title: The existential cost of economic insecurity: Threatened financial security undercuts meaning.
abstract: Financial security (i.e., a person's sense that they can afford the things they need now and in the foreseeable future) contributes to psychological health and well-being. In the present research, we explored the implications of financial security for perceptions of meaning in life. In Study 1, we found that perceptions of financial insecurity predicted perceptions of meaning in life above and beyond income. Further, income only predicted perceptions of meaning to the extent that it was associated with reduced financial insecurity. In Studies 2 and 3, we found that financial security threats undermined perceptions of meaning in life. Taken together, these studies suggest that maintaining financial security is important for a sense of meaning in life.
authors.affiliation: a North Dakota State University.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abeyta
authors.affiliation: a North Dakota State University.
authors.forename: Clay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Routledge
authors.affiliation: b Texas Christian University.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kersten
authors.affiliation: b Texas Christian University.
authors.forename: Cathy R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D066252:Sociological Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Financial security; meaning in life