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Meaning in Life Predicts Decreased Depressive Symptoms and Increased Positive Affect over Time but Does not Buffer Stress Effects in a National Sample of African-Americans

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Abstract

Few studies have specifically focused on meaning in life in African Americans and many important questions remain, including whether effects of meaning in life are direct or moderated by levels of stress. In a national sample of 909 African Americans, we tested meaning in life as a prospective predictor of changes in depressive symptoms and positive affect over a 2.5-year period. Controlling for demographics and hassles, meaning in life predicted decreased depressive symptoms and increased positive affect across the span of 2.5 years. Moderation effects were not found for hassles, age, or income. Gender moderated the effect of meaning on positive affect such that effects were stronger for women than for men. These results suggest that, for African Americans, meaning in life appears to robustly protect against future depressive symptoms and promote positive affect over time unaffected by amount of stress experienced or most demographic factors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Crystal L. Park

  2. Department of Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Cheryl L. Knott

  3. Cancer Prevention and Control Program Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA

    Randi M. Williams

  4. Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Eddie M. Clark

  5. Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Beverly Rosa Williams

  6. Department of Occupational Therapy, Northern Arizona University - Phoenix Biomedical Campus, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Emily Schulz

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  1. Crystal L. Park
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  2. Cheryl L. Knott
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Correspondence to Crystal L. Park.

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Park, C.L., Knott, C.L., Williams, R.M. et al. Meaning in Life Predicts Decreased Depressive Symptoms and Increased Positive Affect over Time but Does not Buffer Stress Effects in a National Sample of African-Americans. J Happiness Stud 21, 3037–3049 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00212-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00212-9

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