Purpose in life and cognitive performance and informant ratings of cognitive decline, affect, and activities.

OBJECTIVE: To examine (1) the association between purpose in life and multiple domains of cognitive function and informant-rated cognitive decline, affect, and activities; (2) whether these associations are moderated by sociodemographic factors, cognitive impairment, or depression; (3) whether the associations are independent of other aspects of well-being and depressive symptoms. METHOD: As part of the 2016 Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol from the Health and Retirement Study, participants completed a battery of cognitive tests and nominated a knowledgeable informant to rate their cognitive decline, affect, and activities. Participants with information available on their purpose in life from the 2014/2016 Leave Behind Questionnaire were included in the analytic sample (N = 2,812). RESULTS: Purpose in life was associated with better performance in every cognitive domain examined (episodic memory, speed-attention, visuospatial skills, language, numeric reasoning; median ß =.10, p <.001; median d =.53). Purpose was likewise associated with informant-rated cognitive decline and informant-rated affective and activity profiles beneficial for cognitive health (median ß =.18, p < .001; median d =.55). There was little evidence of moderation by sociodemographic or other factors (e.g., depression). Life satisfaction, optimism, positive affect, and mastery were generally associated with cognition. When tested simultaneously with each other and depressive symptoms, most dimensions were reduced to non-significance; purpose remained a significant predictor. CONCLUSIONS: Purpose in life is associated with better performance across numerous domains of cognition and with emotional and behavioral patterns beneficial for cognitive health that are observable by knowledgeable others. These associations largely generalize across demographic and clinical groups and are independent of other aspects of well-being.

A systematic review of psychosocial protective factors against suicide and suicidality among older adults.

BACKGROUND: Research on suicide rarely focuses on protective factors. The goal of this systematic review was to assess the evidence of the associations between protective factors and reduced suicidality among older adults. METHOD: First, a scoping review was conducted to identify pertinent terms that refer to various protective factors against suicidality. A systematic review, following the PRISMA guidelines, was then conducted on a selection of 15 protective factors (e.g., perceived control, well-being and quality of life, life satisfaction, purpose-in-life, resilience, coping, religiosity, hope, self-regulation, sense of belonging, mattering, positive relationship, social support, social connectedness, and social participation), with separate searches performed on each factor in five databases. Empirical studies were eligible if participants were adults aged 60 years and over, and if the studies reported predictive statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 70 studies were retained for the review. Suicidal ideation was the main outcome measure (91%). Significant associations were consistently observed between all protective factors and reduced suicidal ideations or behaviors, particularly for purpose-in-life, resilience, and positive relationships, indicating that these are solid components for suicide prevention. Using scales, instead of a single item, to measure protective factors (e.g. life satisfaction) was more efficient to capture the associations. On the other hand, results were similar whether studies used subjective (e.g., sense of belonging) or objective (e.g., social connectedness) measures. CONCLUSION: Protective factors were inversely associated with suicidal ideation. Improving protective factors is essential for the development of late-life suicide prevention and interventions, instead of merely focusing on risk factors.

Social participation and mental well-being: Does purpose in life mediate the association among older adults?

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the association of social participation with mental well-being among older people and whether purpose in life mediates the potential association. METHOD: Cross-sectional (n = 1014) and longitudinal (n = 660, four-year follow-up) data comprised of three age cohorts (75, 80, and 85 years) of community-dwelling people. Life satisfaction was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale, depressive symptoms with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and purpose in life with the Scales of Psychological Well-Being purpose in life subscale. Social participation was assessed with questions concerning the frequency of meeting close friends and acquaintances, and volunteering. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Higher social participation was associated with higher life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms both cross-sectionally and after a four-year follow-up. Higher purpose in life mediated the associations of more social participation with higher life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms cross-sectionally. In the longitudinal data, the mediation effect was not observed. CONCLUSION: Older people with frequent social participation who had a sense of purpose in their lives will likely have higher mental well-being than those with less social participation. Enabling and supporting them to conduct purposeful actions in social contexts may help maintain their mental well-being.

