A dynamic structural equation modeling examination of meaning-making dynamics across daily events

This study examined daily meaning-making dynamics in a sample of Italian emerging and young adults (18–34) who participated in a two-week diary study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Using Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling, we investigated how the occurrence of positive and negative events affected the reciprocal within-person dynamics between the daily perception of presence and search for meaning in life. For the first time, we compared these dynamics across the three domains of comprehension, purpose and mattering/significance. Results revealed domain-specific patterns: a reciprocal predictive relationship between presence and search for meaning emerged for comprehension; a prospective search-to-presence effect emerged for mattering/significance; while no significant temporal dynamics were found for purpose. Positive daily events predicted increases in both presence and search for meaning across all domains, providing novel evidence that positive experiences serve as catalysts also for the process of search for meaning. Negative events produced a flow in the daily presence of meaning and a reduced engagement in the search for purpose. These findings suggest that, when faced with challenging circumstances, young people should be supported in activating a positive meaning-making process – one that emphasizes the appreciation of positive everyday experiences and the constructive reappraisal of negative ones.