Cited by 965Psychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionOptimism, Hope, and Well-beingAging and Gerontology Research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 26 of the 26 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Purpose in Life as a System that Creates and Sustains Health and Well-Being: An Integrative, Testable Theory

McKnight, Patrick E., Kashdan, Todd B.·2009·Review of General Psychology

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Purpose—a cognitive process that defines life goals and provides personal meaning—may help explain disparate empirical social science findings. Devoting effort and making progress toward life goals provides a significant, renewable source of engagement and meaning. Purpose offers a testable, causal system that synthesizes outcomes including life expectancy, satisfaction, and mental and physical health. These outcomes may be explained best by considering the motivation of the individual—a motivation that comes from having a purpose. We provide a detailed definition with specific hypotheses derived from a synthesis of relevant findings from social, behavioral, biological, and cognitive literatures. To illustrate the uniqueness of the purpose model, we compared purpose with competing contemporary models that offer similar predictions. Addressing the structural features unique to purpose opens opportunities to build upon existing causal models of “how and why” health and well-being develop and change over time.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1037/a0017152

Cites

0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01 · Cited by 34,210
TARGET ARTICLE: "Posttraumatic Growth: Conceptual Foundations and Empirical Evidence"
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1207/s15327965pli1501_01 · Cited by 7,154
Social Relationships and Health
House, J. S., Landis, K. R., & Umberson, D. (1988) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.3399889 · Cited by 7,073
Grit: perseverance and passion for long-term goals
Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087 · Cited by 6,911
Acceptance and commitment therapy: model, processes and outcomes
Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2005.06.006 · Cited by 6,587 · cited 1×
“In those situations, remaining task focused, thinking about how to overcome the obstacles leads to successful pursuit of that purpose (S. C. Hayes, Luoma, Bond, Masuda, & Lillis, 2006; Segerstrom, 2005); emotional instability interferes with goal pursuit (Berenbaum, Raghavan, Le, Vernon, & Gomez, 2003; Johnson, 2005;…”
Background
Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans.
Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.54.7.493 · Cited by 5,478
The self and social behavior in differing cultural contexts.
Triandis, H. C. (1989) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.96.3.506 · Cited by 5,019
The meaning in life questionnaire: assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life
Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0167.53.1.80 · Cited by 4,843
Self-regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle?
Muraven, M., & Baumeister, R. F. (2000) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.126.2.247 · Cited by 4,510
On the Self-Regulation of Behavior
Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (1998) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139174794 · Cited by 4,110

Flagged first, then by citations

Show all 0 references

Research works printed but not linked: 78

Ader R., 2007, Psychoneuroimmunology
10.1161/hyp.38.4.815 · DOI · Paper page
10.1111/j.0022-3506.2004.00256.x · DOI
Bargh J. A., 1996, The psychology of action: Linking cognition and motivation to behavior, 457
10.1016/S0167-4870(03)00064-3 · DOI
10.1016/S0165-5728(99)00228-3 · DOI
Block J. H., 1980, Development of cognition, affect, and social relations: The Minnesota symposia on child psychology, 13, 39
10.1037/0022-006X.73.1.86 · DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.91.4.750 · DOI
10.1037/0033-2909.115.3.401 · DOI
10.1207/S15327957PSPR0604_05 · DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.56.2.267 · DOI · Paper page
10.1177/0146167200268008 · DOI · Paper page
10.1037/0022-3514.67.2.319 · DOI · Paper page
Chamberlin T., 1890, Science, 15, 92, 10.1126/science.ns-15.366.92 · DOI
10.1098/rspb.1997.0192 · DOI
10.1046/j.1420-9101.2001.00243.x · DOI
10.1111/j.0963-7214.2006.00420.x · DOI · Paper page
10.1037/0022-3514.75.4.1032 · DOI · Paper page
deCharms R., 1968, Personal causation
10.1037/0022-3514.64.5.834 · DOI
10.1007/s11031-006-9028-7 · DOI · Paper page
10.1177/0146167205282153 · DOI
Emmons R., 1999, The psychology of ultimate concerns: Motivation and spirituality in personality
10.1111/j.1467-6494.1991.tb00256.x · DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.87.5.557 · DOI
Frankl V., 1963, Man's search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy
Freud S., 1933, New introductory lectures on psychoanalysis
10.1023/A:1025007614869 · DOI · Paper page
Goldstein A., 1966, Psychotherapy and the psychology of behavior change
10.1017/S0140525X00040395 · DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.52.5.890 · DOI · Paper page
Hayes S., 2004, Mindfulness and acceptance: Expanding the cognitive behavioral tradition
10.1016/j.jrp.2007.04.003 · DOI
Jackendoff R., 1987, Consciousness and the computational mind
Janoff-Bulman R., 1992, Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma
10.1016/j.cpr.2004.11.002 · DOI
10.1016/j.cpr.2005.12.006 · DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.65.2.410 · DOI · Paper page
10.1037/0022-3514.90.1.179 · DOI · Paper page
Klinger E., 1977, Meaning and void
10.1037/0022-3514.83.1.231 · DOI · Paper page
Linehan M., 2007, Dialectical behavior therapy for pervasive emotion dysregulation: Theoretical and practical underpinnings, 581
Little B., 2007, Personal project pursuit: Goals, action and human flourishing
10.1037/0022-3514.74.2.494 · DOI
Mills P., 2004, American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 12, 281
10.1177/0146167206288008 · DOI
10.1207/s15327965pli0801_7 · DOI
10.1037/0893-164X.16.2.113 · DOI
Murray H., 1938, Explorations in personality
10.1037/0033-295X.111.2.486 · DOI · Paper page
10.1037/0003-066X.32.5.306 · DOI
10.1177/135910539900400301 · DOI · Paper page
10.1111/j.1467-6494.1996.tb00815.x · DOI
10.1097/01.psy.0000138118.62018.87 · DOI
Ricardo D., 1817, On the principles of political economy and taxation
Richman J., 1993, Preventing elderly suicide: Overcoming personal despair, professional neglect, and social bias
Rogers C., 1951, Client-centered therapy; its current practice, implications, and theory
10.1016/j.archger.2007.01.048 · DOI
10.1037/0033-2909.130.3.473 · DOI
10.1016/j.bbi.2004.08.003 · DOI
10.1006/obhd.1993.1036 · DOI
Sheldon K., 2002, The self-concordance model of healthy goal-striving: When personal goals correctly represent the person, 65
10.1037/0022-3514.68.3.531 · DOI
10.1177/01461672982412006 · DOI · Paper page
10.1037/0012-1649.37.4.491 · DOI
10.1177/0146167207301014 · DOI
10.1207/s15327965pli0801_10 · DOI
10.2105/AJPH.87.6.957 · DOI · Paper page
10.1097/00006842-198509000-00007 · DOI
10.1002/bs.3830340304 · DOI
10.1249/00003677-198700150-00015 · DOI
Warren R., 2002, The purpose driven life: What on earth am I here for?
Wilson K., 2004, Values work in acceptance and commitment therapy: Setting a course for behavioral treatment, 120
Wilson K., 2004, Mindfulness and acceptance: Expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition, 120
Wong P., 1998, The human quest for meaning: A handbook of psychological research and clinical application
World Health Organization, 1946, Constitution of the World Health Organization
10.1037/0022-3514.92.3.389 · DOI