Adaptation and validation of the Claremont Purpose Scale to measure Chinese adolescents' purpose in life.

Despite purpose measures being developed for adolescents, quantitative research investigating purposes prior to late adolescence and in non-Western societies remains nascent. This study evaluated the psychometric soundness of the Claremont Purpose Scale among Chinese adolescents. An initial prestudy (n = 34) was conducted to ensure linguistic equivalence. Subsequently, Study 1 (n = 1691) assessed the scale's reliability and factor structure, also investigating its functional equivalence across gender, adolescence stages, and language versions at the item level. Study 2 (n = 7842) investigated the scale's construct, convergent, predictive, and incremental validity, as well as tested for the scale's measurement invariance across different groups at the scale level. The results support the scale's use as a tool for researchers and practitioners to understand and cultivate purpose in adolescents.

Psychosocial factors associated with 7-year change in cognition among middle-aged and older Hispanics/Latinos: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA) and Sociocultural ancillary studies.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have examined the associations of psychosocial factors with cognitive change in Hispanics/Latinos. METHODS: Data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (HCHS/SOL INCA) and Sociocultural studies were used (n = 2,155; ages ≥45 years). Psychosocial exposures included intrapersonal (ethnic identity, optimism, purpose in life), interpersonal (family cohesion, familism, social networks, social support), and social factors (ethnic discrimination, loneliness, subjective social status). Survey-linear regression models examined associations between psychosocial exposures and 7-year cognitive change (global cognition [GC], verbal learning, memory, word fluency [WF], and digit symbol substitution [DSS]). RESULTS: Familism predicted decline in GC, verbal learning, and memory; family cohesion predicted DSS decline; and loneliness predicted memory decline. Ethnic identity was protective against decline in GC and memory, optimism and social support were protective against decline in memory, and purpose in life was protective against WF decline. DISCUSSION: Psychosocial factors are differentially related to cognitive changes. Culturally relevant factors should be explored in Hispanic/Latino cognitive aging research. HIGHLIGHTS: Psychosocial factors are differentially related to cognitive changes in Latinos. Role of culturally relevant factors on cognition should be further explored. Familism predicted decline in global cognition, verbal learning, and memory. Ethnic identity predicted increase in global cognition and memory.

Purpose in life moderates the relationship between loneliness and caregiving stress among family caregivers of people with mental health problems.

OBJECTIVE: Providing care to others can exert a profound impact on caregivers' sense of purpose or meaning in life, thereby reciprocally influencing the caregivers' overall health and well-being. This study aims to investigate whether the sense of purpose in life moderates the association between loneliness and caregiving stress among family caregivers of people with mental health problems. METHODS: A sample of family caregivers of people with mental health problems (N = 468, 57.1 % female) drawn from the 2020 survey of the Caregiving in the U.S. was investigated. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and a multiple regression with an interaction term were performed. RESULTS: Higher levels of loneliness were associated with enhanced caregiving stress. Moreover, after demographic and care-related factors were controlled for, the association between loneliness and caregiving stress was moderated by purpose in life; namely, as the sense of purpose in life increased, so did the intensity of the relationship between loneliness and caregiving stress. CONCLUSION: Reducing loneliness or strengthening the sense of purpose helps alleviate caregiving stress, and lonely family caregivers with a strong sense of purpose deserve extra attention.

Changes in Purpose in Life and Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation Across Older Adulthood.

Background: Older adults often experience an increase in low-grade chronic inflammation. Purpose in life could act as a protective factor as it is associated with beneficial health outcomes. Purpose in life may exert part of its adaptive function by promoting persistence in goal pursuit. During older adulthood, however, when many individuals experience an increase in intractable stressors and declining resources, the adaptive function of purpose could become reduced. Purpose: We examined whether the association between inter- and intra-individual differences in purpose in life and chronic inflammation differed across older adulthood. Method: We assessed four waves of data among 129 older adults (63-91 years old) across 6 years. Results: Hierarchical linear modeling demonstrated that within-person increases in purpose in life predicted reduced levels of chronic inflammation in early old age (25th percentile or 73 years, coefficient = -.016, p < .01), but not in advanced old age (75th percentile or 81 years, coefficient = .002, p = .67). Between-person differences in purpose were not related to chronic inflammation. Conclusions: These results suggest that greater within-person increases in purpose may protect health processes particularly in early old age but become less effective in advanced old age.

