Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Jun;64(4):517-27.
doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbp047. Epub 2009 Jun 10.

Meaning in life and mortality

Neal Krause  1
Affiliations

Meaning in life and mortality

Neal Krause. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2009 Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this exploratory study was to see if meaning in life is associated with mortality in old age.

Methods: Interviews were conducted with a nationwide sample of older adults (N = 1,361). Data were collected on meaning in life, mortality, and select control measures.

Results: Three main findings emerged from this study. First, the data suggest that older people with a strong sense of meaning in life are less likely to die over the study follow-up period than those who do not have a strong sense of meaning. Second, the findings indicate that the effect of meaning on mortality can be attributed to the potentially important indirect effect that operates through health. Third, further analysis revealed that one dimension of meaning-having a strong sense of purpose in life--has a stronger relationship with mortality than other facets of meaning. The main study findings were observed after the effects of attendance at religious services and emotional support were controlled statistically.

Discussion: If the results from this study can be replicated, then interventions should be designed to help older people find a greater sense of purpose in life.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Alwin DF. Structural equation models in research on human development and aging. In: Schaie KW, Campbell RT, Meredith W, Rawlings SC, editors. Methodological issues in aging research. New York: Springer; 1988. pp. 71–170.
    1. Antonovsky A. Unraveling the mystery of health: How people manage stress and stay well. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1987.
    1. Baltes PB, Smith J. Multilevel and systemic analysis of old age: Theoretical and empirical evidence for a fourth age. In: Bengston VL, Schaie KW, editors. Handbook of theories of aging. New York: Springer; 1999. pp. 153–173.
    1. Baron RM, Kenny DA. The moderator-mediator distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1986;51:1173–1182. - PubMed
    1. Battista J, Almond R. The development of meaning in life. Psychiatry. 1973;36:409–427. - PubMed

Publication types