The feeling that one’s life has meaning is important throughout the human lifespan, and it is considered a factor related to optimal psychological functioning. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the relationship between the Presence and/or Search for Meaning and several positive psychological functioning variables in emerging adults, and analyze the differences associated with gender. Due to the transitional nature of emerging adulthood, it is important to know the relationships between meaning in life and variables of personal well-being, as well as the differences related to gender in emerging adults, in order to carry out educational and/or clinical interventions to improve their satisfaction with life, self-esteem, and happiness, among other personal well-being variables. The study involved 349 Spanish emerging adults (224 women, 64.20%, and 125 men, 35.80%) with ages ranging between 18 and 26 years, M = 20.81, SD = 2.17. Spanish adaptations of the Purpose-In-Life Test-10 Items, Seeking Of Noetic Goals-8 Items, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Rosenberg’s Self-esteem Scale, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and Psychological Well-Being Scales were used. Descriptive statistics, t tests for differences between women and men, correlation analyses, and simple linear regression analyses were carried out. Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning showed a negative correlationship. Presence of Meaning had a negative significant correlation with negative self-esteem, and a positive significant correlation with satisfaction with life, positive self-esteem, happiness, and psychological well-being. Search for Meaning had a negative significant correlation with satisfaction with life, positive self-esteem, happiness, and psychological well-being, and a positive significant correlation with negative self-esteem. Women obtained higher scores on Presence of Meaning, whereas men had higher scores on self-esteem. The experience of meaning in life (MiL) is a factor in optimal psychological functioning in emerging adulthood. Feeling that life has meaning is related to greater psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and happiness, and it is a significant predictor of positive psychological functioning. By contrast, Search for Meaning is associated with greater life dissatisfaction, less happiness, and lower well-being. The relationship between MiL and positive psychological functioning suggests the importance of providing resources to promote psychological well-being during emerging adulthood.

人的生命有意义的感觉在整个人的一生中都很重要，它被认为是与最佳心理功能相关的因素。本研究的目的是分析新兴成年人的存在和/或寻找意义与几个积极的心理功能变量之间的关系，并分析与性别相关的差异。由于新兴成年人的过渡性，了解生命意义与个人幸福感变量之间的关系以及新兴成年人与性别相关的差异非常重要，以便开展教育和/或临床研究。干预以提高他们对生活、自尊和幸福的满意度，以及其他个人福祉变量。该研究涉及 349 名西班牙新兴成年人（224 名女性，M  = 20.81，SD  = 2.17。使用西班牙语改编的生活目的测试 10 项、寻求理性目标 8 项、生活满意度量表、罗森伯格自尊量表、牛津幸福问卷和心理幸福量表。描述性统计量，t进行了男女差异检验、相关分析和简单线性回归分析。存在意义和寻找意义呈现负相关。意义存在与消极自尊呈显着负相关，与生活满意度、积极自尊、幸福感和心理幸福感呈显着正相关。寻找意义与生活满意度、积极自尊、幸福感和心理幸福感呈显着负相关，与消极自尊呈显着正相关。女性在“存在意义”上得分更高，而男性在自尊上得分更高。生命意义体验 (MiL) 是新兴成年期最佳心理功能的一个因素。感觉生活有意义与更大的心理健康、生活满意度和幸福感有关，它是积极心理功能的重要预测指标。相比之下，寻找意义与更大的生活不满、更少的幸福感和更低的幸福感有关。MiL 与积极心理功能之间的关系表明，在成年期提供资源以促进心理健康的重要性。