Effects of Changes in Frequency of Going Out during the COVID-19 Pandemic on ikigai (Sense of Purpose in Life) and Mental Health in Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Japan.

To clarify whether changes in frequency of going out due to the COVID-19 pandemic affect ikigai (sense of purpose in life) and mental health in Japanese middle-aged and older adults. In a questionnaire survey mailed to 16,866 adults aged > 40 years in Japan in September 2020, 7,973 responses were received (response rate, 47.3%) in October 2020. Following exclusions, data from 6,978 individuals (50.6% female, mean age 67.8 ± 12.2 years) were available for analysis. Respondents were categorized based on changes in frequency of going out, reflecting changes in social and/or physical activity, during the pandemic compared with before it: the previously active group went out often before but less often during the pandemic; the remained active group continued going out often; and the inactive group continued not going out often. Whether these changes affected the respondents' ikigai and mental health was investigated. The previously active group had a significantly higher proportion of individuals with decreased ikigai during the pandemic than the other groups. Mental health score decreased in all groups during the pandemic, but more so in the previously active group (-3.21), followed by the inactive and then the remained active groups (-1.45 and -1.28, respectively). Previously active individuals showed the greatest decline in ikigai and mental health among the three groups. These findings suggest that continuing to engage in appropriate physical and social activities, including going out, while following appropriate infection control measures, even under restrictions, can help people maintain ikigai and mental health.

Meaning and purpose in life, happiness, and life satisfaction in cancer: Systematic review with meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize current evidence on the potential cross-sectional and longitudinal association between meaning or purpose in life and subjective happiness or life satisfaction among cancer patients. METHODS: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression was conducted. CINAHL (via EBSCOhost), Embase, PubMed, and PsycINFO (via ProQuest) were searched from inception to 31 December 2022. In addition, manual searches were performed. The risk of bias in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies and the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool, respectively. Certainty in the evidence was judged using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations approach. Meta-regressions and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: We included 13 cross-sectional studies, comprising 12 different samples, and a longitudinal study. A total of 4968 individuals with cancer were interviewed across included studies. Certainty in the evidence was judged as very low for all outcomes, which was associated to serious concerns on risk of bias and imprecision of the results, and very serious concerns on indirectness of evidence. The assessed studies showed a marked heterogeneity in terms of participants' clinical (i.e., disease stage) and sociodemographic factors. A lack of reporting of these clinical and sociodemographic aspects were also evident among included studies. CONCLUSIONS: The wide number of methodological flaws detected in this systematic review preclude to make any clinical recommendation. More rigorous high-quality observational studies should guide future research on this topic.

Important Correlates of Purpose in Life in a Diverse Population-Based Cohort: A Machine Learning Approach.

BACKGROUND: Purpose-in-life (PiL) refers to the tendency to derive meaning and purpose from daily life experiences. Individuals with higher PiL were more likely to have better physical, mental, and cognitive health in prospective studies. Here, we aimed to identify important correlates of PiL among people of diverse backgrounds. METHODS: Participants were recruited by the population-based Health and Retirement Study and provided information on 34 different sociodemographic and psychosocial factors through psychometrically validated measures. To identify important correlates of PiL, we employed regularized regression implemented by Elastic Net on the entire cohort as well as among self-identified black participants only and white participants only, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 6,620 participants were included in this study, among whom 913 were black and 5,707 were white. We identified 12 and 23 important sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of PiL among black and white participants, respectively. Notably, all the 12 correlates in black participants were also correlates among white participants. Interestingly, when we examined both black and white participants together, being black was associated with having higher PiL. The correlates with the largest effect on PiL that were shared among black and white participants were hopelessness, perceived constraint on personal control, and self-mastery. CONCLUSION: Several sociodemographic and psychosocial factors most strongly associated with PiL were shared among black and white participants. Future studies should investigate whether interventions targeting correlates of PiL can lead to higher sense of life purpose in participants of diverse backgrounds.