Sorted by citations

Items 601–700 of 782

The Gendered Dimensions of Wellbeing of Students in Higher Education in South Africa
Graham, M. A., & Eloff, I. (2025) · Gender questions · doi:10.25159/2412-8457/17119 · Cited by 1
Meaning, personal purpose and the Big Five personality traits in exploring leader effectiveness in South Africa’s FMCG sector during the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Moloko, L. D., & Toendepi, J. (2025) · Journal of Economics and Management · doi:10.22367/jem.2025.47.06 · Cited by 1
“Further, McKnight and Kashdan (2009) elaborated on how having a purpose lowers stress levels and buffers against psychological and physical suffering during hardships.”
Influential
The effectiveness of character strength intervention on severe mental illness in Hong Kong
Sun, C., & Kwok, S. Y. C. L. (2025) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117746 · Cited by 1
Happiness in US military veterans: Results from a nationally representative study
Kang, H., Fischer, I. C., Na, P., & Pietrzak, R. H. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0313609 · Cited by 1
The Impact of Purpose-Driven Organisation and Organisational Change Capability to the Performance of Muhammadiyah Hospitals in the Pandemic Era
Fauzi, I., Suhariadi, F., & Eka, A. (2024) · Journal of Ecohumanism · doi:10.62754/joe.v3i8.4954 · Cited by 1
“It is these shared values that motivate employees to identify with the organisation and be passionate about developing it (Van, 2019 and McKnight et al. 2009).”
Ethical leaders’ search for meaning: Ancient Confucian wisdom in Modern East Asia
Chou, S. C.-M. (2024) · Culture & Psychology · doi:10.1177/1354067x241285344 · Cited by 2
“Purpose not only forges directions that help organize goals and make decisions (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009) but also motivates individuals to take actions towards their higher-order aspirations (Steger, 2018).”
Exploring the Role of Moral Injury and Meaning Pursuit in the Relationship Between Combat Experience and Well-Being Among Active-Duty Military Members in the United States
Jo, D., Im, S., Kim, N., Kim, M., Cho, H., & Woo, S. (2024) · International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling · doi:10.1007/s10447-024-09579-8 · Cited by 1
“Living in alignment with one’s purpose and meaning offers a continuous source of motivation and engagement (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009).”
Cyberbullying Victimization and Sense of Purpose Among Hispanic College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model of Depression and Religious Beliefs
Lee, J. M., Lee, J., Kim, J., Park, Y., Pierce, R., & Lee, H. (2024) · Journal of Hispanic Higher Education · doi:10.1177/15381927241266929 · Cited by 1
“An individual’s purpose in life refers to “a central, self-organizing life aim that organizes and stimulates goals, manages behaviors, and provides a sense of meaning” (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009, p. 242).”
Connections between academic motivation and benefits to low‐grade inflammatory regulation among the socioeconomically advantaged
Destin, M., Debrosse, R., & Hernandez, I. A. (2024) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1002/jad.12384 · Cited by 2
Meaning in Life and Care for the Environment: Bridging the Actions for Addressing Ecological Issues and Enhancing Residential Quality
Kosić, A., Passafaro, P., Schnell, T., & Molinari, M. (2024) · Ecopsychology · doi:10.1089/eco.2024.0003 · Cited by 2
“McKnight & Kashdan, 2009; Ryff & Singer, 1998; Schnell, 2021; Wong, 2013).”
Examining the Impact of Race and Poverty on the Relationship Between Purpose in Life and Functional Health: Insights from the HANDLS Study
Tan, S. C., Gamaldo, A. A., Evans, M., & Zonderman, A. (2024) · Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities · doi:10.1007/s40615-024-02021-0 · Cited by 1
“…that individuals from different sociodemographic backgrounds differ in various accessible mechanisms, such as mastery skills, effective coping strategies, and social and physical support, which enable them to effectively leverage their strong sense of purpose and exhibit higher resilience [30].”
Finding Direction for Purpose Research in Hawai'i: A Narrative Review.
Qina'au, J., & Hill, P. L. (2024) · Hawai'i journal of health & social welfare · doi:10.62547/gpdr2188 · Cited by 1
The role of life purpose on psychosocial health: A preliminary study of older adults residing in subsidized housing
Tan, S. C., Sardina, A. L., Mogle, J. A., & Gamaldo, A. A. (2024) · Wellbeing Space and Society · doi:10.1016/j.wss.2024.100193 · Cited by 3
Purposeful Partners: Potential Relationship Quality and Sense of Purpose
D’Ottone, I. C., Pfund, G. N., & Hill, P. L. (2023) · International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology · doi:10.1007/s41042-023-00136-z · Cited by 1
