J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs.  2019 Dec;28(4):373-381. 10.12934/jkpmhn.2019.28.4.373.

Mediating Effect of Meaning in Life on the Relationship between Social Connectedness and Depression among Middle-aged Women

• Son JA
• Kim J
• Hyun MS

• KMID: 2467509
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2019.28.4.373

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to examine the mediating effect of meaning in life on the relationship between social connectedness and depression among middle-aged women.
METHODS
A descriptive correlational design was employed. One hundred and forty-two middle-aged women who visited welfare centers or churches in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province participated in the study. The data were collected from May to June, 2019 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analyses based on Baron and Kenny criteria.
RESULTS
Social connectedness was significantly positively correlated with meaning in life (r=.52, p < .001) and negatively with depression (r=−.53, p < .001). Meaning in life was also significantly negatively correlated with depression (r=−.50, p < .001). Furthermore, meaning in life had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between social connectedness and depression (β=−.31, p < .001).
CONCLUSION
Our study findings suggest that meaning in life plays an important role in maintaining mental health and well-being for middle-aged women. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a nursing intervention program that can enhance the meaning in life to promote mental health and well-being.

Keyword

Women; Depression; Life; Mental health

MeSH Terms

Depression*
Female
Gyeonggi-do
Humans
Linear Models
Mental Health
Negotiating*
Nursing
Seoul

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Mediating effect of meaning in life on the relation between social connectedness and depression.

Reference

1. Bosworth HB, Bastian LA, Kuchibhatla MN, Steffens DC, Mc-Bride CM, Skinner CS, et al. Depressive symptoms, menopausal status, and climacteric symptoms in women at midlife. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2001; 63(4):603–608. DOI: 10.1097/00006842-200107000-00013.

2. Yu K, Jue J. Correlation analysis between depression, meaning in life, and social support of middle-aged women. Journal of Sustainable E-learning Research. 2011; 5(2):23–37.

3. Shin HS. Effects on depressive disposition of middle-aged women by style of living. The Korean Journal of Woman Psychology. 2002; 7(1):29–45.

4. Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Depression in women [Internet]. 2010. cited 2019 Oct 8. Available from: http://www.hira.or.kr/bbsDummy.do?pgmid=HIRAA020041000100&brdScnBltNo=4&brdBltNo=7886.

5. Cho I, Ahn S, Kim SY, Park YS, Kim HW, Lee SO, et al. Depression of married and employed women based on socialrole theory. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing. 2012; 42(4):496–507. DOI: 10.4040/jkan.2012.42.4.496.

6. Lee RM, Draper M, Lee S. Social connectedness, dysfunctional interpersonal behaviors, and psychological distress: testing a mediator model. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 2001; 48(3):310–318. DOI: 10.1037/0022-0167.48.3.310.

7. Levula A, Harré M, Wilson A. The association between social network factors with depression and anxiety at different life stages. Community Mental Health Journal. 2018; 54(6):842–854. DOI: 10.1007/s10597-017-0195-7.

8. Luo Y, Hawkley LC, Waite LJ, Cacioppo JT. Loneliness, health, and mortality in old age: a national longitudinal study. Social Science & Medicine. 2012; 74(6):907–914. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.11.028.

9. Steger MF, Frazier P, Oishi S, Kaler M. The Meaning in Life questionnaire: assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 2006; 53(1):80–93. DOI: 10.1037/0022-0167.53.1.80.

10. Lee MA. The u-shaped relationship between the size of social networks and depressive symptoms: examining the moderating effect of interpersonal trust. Korean Journal of Sociology. 2013; 47(4):171–200.

11. Falci CD, McNeely C. Too many friends: social integration, network cohesion and adolescent depressive symptoms. Social Forces. 2009; 87(4):2031–2061. DOI: 10.1353/sof.0.0189.

12. Lopez SJ, Snyder CR, editors. The Oxford handbook of positive psychology. Oxford: Oxford Handbook Online;2009. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6570-8021.

13. Shao J, Zhang Q, Lin T, Shen J, Li D. Well-being of elderly stroke survivors in Chinese communities: mediating effects of meaning in life. Aging & Mental Health. 2014; 18(4):435–443. DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2013.848836.

14. Park KJ, Lee KH. A structural model for depression in middle-aged women. Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing. 2002; 8(1):69–84. DOI: 10.4069/kjwhn.2002.8.1.69.

15. Song JY, Lee HK. The mediating effect of life meaning of childhood cancer patients' mothers in the link between their hope and posttraumatic growth. Korean Journal of Counseling. 2010; 11(4):1501–1517. DOI: 10.15703/kjc.11.4.201012.1501.

16. Steger MF, Frazier P. Meaning in life: one link in the chain from religiousness to well-being. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 2005; 52(4):574–582. DOI: 10.1037/0022-0167.52.4.574.

17. Park SY, Kwon SM. The relationships of meaning in life with subjective well-being and depression: comparison between university students and middle-aged adults. Korean Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2014; 33(3):549–571.

18. Guerrero-Torrelles M, Monforte-Royo C, Tomás-Sábado J, Marimon F, Porta-Sales J, Balaguer A. Meaning in life as a mediator between physical impairment and the wish to hasten death in patients with advanced cancer. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 2017; 54(6):826–834. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.04.018.

19. Lee RM, Dean BL, Jung KR. Social connectedness, extraversion, and subjective well-being: testing a mediation model. Personality and Individual Differences. 2008; 45(5):414–419.

20. Won DR, Kim KH, Kwon SJ. Validation of the Korean version of Meaning of Life questionnaire. The Korean Journal of Health Psychology. 2005; 10(2):211–225.

21. Beck AT, Brown GK, Steer RA. Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation;1996. p. 38.

22. Lim SY, Lee EJ, Jeong SW, Kim HC, Jeong CH, Jeon TY, et al. The validation study of Beck Depression Scale 2 in Korean version. Anxiety and Mood. 2011; 7(1):48–53.

23. Baron RM, Kenny DA. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1986; 51(6):1173–1182. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173.

24. Galloway AP, Henry M. Relationships between social connectedness and spirituality and depression and perceived health status of rural residents. Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care. 2014; 14(2):43–79. DOI: 10.14574/ojrnhc.v14i2.325.

25. Gong SJ, Kim KH. Factors related to meaning in life in elderly. The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Adult Nursing. 2010; 22(4):438–447.

26. Jeon KS. Well-being of middle-aged Koreans: development of scales related to happiness and meaning of life, and comparisons between groups [dissertation]. [Seoul]: Chung-Ang University;2010. 142.

27. Park MJ. Social connectedness and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults in Korea: the moderating effect of community attachment. Korean Journal of Gerontological Social Welfare. 2018; 73(3):55–81.

28. Gilster ME. Comparing neighborhood-focused activism and volunteerism: psychological well-being and social connectedness. Journal of Community Psychology. 2012; 40(7):769–784. DOI: 10.1002/jcop.20528.

29. Krause N. Longitudinal study of social support and meaning in life. Psychology and Aging. 2007; 22(3):456–469. DOI: 10.1037/0882-7974.22.3.456.

30. Thoits PA. Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 2011; 52(2):145–161. DOI: 10.1177/0022146510395592.