title: Meaning in life and psychological well-being: an empirical study using the Chinese version of the Purpose in Life questionnaire.
abstract: The Chinese version of the Purpose in Life questionnaire (C-PIL) was administered to 2,150 Chinese secondary school students, along with other instruments assessing psychiatric symptoms and positive mental health. Total C-PIL and its two subscales, Quality of Existence (QEXIST) and Purpose of Existence (PEXIST), correlated significantly with all measures of psychological well-being. Relative to PEXIST scores, QEXIST scores were found to be more predictive of psychological well-being. Subjects with different existential status (defined by high vs. low levels of QEXIST and PEXIST) were associated with different degrees of psychological well-being. The concept of meaning in life, as indexed by the C-PIL, and the hypothesis that life meaning is related to psychological well-being require further elaboration and refinement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Shek
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D009042:Motivation; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values