“Considering that one’s purpose informs their short-term goals (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009), being with someone of the same purpose orientation means more time enjoying working 1 3 International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology (2024) 9:489–510 towards a shared goal with your partner.”
The Necessity of Including Life Education in Chinese Basic Education Curricula
Li, J.-L. (2023) · Science Insights Education Frontiers · doi:10.15354/sief.23.re250 · Cited by 1
Women’s involvement on family firm boards of directors and their role in family business succession as seen through the lens of socio-emotional wealth and goal setting theory
Sfeir, S. E. H. (2023) · Revue de l’Entrepreneuriat · doi:10.3917/entre.pr.0067
Different motivations for volunteering are associated with different outcomes for Australian animal welfare volunteers: a mixed-methods analysis
Nykiel, L., Paterson, M. B. A., & Pachana, N. (2023) · Australian psychologist · doi:10.1080/00050067.2022.2151339 · Cited by 1
PERMA Dimensions of Well-Being Among Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Adults: Evidence from Two Diabetic Care Hospitals in Odisha
Makhmur, S., & Rath, S. (2022) · Psychological Studies · doi:10.1007/s12646-022-00677-4 · Cited by 2
“Research findings suggest that people with meaning in their lives show greater longevity and satisfaction in life, minimum health complications (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009), better physical health, and reduced mortality risk (Boyle et al., 2009; Ryff et al., 2004).”
Background
Psychology, Values, and the Meaning of Life: Bridging the Philosophy–Psychology Divide
Drob, S. L. (2022) · Journal of Humanistic Psychology · doi:10.1177/00221678221116170 · Cited by 3
“McKnight and Kashdan (2009) cited significant research findings which suggest that involvement in socially valued and supportive activities (like volunteerism, religious participation, and receiving/providing social support) increases both longevity and the individuals’ sense of purpose.”
The Relationship between Death Anxiety and Subjective Well-being: The Three-way Moderating Effect of the Life Meaning and Social Support
Lee, J., Kwon, G., & Shin, J. (2022) · Journal of Social Science · doi:10.16881/jss.2022.07.33.3.105 · Cited by 2
The R and R of Purpose in College Students: Refining and Redefining Purpose Over Time
Sepulveda, J., Zhou, M. X., Amorosi, A., Rauen, J., Boyer, M., Liang, B., Lund, T. J., & Mousseau, A. M. D. (2022) · Journal of Adolescent Research · doi:10.1177/07435584221093724 · Cited by 2
“There are many different definitions of purpose (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009; Ryff, 1989) as well as examples of scholars using the terms purpose and meaning interchangeably (Frankl, 1946/2006).”
Assessing Differential Effects of Somatic Amplification to Positive Affect in Midlife and Late Adulthood—A Regression Mixture Approach
Kim, M., Xu, M., Yang, J., Talley, S., & Wong, J. D. (2021) · The International Journal of Aging and Human Development · doi:10.1177/00914150211066552 · Cited by 1
“…be understood to mean that adults with central life goals tend to allocate more resources to activities consistent with their goals, which enables them to appraise and respond to adversities within a broader framework (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009), thus being resistant to the stressful circumstances.”
Background
The Relationship Between Mindfulness And Mental Health: A Mediating Model of Sense of Purpose In Life Among Graduate StudentsPreprint
Wang, Y., Tian, T., & Wang, J.-J. (2021) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-590135/v1 · Cited by 1
Stereotypes of nihilists are overwhelmingly negative
Scott, M. J., & Cohen, A. B. (2021) · The Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1080/00224545.2021.1902922 · Cited by 2
“MIL also includes purpose in life, which denotes having long-term goals that motivate behavior (Mcknight & Kashdan, 2009; Ryff, 1989).”
Background
A Practical and Contemporary Model of Depression for Our Times—A Timeless Existential Clinician’s Perspective
Salicru, S. (2021) · Open Journal of Depression · doi:10.4236/ojd.2021.102005 · Cited by 3
““Purpose is a central, self-organizing life aim that organizes and stimulates goals, manages behaviors, and provides a sense of meaning (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009: p. 242).”
Background
Is Catholic education a promoter of the meaning of life? A look at the school context in Chile
Dagach, P. I. (2021) · International Studies in Catholic Education · doi:10.1080/19422539.2021.1907966 · Cited by 1
