Cultivating Purpose Across the Lifespan

CEHD faculty trace purpose in life across the lifespan, sharing recommendations for parents, educators and older adults

By February, most people have already given up on their New Year’s resolutions. But, developing a strong purpose in life—the ability to find meaning and direction in your life—might be one that’s worth some extra time and attention. Research has found that a strong purpose in life significantly protects health and well-being over time, especially as you age.

We sat down with University of Delaware experts in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) to learn more. With expertise in adolescent development, school psychology and the social determinants of health among adults, faculty members Heather Farmer, Sara Goldstein and Brittany Zakszeski helped us trace the development of purpose across the lifespan.

How does a strong sense of purpose in life protect health and well-being? 

Farmer: Broadly, purpose in life is associated with positive health and well-being and promotes successful aging. It’s associated with engaging in healthier lifestyle behaviors, lower risk for a variety of health conditions or processes (like cognitive declines and cardiovascular disease) and even greater longevity. As one dimension of psychological well-being, it’s also believed to be linked to resilience, which allows people to experience healthy adaptation to challenges, adversity and changes in life. And, it’s even known to buffer or dampen the harmful impact of stress on health outcomes, as my research has shown. In that study, we found that a strong purpose in life protected participants against the cognitive changes we typically see after people experience frequent discrimination.

When do children and adolescents develop a sense of purpose in life?

Goldstein: Young children can start to develop interest in things that matter to them and that have been emphasized as important in their families, communities, schools and peer groups.  However, the development of a sense of purpose tends to evolve substantially during adolescence, when youth start to tackle important questions about identity, morality and plans for their own futures. As youth continue to move into the college years and emerging adulthood, they continue to mature socially, emotionally and cognitively in terms of the ability to make long-term, realistic plans for their future. During these years, youth can start to develop a plan for how they can merge their developing sense of purpose with academic, career and other personal goals.

How can parents and educators foster a strong sense of purpose in life in adolescents?

Goldstein: An important first step is for parents and educators to listen to their children and students. Adolescents are at a time in their lives when they are developing their own opinions and a sense of autonomy. They thrive in contexts where they feel listened to, supported and respected—as opposed to feeling “corrected” or that their opinions are wrong. By engaging adolescents in non-judgmental discussions about things ranging from social issues to family and school rules, parents and educators can help teens develop their critical thinking skills and maintain positive relationships. Ultimately, these relationships and open-minded discussions can help adolescents find their sense of purpose.

How might a high schooler’s sense of purpose in life change as they approach adulthood? 

Zakszeski: Adolescents gradually transition from defining their purpose using external information (like peer norms, adult expectations or grades) to using their own values and priorities. In addition, as adolescents’ executive functioning skills mature, they increasingly consider their sense of purpose in relation to longer-term goals (like postsecondary education or training, future employment or family roles) rather than situation- or context-specific goals. With this maturation, adolescents’ sense of purpose typically becomes more realistic and attainable, too.

How would you support a high schooler who is struggling to develop a sense of purpose in life? 

Zaskzeski: Not knowing one’s purpose is developmentally typical in adolescence—and even into adulthood. An important “task” of adolescence is exploring interests, opportunities and emerging identities. Normalizing this uncertainty can reduce pressure and any stress or anxiety that accompanies it. By supporting students’ exploration through academic choices and extracurricular activities, for example, we can help them identify experiences they find meaningful, valuable and energizing—which, over time, contribute to the gradual development of a more stable and coherent sense of purpose.

How does purpose in life change for middle-aged or older adults? 

Farmer: Purpose in life reaches stability as people enter middle ages, but it can shift again, especially as people age. It’s broadly thought that purpose in life among middle-aged or older adults is dependent on major life events that have the potential to either grow or diminish one’s sense of purpose. For example, a health event like a heart attack or other major change like widowhood, divorce or retirement could lead to lower purpose. Even so, it’s just as likely that  people may experience increases in purpose in life from these same events. Some scholars have begun to explore what predicts better purpose in life during key life events, such as retirement.

What can adults do to maintain their purpose in life? 

Farmer: So far, research has shown that engaging in physical activity, having more social support and greater social connectedness, leisure activities and volunteering are all associated with better purpose in life and, in fact, directly benefit health and longevity. There’s even some interesting work on related interventions. For example, in the Lighten Up intervention researchers held psychoeducational classes that taught participants how to appreciate positive experiences, reflect on past achievements and meaningful experiences and practice these lessons at home. The intervention revealed significant improvements in several aspects of psychological well-being, including purpose in life.

To learn more about CEHD research in social and emotional development or the social determinants of health, visit our research webpage.

Article by Jessica Henderson. Photos by AdobeStock and Maria Errico.

Header image caption: Physical activity, social engagements, leisure activities and volunteering are all associated with a stronger purpose in life.