Cross-Lagged Analyses Between Life Meaning, Self-Compassion, and Subjective Well-being Among Gifted Adults

ObjectivesHighly intellectually gifted adults seem to be at a higher risk for existential crisis. However, not much is known about what contributes to their life meaning and/or well-being. This study examined if self-compassion may be a resource leading to a happy and/or meaningful life, or vice versa.MethodsCross-lagged associations between meaningfulness, subjective well-being, and self-compassion were examined. Additionally, we tested for differences concerning these constructs between the gifted and general population. One hundred highly intellectually gifted adults (55% female; mean age 439years) participated in a two-wave (4years) online study with a cross-lagged design.ResultsGifted adults experienced significantly lower levels of meaningfulness (T1: d=0.55, 95% CI [-0.76/-0.33]; T2: d=0.39, 95% CI [-0.60/-0.18]), subjective well-being (T1: d=1.11, 95% CI [-1.32/-0.90]; T2: d=0.82, 95% CI [-1.03/-0.61]), and self-compassion (T1: d=1.21, 95% CI [0.99/1.42]; T2: d=0.82, 95% CI [0.61/1.02]) compared to the general population. Cross-sectional analyses showed positive moderate to strong associations between the constructs. Cross-lagged analysis revealed that a sense of meaningfulness was a significant predictor of subjective well-being over time (=0.36, p<.05), after controlling for autoregressive effects. No cross-lagged effects between self-compassion and meaningfulness or self-compassion and subjective well-being were established.ConclusionsHighly intellectually gifted adults might find it taxing to experience life meaning, subjective well-being, and self-compassion. Results suggested the importance of strengthening gifted adults' life meaning which in further consequence may support highly gifted individuals in living a happier life.