Authors: Research Scholar Jankar Ali
Abstract: Purpose and meaning in life have emerged as central constructs within positive psychology, with particular relevance to young adulthood, a developmental period marked by identity consolidation, educational and career transitions, and the negotiation of long-term life direction. This paper reviews the theoretical foundations of meaning and purpose, beginning with Frankl's existential account of the will to meaning and extending to Steger's dual-dimension model distinguishing the presence of and search for meaning, Damon's developmental conception of purpose as a self-transcendent and stable intention, and integrative frameworks such as Martela and Steger's tripartite model of coherence, purpose, and significance. The review synthesizes empirical evidence linking meaning and purpose to psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and reduced depressive and anxious symptomatology among young adults and college populations, while also considering how the presence of and search for meaning relate differently to adjustment. Particular attention is given to cultural and contextual influences on meaning-making among young adults in India, including the role of religiosity, spirituality, and indigenous philosophical frameworks such as the purushartha (dharma, artha, kama, moksha), alongside emerging qualitative evidence on how urban Indian young adults construct meaning amid globalization and shifting cultural expectations. The review concludes by identifying gaps in the literature, particularly the relative scarcity of culturally grounded and longitudinal research on meaning and purpose among South Asian young adults, and proposes directions for future research.