Meaning Salience and Meaning in Life Prospectively Predict Lower Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is a widespread source of stress with adverse mental health impacts. Meaning in life, both as a trait and as momentary awareness of what is personally meaningful (meaning salience), is associated with positive health outcomes and may buffer against the deleterious effects of stress. PURPOSE: This project examines prospective associations between baseline meaning salience (daily, post-laboratory stressor) and meaning in life with perceived stress during COVID-19. METHODS: A community sample of healthy adults (n = 147) completed a laboratory stress protocol in 2018-2019, where perceived stress, meaning in life, and meaning salience (daily, post-stressor) were assessed. During April and July 2020 (n = 95, and 97, respectively), participants were re-contacted and reported perceived stress. General linear mixed-effects models accounting for repeated measures of stress during COVID-19 were conducted. RESULTS: Partial correlations holding constant baseline perceived stress showed that COVID-19 perceived stress was correlated with daily meaning salience (r = -.28), post-stressor meaning salience (r = -.20), and meaning in life (r = -.22). In mixed-effects models, daily and post-stressor meaning salience and higher meaning in life, respectively, predicted lower perceived stress during COVID-19, controlling for age, gender, and baseline perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals more capable of accessing meaning when exposed to laboratory stress reported lower perceived stress during a global health crisis. Despite study limitations concerning generalizability, results support meaning in life and meaning salience as important aspects of psychological functioning that may promote well-being by affecting stress appraisals and available resources for coping.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a widespread source of stress. Having a sense of meaning in life, or that you have goals in life and a sense that the things you do are worthwhile and significant, is an important part of psychological well-being and might help reduce stress. We collected data on 147 healthy adults in 2018­2019 regarding their stress levels, sense of meaning in life, and how often they were aware of their life's meaning on daily basis and after a stress task in the laboratory. We re-contacted these adults in both April and July 2020 to ask about their stress, and 95 adults responded. Adults who had higher meaning in life in 2018­2019 experienced less stress during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adults who were more aware of their life's meaning each day and immediately after a stress task in the laboratory also experienced less stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from this study provide evidence that having a strong sense of meaning in life overall and being aware of your life's meaning each day and during times of stress, may promote psychological well-being and reduce stress during times when stress is widespread and abundant.

Purpose in life and physical health in older U.S. military veterans: Cross-sectional results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

General population studies suggest purpose in life (PIL) is associated with a number of positive outcomes, including better mental and physical health. At present, however, scarce research has examined how PIL relates to these outcomes in veterans. The goal of this study was to determine the current prevalence of different levels of PIL and their associations with reported physical health in a nationally representative sample of predominantly older U.S. veterans. Cross-sectional data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (N = 4069; M(age) = 62.2). Veterans were classified into low, average, and high PIL. Self-report assessments were administered to assess physical health conditions and physical functioning. Results showed most veterans endorsed average PIL (71.7%), while 16.0% endorsed low PIL and 12.3% endorsed high PIL. Low PIL was associated with lower overall self-reported health and physical and cognitive functioning, as well as higher bodily pain, somatic symptoms, and physical role limitations (Cohen's d = 0.06-0.77). Low PIL was also associated with elevated rates of several physical health conditions, including sleep disorders, as well as obesity and disability with activities of daily living (i.e., ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (i.e., IADLs). These results suggest low PIL is associated with physical health difficulties, and underscore the importance of assessing and monitoring PIL, and evaluating whether interventions to promote PIL may help improve physical health and vice versa.

