Feeling that life has meaning and direction is associated with a lower risk of earlier mortality, according to a recent study conducted by a team of FSU researchers. 

Angelina R. Sutin, Ph.D., Martina Luchetti, Ph.D., Antonio Terracciano, Ph.D. and colleagues analyzed data from nearly 489,000 individuals. Participants across the United States, Europe and Asia were followed up for periods lasting as long as 32 years to examine the relationship between purpose in life and mortality.

The results showed that people with a greater sense of purpose had an approximately 30% lower risk of earlier mortality. This association remained after researchers accounted for behavioral and clinical risk factors, as well as depression.

Overall, the findings add to evidence that purpose in life is consistently associated with longer, healthier lives. However, the study does not establish that having a greater sense of purpose directly causes lower mortality risk.