Premium
Role of Meaning in the Prediction of Depressive Symptoms Among Trauma‐Exposed and Nontrauma‐Exposed Emerging Adults
Author(s) -
Woo Candice R. S.,
Brown Elissa J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.22002
Subject(s) - meaning (existential) , psychology , depression (economics) , stressor , clinical psychology , multilevel model , depressive symptoms , developmental psychology , psychiatry , cognition , psychotherapist , machine learning , computer science , economics , macroeconomics
Objectives This study investigated the role of searching for meaning, finding meaning, trauma exposure, and their interaction in the prediction of depressive symptoms among trauma‐exposed and nontrauma‐exposed emerging adults. Method Eight thousand seven hundred and eighty‐four college students (73% female; mean age of 19.8 years) completed self‐report measures. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the three‐way interaction in the prediction of depressive symptoms. Results Searching for and finding meaning as well as the three‐way interaction significantly contributed to the prediction of depression. Specifically, searching for meaning was associated with increased symptoms, irrespective of meaning levels among nontrauma‐exposed and low frequency trauma‐exposed emerging adults. Among high frequency trauma‐exposed individuals, an increase in the search‐by‐find meaning interaction predicted fewer symptoms. Conclusions The findings suggest that searching for and finding meaning are important mechanisms in the prediction of depression among emerging adults facing daily stressors and traumatic events. Clinical implications are discussed.