Psychological and spiritual interventions to enhance meaning in adults diagnosed with cancer: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the evidence on the effectiveness that psychological and/or spiritual interventions may have to change the levels of meaning, measured with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp), in adults diagnosed with cancer. METHODS: Systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression. CINAHL (via EBSCOhost), Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO (via ProQuest), and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 21st October 2022. Manual searches were conducted. Only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included. The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was used to judge the certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: Eight RCTs were included (N = 1682). Although some individual studies showed positive effects to enhance meaning using mindfulness or dignity therapy, the overall and individual meta-analyses showed a lack of effect of psychological and spiritual interventions in comparison to comparator interventions (MD (95%CI) = -0.19 (-0.45 to 0.06), p = 0.11, Tau2 = 0.0015, I2 = 2%). Publication bias was undetected (Egger's test = 0.35). Furthermore, no RCTs were judged to have a low risk of bias and the overall certainty of the evidence was judged as low. Meta-regression and subgroups meta-analyses also found possible sources of heterogeneity such as some cancer characteristics, the educational stage, or the religious affiliation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite some RCTs may show promising results following mindfulness or dignity therapy, no effects were observed in the meta-analysis. Moreover, important methodological and clinical concerns precluded us to make sound clinical recommendations with the available evidence. OPEN SCIENCE FRAMEWORK DOI REGISTRATION: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4YMTK .

From adversity to activism: A psychobiographical case study of Cori Bush.

INTRODUCTION: Cori Bush is a prominent modern activist in the U.S., becoming involved in activism following Michael Brown's death. Bush, like many activists before her, has set clear goals for social change, yet work is needed to understand why Bush (and like others) became an activist when others did not. One potential reason may be that these exemplars found purpose in life in activism. Thus, the current psychobiography explores the purpose in life of Cori Bush, a prominent activist and politician in the U.S., as well as what factors emerge for how Bush found her purpose in life. METHOD: The present research gathered public materials (e.g., speeches) from Bush and coded materials for the presence and depth of both themes of purpose and factors predicting purpose. RESULTS: Activism was the most prominent theme of purpose for Bush, with some pro-social purposes also occurring. Multiple personal factors emerged as influences on her activist purpose, including extraversion, psychological flexibility, and action-oriented coping style. Additionally, the situational factors of discriminatory experiences and Michael Brown's death emerged as factors. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Bush has an activist purpose in life and that she found this purpose through a combination of personal and situational factors.

Purpose in life, stress mindset, and perceived stress: Test of a mediational model.

Purpose in life is associated with less perceived stress and more positive worldviews. This study examined whether people with more purpose adopt a mindset that views stress as beneficial rather than harmful and whether this mindset is one mechanism between purpose and less stress. We used a short-term longitudinal study (N=2,147) to test stress mindset as a mediator between purpose in life measured prior to the pandemic and stress measured early in the pandemic. We also tested Covid-related worry as a mechanism, given the measurement period spanned pre-pandemic to the first shutdowns in the United States. In contrast to expectations, purpose was unrelated to whether stress was conceptualized as beneficial or harmful (b=.00, SE=.02; p=.710) and thus stress mindset did not mediate the prospective association between purpose and stress. Both purpose in life (b=-.41, SE=.04, p<.001) and stress mindset (b=-.24, SE=.04; p<.001) were independent prospective predictors of stress. Purpose was related to less Covid-related worry, which was a significant mechanism between purpose and stress (indirect effect=-.03, SE=.01; p=.023). A stress-is-enhancing mindset predicted less stress but did not explain why purpose was associated with less perceived stress, whereas fewer Covid-related worries was one pathway from purpose to less stress.

Sense of Purpose in Life and Subjective Cognitive Failures.

A greater sense of purpose in life is an aspect of well-being associated with markers of cognitive health across adulthood, including subjective cognition. The current research extends this work to examine how purpose is associated with cognitive failures, which are momentary lapses in cognitive function, whether this association varies by age, sex, race, or education, and whether it is accounted for by depressed affect. Adults across the United States (N=5,100) reported on their sense of purpose in life, recent cognitive failures in four domains (memory, distractibility, blunders, names), and depressed affect. Purpose was associated with fewer cognitive failures overall and within each domain (median d=.30, p<.01), controlling for sociodemographic covariates. These associations were similar across sex, education, and racial groups but were stronger at relatively older than younger ages. Depressed affect accounted for all the association between purpose and cognitive failures among adults younger than 50; the association was reduced by half but remained significant among participants 50 and older. Purpose was associated with fewer cognitive failures, especially in the second half of adulthood. Purpose may be a psychological resource that helps support subjective cognition among relatively older adults, even after accounting for depressed affect.