“…al., 2017); compromiso académico (Bronk, 2012; Hill et al., 2018); motivación en torno a objetivos (Bronk et al., 2010); satisfacción en la vida (Damon, 2008; McKnight & Kashdan, 2009; Heng et al., 2018); búsqueda de la felicidad (Damon, 2008); y, afecto, agencia y bienestar (Burrow et al., 2009).”
Background
Perceptual Study Regarding the Impact of Recreational Activities Upon Healthy Lifestyle of Youth
Khanum, F., Zia-ul-Islam, S., & Khan, M. A. (2020) · Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology · doi:10.31703/gesr.2020(v-ii).03 · Cited by 1
“McKnight & Kashdan (2009) found that living a healthy life is a primary factor to get the overall fitness and happiness.”
Background
Identity and Purpose in Life As Building Blocks for Wisdom
Ratner, K., & Burrow, A. L. (2019) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108568272.025 · Cited by 4
FORMULATIONS OF THE MAIN GOAL IN LIFE: A QUALITATIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS
Kolesovs, A., Salima, I., & Maskovs, A. (2018) · doi:10.17770/sie2018vol1.3108 · Cited by 1
“Analytical works (e.g., McKnight & Kashdan, 2009) associate these themes with the purpose in life, which is linked to one’s sense of meaning in life (e.g., Baumeister & Wilson, 1996), psychological well-being (e.g., Emmons, 2003; Ryff & Singer, 2008), and happiness (Lyubomirsky, Tkach, & Dimatteo,…”
Background
An Intergenerational Study: Mirrors as a Tool for Self-Reflection
Ridley, S. (2014) · Working with Older People · doi:10.1108/wwop-09-2013-0024 · Cited by 1
Reconsidering the Neuroevolutionary Framework of the SEEKING System: Emphasizing context Instead of Positivity
Kashdan, T. (2012) · Neuropsychoanalysis · doi:10.1080/15294145.2012.10773686 · Cited by 1
“The SEEKING system, as defined by Panksepp and colleagues, overlaps with the capacity of an individual to maintain the quest for a satisfying, engaging, meaningful life despite the inevitability of pain. According to Wright & Panksepp, humans and other mammalian creatures “show increased interaction with and explorati…”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Adolescent’s life purpose in a Science & Technology program
de Araujo, M. F., Dellazzana-Zanon, L. L., & Enumo, S. R. F. (2021) · doi:10.1590/1982-0275202138e200152 · Cited by 1
Dementia and Self-Reported Purpose in Life
Mak, W.-Y., Sörensen, S., & Camp, C. (2021) · Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-69909-7_3871-2 · Cited by 1
Coming of Age on the Edge of Town: Perspectives in Growing up in a Rural Trailer Park
MacTavish, K. (2020) · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-52078-6_8 · Cited by 1
Fostering Purpose in Life / Meaning in Life Across the Life Span
Brackman, L. (2017) · doi:10.4226/66/5b06440ae218d · Cited by 1
““Purpose is a central, self-organizing life aim that organizes and stimulates goals, manages behaviors, and provides a sense of meaning,” (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009).”
Background
Identity, purpose, and well-being among emerging adult Hispanic women
Madrazo, V. L. (2014) · doi:10.25148/etd.fi14071157 · Cited by 1
“A sense of purpose is beneficial for emerging adults as they explore their identity and personality during their transition to adulthood (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009).”
Background
Introduction and Definition
Bronk, K. C. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-7491-9_1 · Cited by 1
Inspiring Types of Purpose
Bronk, K. C. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-7491-9_6 · Cited by 1
Persevering with Positivity and Purpose: An Examination of Purpose Commitment and Positive Affect as Predictors of Grit
Hill, P. L., Burrow, A. L., & Bronk, K. C. (2014) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-014-9593-5 · Cited by 371
“Having a purpose in life entails a commitment to an ultimate life goal that serves to organize and plan the individual’s daily and long-term activities (McKnight and Kashdan 2009), and individuals oriented toward a set of life goals tend to demonstrate consistency (i.”
Influential
Gender Differences in Happiness and Life Satisfaction Among Adolescents in Hong Kong: Relationships and Self-Concept
Wing, H.-C., & Wong, M. (2015) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-015-0867-z
“Finally, according to McKnight and Kashdan (2009), purpose in life is a cognitive process that defines one’s life goals and provides personal meaning.”
Background
Buffering the Negative Impact of Poverty on Youth: The Power of Purpose in Life
Machell, K. A., Disabato, D. J., & Kashdan, T. B. (2015) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-015-0917-6 · Cited by 70
“Self-oriented purposes may reflect high school life (e.g., academics, sports, music, social status) or future adult life (career, wealth, fame) and be unrelated to the domain of prosocial activity (Kashdan and McKnight 2009, 2013; McKnight and Kashdan 2009).”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Motivating the academic mind: High-level construal of academic goals enhances goal meaningfulness, motivation, and self-concordance
