The Search for Meaning in College
Faculty Department
Psychology
Presentation Type
Powerpoint
Location
Larini Room
Start Date
25-2-2026 4:15 PM
End Date
25-2-2026 4:30 PM
Description (Abstract)
Background. Existential psychology explores how individuals find meaning in life. Despite college being a pivotal time of self-exploration and navigating one’s place in the world, limited research has examined college students’ search for meaning and factors that predict a more meaningful life. Method. The current study sampled 39 undergraduate students at a religiously affiliated college in the suburban northeast. We used an online survey to assess demographic factors, social support, religious/spiritual engagement, chronic illness status, and perceived meaning in life. Results. Results indicated that graduate students and commuter students reported higher levels of meaning than undergraduate and dorm-residing students, respectively. Greater religious or spiritual engagement was associated with a stronger understanding of meaning in life. Students who reported spending more quality time with loved ones were less likely to be actively searching for meaning. Few students reported chronic illness, which evidenced no association with meaning in life. Conclusion. Despite a small sample, the current study yields insights into what factors influence college students’ search for meaning.
Keywords
college, existential psychology, meaning in life
Related Pillar(s)
Spirituality, Study
The Search for Meaning in College
Larini Room
Background. Existential psychology explores how individuals find meaning in life. Despite college being a pivotal time of self-exploration and navigating one’s place in the world, limited research has examined college students’ search for meaning and factors that predict a more meaningful life. Method. The current study sampled 39 undergraduate students at a religiously affiliated college in the suburban northeast. We used an online survey to assess demographic factors, social support, religious/spiritual engagement, chronic illness status, and perceived meaning in life. Results. Results indicated that graduate students and commuter students reported higher levels of meaning than undergraduate and dorm-residing students, respectively. Greater religious or spiritual engagement was associated with a stronger understanding of meaning in life. Students who reported spending more quality time with loved ones were less likely to be actively searching for meaning. Few students reported chronic illness, which evidenced no association with meaning in life. Conclusion. Despite a small sample, the current study yields insights into what factors influence college students’ search for meaning.
Short Biography
Jennifer Elliott has a PhD in clinical psychology from Syracuse University. She is a New York licensed psychologist and is Certified in Public Health. Prior to coming to Molloy, she was an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry and a Research Scientist at New York State Psychiatric Institute. She joined the Molloy Psychology Department in Fall 2021 and is now an Associate Professor. She has worked with three undergraduate research groups in her time at Molloy. The current study represents work conducted with previous Molloy undergraduates Lara Paolino and Faith Rousseau, who are now completing graduate studies. This work was presented at the 2025 Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) conference in New York, with a manuscript being prepared for publication.