Viewing meaning in life in three generations: A qualitative study

The aim of this study was to understand meaning in life as a phenomenon in three different stages of life. Accordingly, it was aimed to investigate the similarities and differences in the way emerging adults, middle-aged adults and older adults from different families view and experience meaning in life. 14 families participated in this study where the children were in emerging adulthood, the parents in middle adulthood and the grandparents in late adulthood. The data were collected through one-to-one interviews using semi-structured questionnaire. Based on the questions of the semi-structured questionnaire, five main themes were identified, and the data were analyzed in view of these five themes. The main themes identified were sources of meaning, meaningful life experience, meaning searching experience, goals in life and present meaning. The emerged subthemes were presented for three developmental stages. Results were discussed in light of the literature and some suggestions were made for both researchers and practitioners.