The indirect effects of a meaningful life on the fear of death: A partial integration of existential and Eriksonian perspectives in young and adults

This study compared the mechanisms by which a meaningful life reduces the fear of death in two age groups, considering existential and Eriksonian frameworks. 613 young adults (age 18–39) and 387 adults (age 40–65) from Turkey participated in an online survey. Participants completed scales measuring meaningful life, life satisfaction, ego integrity, regret, despair, and fear of death. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrap-based analyses were used to test total, direct, and indirect effect pathways. The findings revealed that the total effect of a meaningful life on the fear of death was significant in both groups, while the direct effect was not. Regret was the only mediator that acted fully. This mediation was small among young adults and moderate among older adults. The model explained 3.9% of death anxiety in young adults and 14.5% in adults. Additional demographic analyses revealed significant differences in means across gender, age group, education and income level. Moderation results indicated that female gender and older age buffered the transformation of regret into despair. The SEM results confirm Erikson's proposed mechanism of despair, integrity, and fear of death in the eighth developmental stage. This mechanism is partially supported by regret in early and middle adulthood. The results also support Frankl's claim that finding meaning, even in the face of death, strengthens resilience through the capacity to suffer. Additionally, the results support Yalom's argument that meaning-making alleviates death anxiety. Considering that the direct effects of the other mediators and the indirect and total effects of a meaningful life through these mediators strengthen with age, it is recommended that the model be tested in older individuals, despite the mediation of regret alone. Furthermore, the following are recommended: experimental designs to support the current model; longitudinal designs to determine how the dynamics of relationships between variables evolve over time; and validity tests in different cultural populations.