BMC Public Health. 2025 Nov 14;25(1):3950. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-25106-9.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study explores the complex relationships between the search for meaning in life (SML), the presence of meaning in life (PML), and mental health status among diverse groups of adolescents and young adults, including students, employed, and unemployed individuals aged 14-35 years in post-pandemic urban China. Specifically, we assess the mediating role of PML in influencing mental health, and explore how age moderates this effect across these groups. Our approach includes comparing different employment statuses to further understand how these variables interact to affect mental health outcomes, highlighting the unique relations within each group.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2023 involving 3189 participants from Shanghai in China. Data were collected using paper questionnaires, and analyzed using multivariate statistical techniques. Descriptive statistical analysis and correlation analysis were conducted using SPSS 26.0. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed using PROCESS macro 4.2.
RESULTS: The results showed that PML acts as a mediator in the relationship between SML and mental health, enhancing mental health across all youth groups. Notably, the SML had a significant direct negative effect on mental health in employed youth (B = -0.123, p < 0.001), while direct relationship of lesser significance emerged in students and unemployed youth. Moderated mediation analysis further indicated that age significantly moderates these effects in the unemployed youth group (SML × Age, B = -0.058, p < 0.01), with younger individuals benefiting more from active meaning searches. Additionally, local household registration status was identified as a critical factor influencing mental health, particularly among students (B = 1.433) and employed youth (B = 2.181).
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of meaning in life as a protective factor for mental health among urban Chinese youth. The findings suggest that tailored mental health interventions should consider socio-economic status and life stages to address the unique needs of different youth groups. Policies and programs should enhance both the search for and the presence of meaning in life to promote better mental health outcomes.
PMID:41239326 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-25106-9
