. Each sample used the same analytic approach: Linear regression tested whether purpose was associated with depressive symptoms controlling for sociodemographic factors (age, sex, race, ethnicity, education). Results across samples were summarized with a random-effects meta-analysis. Moderation by sociodemographic factors was tested in each sample and with meta-regression within the meta-analysis. Additional analyses tested whether purpose was associated with elevated depressive symptoms and with two specific symptoms (depressed affect, anhedonia).

RESULTS

There was a significant negative association between purpose in life and depressive symptoms in 71 of the 72 samples (meta-analytic estimate = -0.32, 95 % CI = -0.35, -0.30, p < .001). Heterogeneity in the strength of the association was not explained by methodological, economic, or geographical factors. The association was slightly stronger among females and white participants, compared to males and black participants, respectively; the association was similar across age, ethnicity, and education. Every standard deviation in purpose was associated with about 90 % lower likelihood of severe distress (meta-analytic odds ratio = 0.53, 95 % CI = 0.50, 0.57, p < .001). The association was similar for depressed affect (meta-analytic estimate = -0.33, 95 % CI = -0.40, -0.26, p < .001) and anhedonia (meta-analytic estimate = -0.32, 95 % CI = -0.38,-0.26, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

The association between purpose in life and depressive symptoms is apparent across geographic regions and sociodemographic and economic factors, which suggests it may be robust and generalizable.