Davis, W. E., Kelley, N. J., Kim, J., Tang, D., & Hicks, J. A. (2015) · Motivation and Emotion · doi:10.1007/s11031-015-9522-x · Cited by 62
Complex Experiences of Meaning in Life: Individual Differences Among Sociodemographic Variables, Sources of Meaning and Psychological Functioning
Damásio, B., & Koller, S. (2014) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-014-0726-3
Time Perspective in the Self-regulatory Mechanism of Meaning in Life
Zheng, X., & Wang, W. (2021) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-021-00424-y
More Education, More Purpose in Life? A Comparison of Purpose Across Adults with Different Levels of Education
Sumner, R. (2016) · Applied Research in Quality of Life · doi:10.1007/s11482-016-9448-9
Meaning in life and school guidance programs: Adolescents’ voices from Hong Kong
Yuen, M.-T., Chung, Y., Lee, Q., Lau, P. S. Y., Chan, R. M. C., Gysbers, N., & Shea, P. (2020) · International journal for educational and vocational guidance · doi:10.1007/s10775-020-09423-6
What Can We Learn About the Concept of Meaning in Life from Older Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease? A Directed Content Analysis Study
Dewitte, L., Schellekens, T., Steger, M., Martela, F., Vanhooren, S., Vandenbulcke, M., & Dezutter, J. (2021) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-020-00351-4
Measuring Meaning in Life: An Empirical Comparison of Two Well-Known Measures
Damásio, B., Hauck-Filho, N., & Koller, S. (2014) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-014-9602-8
“First, it purposes the assessment of a large set of sources of meaning, encompassing most, if not all, sources of meaning previously discussed in the literature (Bar-Tur et al. 2001; Debats 1999; De Vogler and Ebersole 1983; Ebersole 1998; Emmons 2003; Fiske and Chiriboga 1991; McKnight and Kashdan 2009; Prager 1996;…”
Background
The Meaning Frame Theory: Meaning Arises with Reference Points
Noguchi, K. (2019) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-019-00208-5 · Cited by 11
Economic Development and Subjective Well-being: A Comparative Study of Adolescents in Hong Kong and Macau
Wong, M., & Wing, H.-C. (2016) · Child Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s12187-016-9381-3
“McKnight and Kashdan (2009) define purpose in life as a cognitive process to derive personal meaning and life goals.”
Purpose in life, urgency, and the propensity to engage in risky and self-destructive behaviors
Ratner, K., Porcelli, S. E., & Burrow, A. L. (2021) · Motivation and Emotion · doi:10.1007/s11031-021-09915-0 · Cited by 8
Worlds Apart? – The Challenges of Aligning Brand Value for NGO’s
Hand, K., Murphy, R., Maclachlan, M., & Carr, S. (2021) · International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing · doi:10.1007/s12208-021-00312-4
Pathways to the development of purpose in life among ethnic minority adolescents
Kim, R., Min, M. O., Canham, S. L., & Williams, M. (2026) · Journal of Research on Adolescence · doi:10.1111/jora.70299
Leadership and purpose salience in organizations: A within‐case exploration of strategic change
Kuipers, B., & Higgs, M. (2026) · European Management Review · doi:10.1111/emre.70112
Thriving at work, decent work, and motivation as pathways to employee well-being and work fulfilment: Study among healthcare workers
Parahyanti, E., Dewayani, K., Salendu, A., Karima, B. A., Salsabila, A., & Irene, B. (2026) · Acta Psychologica · doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107926
Psychometric validation of the positive youth development scale–short form in Peruvian university students
Vilca-Pareja, V., Ardiles-Irarrázabal, R., Yana-Calla, V., Zegarra, M. E. R., & Muñoz-del-Carpio-Toia, A. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1909136
With Others, More Myself: Personal Expressiveness as Identity Enactment in Adult Daily Life
Waxler, E. A. (2026) · Journal of Adult Development · doi:10.1007/s10804-026-09579-5
Framing a Sense of Purpose During Adulthood: A Study of Urban-Indian Married Women
Bhushan, O., & Kulkarni, M. (2026) · Journal of Adult Development · doi:10.1007/s10804-026-09577-7
Motivation as developmental coordination: The generative arc as a heuristic framework for psychopathology
de Mendelssohn, A., Fuchshuber, J., & Löffler‐Stastka, H. (2026) · World Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.5498/wjp.119718
Ownership in AI-Assisted Everyday TasksPreprint
Wei, M., Subbiah, M., Lee, A., Dahmani, A., Edwards, D., Edwards, H., & Pavlick, E. (2026) · arXiv (Cornell University) · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2609.20658
“One such area is our sense of purpose and fulfillment in our life and work, which hinges on some degree of pride or ownership in the decisions and actions we take [McKnight and Kashdan, 2009, Kirk et al., 2015, Polimetla et al., 2026].”
