Meaning in Life as a Mediator in the Association Between Death Anxiety and Life Satisfaction Among Young Adults in Türkiye

This study aimed to examine the associations among death anxiety, meaning in life, and life satisfaction in Türkiye, with a focus on the mediating role of meaning in life. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 836 participants. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed to assess the relationships among the variables. The findings showed that death anxiety was significantly associated with both the presence of meaning and the search for meaning in life, as well as with life satisfaction. Additionally, both dimensions of meaning in life were positively associated with life satisfaction. Mediation analyses indicated that the presence of meaning and search for meaning served as mediating variables in the associations between death anxiety and life satisfaction. Overall, this study contributes to the existential psychology literature by highlighting the relational pathways linking death anxiety and meaning in life to individuals' life satisfaction.