Meaning in Life and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance

Heijnen, Jiska (2026) Meaning in Life and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance. Master thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

Meaning in life (MiL) has been consistently associated with fewer depressive symptoms, yet the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain incompletely understood. Experiential avoidance (EA), the tendency to evade uncomfortable internal experiences, has been proposed as a potential mediator. Therefore this study tested if the relationship between MiL and depressive symptoms could be (partially) accounted for by EA. Additionally, given known gender differences in coping styles and depression prevalence, the study investigated whether this relationship differs by gender. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a non-clinical adult sample (N = 674; 54.9% female; age 18–87) from Dutch- and English-speaking populations. MiL was indexed by the Three-Dimensional Meaning in Life Scale (3DM), depressive symptoms by the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology – Self Report (IDS-SR), and EA by the Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ). Bivariate correlations indicated that higher MiL was negatively associated with both depressive symptoms (r = -.63) and EA (r = -.38), whereas EA was positively associated with depressive symptoms (r = .46). Mediation analyses showed that EA partially mediated the relationship between MiL and depressive symptoms, accounting for 15.6% of the total effect. Gender did not moderate the relationship between MiL and EA, and indirect effects were similar for men and women. Findings are consistent with the view that higher MiL protects against depressive symptoms, partly by reducing EA, and this effect appears consistent across genders. The study highlights EA as a relevant psychological mechanism connecting MiL and depressive symptoms in non-clinical adults.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master)
Supervisor name:	Jong, P.J. de
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	Clinical Psychology (CP) [Master Psychology]
Date Deposited:	29 Jan 2026 14:49
Last Modified:	29 Jan 2026 14:49
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/6101

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