Temporal Dynamics Between the Three Dimensions of Meaning in Life and Well-Being among Chinese College Students: Coherence as Prerequisite, Purpose as Connector, and Significance as Outcome
Chen, Z., Wu, X., & Yu, S. (2026) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-026-01102-7
“Purpose is the motivational component, reflecting a future-oriented commitment to meaningful objectives that energizes and structures one’s behavior (Frankl, 1963; McKnight & Kashdan, 2009).”
AI contributions to participant psychological wellbeing and agency: A case for critical-AI research as qualitative methodology
Hayvon, J. C. (2026) · Qualitative Research in Psychology · doi:10.1080/14780887.2026.2731998
“Why speak when classroom speaking feels costly?”: meaning in life, enjoyment, engagement, and second-language willingness to communicate among Thai undergraduates
Fan, A., Arifani, Y., Fan, L., & Thanyathamrongkul, R. (2026) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2026.1915908
“Purpose has also been described as a self-organizing system through which people form personally meaningful goals and sustain goal-directed engagement over time (McKnight and Kashdan, 2009).”
Hedonism and eudemonism: the role of well-being in community- and home-based care utilization among older adults in China
Liu, P.-C., Xu, Z.-L., Zhu, Y.-Y., & Li, S.-S. (2026) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-026-10037-4
“Such individuals often exhibit superior self-regulation (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009 ) and healthier lifestyle habits, enabling them to manage health concerns independently.”
Reconceptualizing Purpose in the Third Age: From Linear Accumulation to Present-Centred Sufficiency?
Han, J. (2026) · Psychology Research and Behavior Management · doi:10.2147/prbm.s626384
Long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences on allostatic load: The role of purpose in life.
Yang, Y.-F., Wong, C.-K., Jiang, Y.-P., Liang, C., Qian, L.-N., Lu, X.-P., & Xie, M.-J. (2026) · International Journal of Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2026.108297
Purpose-Affirmation: A Novel Intervention for Cultivating Adolescents’ Purpose in Life
Yan, W., Jiang, L., Wang, Y., Chen, Y., Wu, Y., & Kizilcec, R. F. (2026) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-026-01081-9
“While traditional conceptualizations emphasize that purpose is inherently future-oriented and focuses on long-term aspirations (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009), adolescents often operate within more immediate, short-term goal frameworks (Hill et al., 2022; Ratner et al., 2023).”
Varieties of Purpose: Different Types of Purpose Correlate With Self-Reported Happiness, Age, and Gender
Taylor, S., Williams, G. A., Morgan, J., & Egeto-Szabo, K. (2026) · Journal of Humanistic Psychology · doi:10.1177/00221678261469982
Integrating Purpose Research into Spiritual Care Practices
Hill, P., Allemand, M., & Noth, I. (2026) · Pastoral Psychology · doi:10.1007/s11089-026-01358-z
The Contribution of Sense of Purpose to Subjective Wellbeing: A Systematic Literature Review
Saidah, H., Rahmatullah, A. S., & Purnomo, H. (2026) · Journal of General Education and Humanities · doi:10.58421/gehu.v5i4.1692
“As a cognitive process that defines life purpose and provides personal meaning, sense of purpose is a system that explains a wide range of empirical findings that previously seemed separate in the social sciences—from life expectancy and satisfaction to mental and physical health [6].”
Purpose at the Top: How CEOs and Senior Leaders Perceive, Enact, and Embed Organizational Purpose
Jones, L., & Gomes, J. F. D. S. (2026) · Global Business and Organizational Excellence · doi:10.1002/joe.70050
Spiritual emptiness and depression among university students: the roles of perceived support and age
He, L., Huang, M.-Y., Zhao, Y.-F., Yin, M. X. C., & Tang, D.-H. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1804480
“Empirical evidence indicates that meaning in life is negatively associated with depressive symptoms and can counteract core depressive features such as anhedonia and reduced intrinsic motivation (Frankl, 1985; McKnight and Kashdan, 2009; Tian et al., 2025).”
Longitudinal Associations Between Meaning in Life and Health Behavior Procrastination Among Chinese Medical Undergraduates: A Three-Wave Cross-Lagged Study
Zhou, Z., He, Q., Qi, W., & Miao, M. (2026) · Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology · doi:10.1177/18344909261478831
Связь характеристик онлайн-активности со смысложизненными ориентациями интернет-активной молодежи
Surgan, M. (2026) · International journal of medicine and psychology · doi:10.58224/2658-3313-2026-9-5-353-359
