Network analysis of meaning in life and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents

Adolescent depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in China, with prior studies highlighting a significant association between meaning in life and depressive symptoms. However, the roles of the presence of meaning (PML) and the search for meaning (SML) with depressive symptoms remain inconsistently defined. This study employed network analysis to explore the associations between PML, SML, and specific depressive symptoms in a sample of 2253 Chinese adolescents (968 males; mean age = 15.00 years). Participants completed the Chinese Meaning in Life Questionnaire and a short Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Findings revealed that both PML and SML were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Notably, symptoms such as lack of positive affect and activity retardation were directly connected to both PML and SML. Furthermore, adolescents with lower PML levels demonstrated a more densely interconnected depressive symptom network. These results elucidate the associations between different dimensions of meaning in life and the network structure of adolescent depressive symptoms, offering insights that may inform future interventions.