The relationship between purpose in life and depression and anxiety: A meta-analysis.

Purpose in life consists of having a sense of meaning and purpose regarding one's activities as well as an overall sense that life is meaningful. This study reports a comprehensive assessment of the relationship of purpose in life with depression and anxiety. A meta-analysis (total n = 66,468, total k = 99) investigated the association of purpose in life with depression and anxiety. Across samples, greater purpose in life was significantly associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety. The mean weighted effect size between purpose in life and depression was r = -0.49, [95% confidence intervals, CIs: -0.52, -0.45], p < 0.001. For the purpose in life and anxiety the mean weighted effect size was r = -0.36, [95% CIs: -0.40, -0.32], p < 0.001. The association of purpose in life with mental health was stronger for clinical populations, especially with regard to the relationship with anxiety. Both approach deficits and avoidance motivation are argued to play a role in the relationship between purpose and psychopathology, with greater purpose potentially limiting avoidance tendencies and reducing the effects of depression and anxiety. Understanding the role that purpose in life may play in depression and anxiety could help to inform current conceptualizations of these disorders and improve treatment outcomes.

The association of psychological protective factors with caregiver mental health outcomes.

The primary objectives were to investigate the association of resilience, purpose-in-life, and social connections in additive combinations with mental health outcomes of caregivers: 1) reduced levels of loneliness and/or depression; and 2) higher levels of positive perception of aging and quality of life. The study sample was identified from adults age ≥65, who had completed a survey during May-June 2018 or May-June 2019, and self-identified as caregivers (N=1,015; 15.4%). Resilience, purpose-in-life, and social connections were dichotomized as high/low; then counted with equal weighting 0 to 3. Among caregiver respondents, 24%, 29%, 32%, and 15% had 0, 1, 2, or 3 of these protective factors, respectively. As the number of protective factors increased, loneliness and depression decreased and positive perception of aging and quality of life increased. Caregiver interventions that include a focus on psychological protective factors may help to buffer caregiving-related stress thereby improving mental health and quality of life.

MentorOn: A peer mentoring program developed for COVID-19 times.

Burgeoning research has documented COVID-19's detrimental impacts globally, especially on the lives of adolescents. The present study examined the positive influences of a virtual, cross-age peer mentoring program on the development of adolescent participants in the face of the hardships created by the pandemic. In particular, this study focuses on the experiences of high school participants who served as both mentors and mentees in the program. Semi-structured interviews with participating high schoolers (n = 13) were coded and analyzed using the thematic analysis process. The interview data indicated that increased social support, the agency in prosocial pursuits, and greater purpose engagement resulted from their participation in the program. Results are discussed in the context of self-determination theory: youths' needs for relatedness, competence, and autonomy. The program met these basic needs among participants which in turn supported purpose exploration during the pandemic.

Applying an Allportian Trait Perspective to Sense of Purpose.

Sense of purpose captures the extent to which one feels that they have personally meaningful goals and directions guiding them through life. While this construct has illustrated its ability to robustly predict desirable outcomes-ranging from happiness to mortality-the nature of this construct remains unclear. I begin by describing different definitions and measures from the purpose literature. From there, I review the debates suggesting that it should be classified as a component of identity development, a facet of well-being, or even a virtue. In the current paper, I argue that sense of purpose could be best served when qualified as a trait, building from the eight components of defining a trait from Allport's (1931) paper: "What is a trait of personality?". Using this classic piece as a framework, I integrate empirical and theoretical work on purpose and personality to dive into whether sense of purpose is a trait. I conclude by discussing the challenges and implications of bolstering sense of purpose if it is best classified as a trait.