Exploring Members’ Perceptions of a Community-Based Mental Health Support Program: A Qualitative Study to Enhance Implementation Efficiency and Broaden Research
Anjorin, O., Stark, B., & Kakuma, R. (2026) · Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Mental Health · doi:10.1007/s40737-026-00542-x
Everyday Stressors and Sense of Purpose: The Role of Stressor‐Related Opportunities for Goal Pursuit
Visser, M., Ong, L. Q., DeLongis, A., Hill, P. L., Sin, N. L., & Klaiber, P. (2026) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/jopy.70087
Why we intend to act for good: Life purpose as the bridge from light and dark personality to social entrepreneurial intention
Jahanshahi, A. A., Chalise, S., Schmitt, V. G. H., Melchor-Duran, I. L., Shabana, M. M. M., Bezzaa, A., Çakır, F. S., Adıgüzel, Z., Nawaser, K., Polas, M. R. H., et al. (2026) · Journal of Environmental Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.103121
Sense of Purpose and Maladaptive Personality Traits in Older Adulthood.
Rule, P. D., Osborne, J., Cruitt, P. J., Bogdan, R., Oltmanns, T., & Hill, P. L. (2026) · The International Journal of Aging & Human Development · doi:10.1177/00914150261456743
Emotional Vitality, Flourishing, and Healthy Lifestyles in Young Adults: A Longitudinal Study.
Mondragon, P., Sylvestre, M.-P., Doré, I., O'Loughlin, J., & Trudel-Fitzgerald, C. (2026) · International Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s12529-026-10470-6
Using Natural Language for Conceptual Clarity in Organizational Measurement: A Case of the Many Meanings of Meaningful Work
Samo, A., & Highhouse, S. (2026) · Journal of Business and Psychology · doi:10.1007/s10869-026-10118-y
Effectiveness of an ecological theory-driven health promotion program on improvement of retirement adjustment, psychological well-being, and coping strategies in Iranian retirees: a randomized controlled trial
Shoushtari-Moghaddam, E., Kaveh, M., Karimi, M., Tarrahi, M., & Soltani, E. (2026) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-026-27764-9
“McKnight and Kashdan's study showed that interventions focusing on purpose in life increased both subjective well-being and life satisfaction in older adults [55].”
Purpose development among high school students in an arts context
Kearns, L. (2026) · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · doi:10.1057/s41599-026-07686-y
“Scholars have identi ﬁ ed purpose as a developmental asset (Benson, 1997), a goal that gives direction to life (Damon, 2008), and a “ central, self-organizing life aim ” (McKnight and Kashdan, 2009, p. 304).”
Major Purpose in Life Across Generations: A Categorical Analysis Across Lifespan.
Husain, W., Husain, M. A., Ijaz, F., & Jahrami, H. (2026) · The International Journal of Aging & Human Development · doi:10.1177/00914150261456755
Cognitive constructs in psychological wellbeing and process for developing a scale for the composite cognitive wellbeing model - A comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis
Sinha, V., Bhattacharya, S., Neelam, N. G., & Mandal, S. (2026) · Social Sciences & Humanities Open · doi:10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102629
Dynamic interrelations among meaning in life subcomponents and their longitudinal associations with adolescent internalizing problems: A cross-lagged panel network analysis.
Wang, C., Zhang, J., Li, X., & You, J. (2026) · Journal of Research on Adolescence · doi:10.1111/jora.70211
Establishing validity and measurement invariance of the Claremont Purpose Scale among adolescents from diverse racial–ethnic backgrounds
Xie, H., Ratner, K., Estevez, M., & Burrow, A. L. (2026) · Journal of Research on Adolescence · doi:10.1111/jora.70215
“On the other hand, McKnight and Kashdan (2009) noted that purpose awareness (i.e., the extent to which one can consciously identify and articulate their purpose) varies in salience across individuals.”
Purpose in Life and Functional Reserve in a Memory Clinic Sample.
Chapman, B. P., Szigeti, K., George, L. S., & Benedict, R. (2026) · The American journal of geriatric psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2026.06.008
Purpose in life and coping strategies: Main associations and moderation by concurrent distress
Sutin, A., Luchetti, M., Stephan, Y., Miller, A. A., & Terracciano, A. (2026) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0347777
A Daily Digital Mindfulness Meditation to Reduce Stress from Discrimination Among Racially Diverse Sexual and Gender Minorities: Preparation Phase of the Multi-Phase Optimization Strategy (MOST)
Cook, S. H., Wood, E. P., Rodrigues, M., Delorme, M., Tatar, R., Goldberg, S. B., Javdani, S., & Godfrey, E. (2026) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-026-02874-y
“Lastly, Purpose meditations allow for the construction of meaning in one’s day-to-day life via goal setting and management of behaviors in alignment with one’s values and goals (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009).”
