Psychology Research and Behavior Management (Dec 2023)
Purpose Orientation and Its Protective Effect on Self-Esteem Among Chinese Depressive Patients: A Comparative Study
Abstract
Dannuo Lyu,1 Xiaosong Gai,1,2 Yanfeng Zhong3 1School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Research Center of Mental Health Education in Northeast Normal University, Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Science in Universities in Jilin Province, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Changchun Sixth Hospital, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaosong Gai, Northeast Normal University, Nanling Street, Changchun City, Jilin Province, 130024, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 186 4307 2597, Email [email protected]: Although previous studies have confirmed that purpose in life may negatively predict depressive symptoms, focusing on the intensity of purpose without focusing on content may ignore significant individual differences. This study explores differences in purpose orientations between depressive patients and healthy population to examine the relationship between the purpose content and self-esteem, one of the symptoms of depression. In addition, the moderating role of purpose orientations in the relationship between depression and self-esteem was analyzed to verify the protective effect of purpose orientation on self-esteem.Patients and Methods: The study utilized the questionnaire approach. The Purpose Orientation Scale (Self and Forced Rating) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were administered to the participants. The study recruited 73 depressive patients using convenience sampling. Moreover, using random sampling, 146 participants matched based on depressive patients’ demographics were selected as a healthy population in a 1:2 ratio.Results: The results showed that: 1) depressive patients valued all four types of purpose orientations to a lesser extent compared to healthy population, both depressive patients and healthy population valued family well-being and personal growth to a greater extent than personal well-being and social promotion. 2) Depressive patients reported lower self-esteem than healthy people. 3) All four types of Purpose orientations positively correlated with self-esteem in depressive patients, while only personal well-being positively correlated with self-esteem in healthy population. Family well-being and social promotion moderated the predictive effect of depression on self-esteem.Conclusion: The above results imply that prosocial purpose orientations may attenuate the harmful effects of depression on self-esteem. Additionally, intervention focusing on enhancing depressive patients’ purpose in life (especially prosocial purpose) could be helpful.Keywords: purpose in life, meaning in life, self-esteem, hopelessness, prosocial
