A bidirectional relationship exists between having a sense of meaning in life and behavioral health issues such as anxiety, [depression](https://www.mcknights.com/news/being-lonely-and-sleeping-poorly-linked-to-depression-study-shows/) and loneliness, a new study finds. This means that one can lead to the other, or the other way around. The [report](https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-025-05762-7) was published Monday in _BMC Geriatrics_.
Data was derived from 1,077 older adults aged 60 and up with multimorbidity who lived in Hong Kong. The average age of participants was 70 years old. Investigators used the Chinese Purpose in Life test three times over the course of the study; the first time was at baseline, then at a median of 1.3 years after the initial check and again at a median of 3.1 years after baseline. The team used other tools to gauge depression, loneliness and anxiety. Researchers measured two types of loneliness: emotional loneliness (not having emotional support or meaningful relationships) and social loneliness (lacking a quality social network).
At the start of the study, higher depression, overall loneliness, emotional loneliness and social loneliness were linked to lower meaning in life, but not anxiety. Having higher levels of meaning in life was linked to lower depression, anxiety, overall loneliness, emotional loneliness and social loneliness at the first follow-up. At the first follow-up, depression, anxiety, overall loneliness and emotional loneliness — but not social loneliness — were associated with having diminished meaning in life. More meaning in life was also linked to lower overall loneliness, emotional loneliness and social loneliness at the second follow-up.
Emotional loneliness was more strongly linked to not feeling like a person had meaning in life compared with social loneliness, the authors pointed out. That may be the case because emotional loneliness is linked to a lack of meaningful relationships, while social loneliness can be influenced by situational factors such as availability of opportunities to socialize, the team explained.
More research is needed to understand the mechanisms at play and create targeted interventions to address problems with mental health and meaning in life, the authors wrote.