A photo-a-day practise in capturing moments of everyday life: Exploring the influence of photo-taking on wellbeing
Minkiewicz, D., & Perera, N. (2026) · Health An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health Illness and Medicine · doi:10.1177/13634593261449196
Bidirectional longitudinal relationship between maximizing style and meaning in life.
Ma, M., Zhai, S., Jia, K., Guo, K., Zhang, Y., & Zhang, L. (2026) · Acta Psychologica · doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107019
From purpose statements to purpose systems: Research opportunities on eudaimonic well-being for consumers and employees
Williams, P., & Escalas, J. E. (2026) · Academy of Marketing Science Review · doi:10.1007/s13162-026-00344-1
“Drawing on the broader human purpose literature (Damon et al., 2003; McKnight & Kashdan, 2009; Ryan & Deci, 2001 ; Ryff, 1989), WEM (2022) note that purpose exerts organizing power when it spans meaningful domains (scope), is likely to be invoked in relevant domains (strength), and can be…”
The role of purpose in life in the relationship between pain interference and depressive symptoms.
Monroe, A. D., & Chin, A. (2026) · Journal of Health Psychology · doi:10.1177/13591053261442710
The employee green behavior and employee well-being nexus: A bibliometric analysis and review of seminal literature
Zaki, A., & Zenjari, A. (2026) · Intangible Capital · doi:10.3926/ic.3638
“Previous studies have already established a positive relationship between the sense of purpose and various positive outcomes, including better physical health (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009), greater goal engagement (Irving et al., 2017) and resilience to stress (Ong & Patterson, 2016).”
Selected Aspects of Self-Regulation: How People Cope with Danger and Change in the Context of COVID-19 (Research in Poland and Ukraine)
Huflejt-Łukasik, M., Szuster, A., Pastwa, M., Wielgopolan, A., Karwowska, D., Haletska, I., Klimanska, M., & Imbir, K. (2026) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph23050606
“Individuals going through negative experiences are motivated to seek meaning in their lives, adapt to the situation, and pursue important goals consistent with their own [67].”
Meaning as Horizon in the Religious Context: Development and Validation of a Short Scale in Poland
Iwański, D. (2026) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-026-02656-9
“%) might reflect cultural emphasis on goal-directedness (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009).”
Influential
The State of State Purpose: What We Know and Need to Know About Purpose in Daily Life
Pfund, G. N. (2026) · Social and Personality Psychology Compass · doi:10.1111/spc3.70136 · Cited by 1
Being there for mom: The strengths of daughtering
Alford, A. M., Phillips, K. E., Stipanovic, L. V., Rocha‐Barnette, C. A., & Miller-Day, M. (2026) · Family Relations · doi:10.1111/fare.70122
The purpose effect: connecting hearts, minds and management
Gomes, J. F. S., & Jones, L.-A. (2026) · Strategy and Leadership · doi:10.1108/sl-11-2025-0406
Purpose in Life and Estimated Type 2 Diabetes Risk: Cross-Sectional Associations Across Three Validated Risk Scores in 93,077 Spanish Working Adults
Pertegaz, P. G., López, P. T. T., Campayo, I. C., Busquets-Cortés, C., López-González, Á., & Ramírez-Manent, J. I. (2026) · Medical Science · doi:10.3390/medsci14010113
“From a behavioral perspective, higher Purpose in Life may enhance motivational regulation, future-oriented decision-making, and sustained adherence to health-protective behaviors [36].”

Authors: McKnight, P. E., & Kashdan, T. B.
Affiliations: George Mason University (US)
Corresponding author: McKnight, Patrick E.
ORCID: McKnight, Patrick E.
Kashdan, Todd B.
Venue: Review of General Psychology
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2009-09
Volume: 13
Issue: 3
Pages: 242-251
ISSN: 1089-2680 (ISSN-L)
1939-1552
DOI: 10.1037/a0017152
OpenAlex: W2141316441
Cited by: 965
References: 0
Citations by year: 2026: 71 · 2025: 96 · 2024: 91 · 2023: 85 · 2022: 95 · 2021: 95 · 2020: 93 · 2019: 54 · 2018: 76 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 37 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 15
FWCI: 16.11
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Review of General Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
Keywords: meaning of life, meaning in life, life goals, well-being, health, life expectancy, life satisfaction, motivation, engagement, integrative theory

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Purpose in Life as a System that Creates and Sustains Health and Well-Being: An Integrative, Testable Theory

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Metadata

Record

About these checks