Development of a Model of Feeling the Meaning of Life Based on the Schema of Defects and Shame and Identity Styles with the Mediation of Self-Acceptance in Students: A Descriptive Study

Paying attention to creating a purpose in life, the meaning of life, and the attitude toward life, all of which shape a person's future, is particularly important during the youth ages, and various factors are influential. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the development of a model of feeling the meaning of life based on the schema of defects and shame and identity styles with the mediation of self-acceptance.

In the present descriptive correlational study, carried out using the structural equation modeling method, the statistical population included all students studying at the Islamic Azad University of Torbat-e-Jam Branch in the academic year of 2023-2024, of whom 265 people were selected by the convenience sampling method. Participants completed Assessing the Meaning of Life (Steger et al.), Schema (Young), Identity Styles (Berzonsky), and Unconditional Self-Acceptance (Chamberlain & Haaga) Questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling.

The results showed that according to the predicted paths in the model, meaning of life is directly and significantly affected by normative identity style (β=-0.186), defect and shame schema (β=-0.137), and self-acceptance (β=0.207) (p<0.05). Moreover, the indirect path of all identity styles and the schema of defect and shame through self-acceptance on the sense of meaning in the lives of the youth is significant (p<0.05).

The present study showed that if the youth have acquired their own identity style and do not have a schema of defect and shame, or if they do, they seek to correct it, it can overall lead to a better self-acceptance and ultimately give a sense of meaning to their lives.
Key words: Meaning of life, Schema of defect and shame, Identity styles, Self-acceptance

Funding: This study did not have any funds.
Conflict of interest: None declared.
Ethical considerations: The Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University, Torbat-e-Jam Branch, approved the study (IR.IAU.TJ.REC.1403.050).
Authors’ contributions:- Conceptualization: Kimiya Moradpour Sheykh Kanloo, Amir Karami
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Kimiya Moradpour Sheykh Kanloo
- Data collection: Kimiya Moradpour Sheykh Kanloo
- Formal analysis: Kimiya Moradpour Sheykh Kanloo, Amir Karami
- Supervision: Amir Karami
- Project administration: Amir Karami
- Writing – original draft: Kimiya Moradpour Sheykh Kanloo, Amir Karami
- Writing – review & editing: Kimiya Moradpour Sheykh Kanloo, Amir Karami





Citation: Moradpour Sheykh Kanloo K, Karami A. Development of a Model of Feeling the Meaning of Life Based on the Schema of Defects and Shame and Identity Styles with the Mediation of Self-Acceptance in Students: A Descriptive Study. J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci 2025; 23 (12): 1060-75. [Farsi]