Sense of Purpose in Life Predicts University Performance and Attrition Article Swipe
Jacob Alderson
,
Nathan A. Lewis
,
Patrick L. Hill
,
Nicholas A. Turiano
·
YOU?
·
· 2024
· Open Access
·
· DOI: https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612
YOU?
·
· 2024
· Open Access
·
· DOI: https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612
Individual differences are important predictors of academic success. A sense of purpose in life is gaining increasing attention as a key individual difference factor to foster in university students. The current study examined whether a sense of purpose in life, a dispositional tendency to pursue goals and activities in line with one’s overarching life direction, predicted better academic success across several years of university. Students (n = 769) at a large, U.S. public university were asked to complete a baseline survey in the summer prior to entering university, which included measures for a sense of purpose and background characteristics. Students were then followed throughout their first three years of university. Results demonstrated that higher levels of purpose were associated with a higher grade point average (GPA), more credits earned, less credits dropped, and an increased odds of persisting through the first three years of university. A sense of purpose also appeared to buffer the negative effect of low entrance scores on university GPA. These findings support cultivating a strong sense of purpose prior to entering university as an effective means of improving a variety of academic outcomes.
Related Topics
Concepts
Metadata
- Type
- article
- Language
- en
- Landing Page
- https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612
- OA Status
- diamond
- Cited By
- 2
- Related Works
- 10
- OpenAlex ID
- https://openalex.org/W4403578183
All OpenAlex metadata
Raw OpenAlex JSON
- OpenAlex ID
-
https://openalex.org/W4403578183Canonical identifier for this work in OpenAlex
- DOI
-
https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612Digital Object Identifier
- Title
-
Sense of Purpose in Life Predicts University Performance and AttritionWork title
- Type
-
articleOpenAlex work type
- Language
-
enPrimary language
- Publication year
-
2024Year of publication
- Publication date
-
2024-10-20Full publication date if available
- Authors
-
Jacob Alderson, Nathan A. Lewis, Patrick L. Hill, Nicholas A. TurianoList of authors in order
- Landing page
-
https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612Publisher landing page
- Open access
-
YesWhether a free full text is available
- OA status
-
diamondOpen access status per OpenAlex
- OA URL
-
https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612Direct OA link when available
- Concepts
-
Attrition, Purpose in life, Psychology, Sense (electronics), Social psychology, Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry, Electrical engineeringTop concepts (fields/topics) attached by OpenAlex
- Cited by
-
2Total citation count in OpenAlex
- Citations by year (recent)
-
2025: 2Per-year citation counts (last 5 years)
- Related works (count)
-
10Other works algorithmically related by OpenAlex
Full payload
| id | https://openalex.org/W4403578183 |
|---|---|
| doi | https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| ids.doi | https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| ids.openalex | https://openalex.org/W4403578183 |
| fwci | 2.83522515 |
| type | article |
| title | Sense of Purpose in Life Predicts University Performance and Attrition |
| biblio.issue | |
| biblio.volume | |
| biblio.last_page | |
| biblio.first_page | |
| topics[0].id | https://openalex.org/T10475 |
| topics[0].field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/32 |
| topics[0].field.display_name | Psychology |
| topics[0].score | 0.8245000243186951 |
| topics[0].domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| topics[0].domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[0].subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/3207 |
| topics[0].subfield.display_name | Social Psychology |
| topics[0].display_name | Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction |
| topics[1].id | https://openalex.org/T10267 |
| topics[1].field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/33 |
| topics[1].field.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[1].score | 0.7299000024795532 |
| topics[1].domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| topics[1].domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[1].subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/3304 |
| topics[1].subfield.display_name | Education |
| topics[1].display_name | Higher Education Research Studies |
| is_xpac | False |
| apc_list | |
| apc_paid | |
| concepts[0].id | https://openalex.org/C2780553607 |
| concepts[0].level | 2 |
| concepts[0].score | 0.810671329498291 |
| concepts[0].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q684868 |
| concepts[0].display_name | Attrition |
| concepts[1].id | https://openalex.org/C3020085315 |
| concepts[1].level | 2 |
| concepts[1].score | 0.5942647457122803 |
| concepts[1].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223675 |
| concepts[1].display_name | Purpose in life |
| concepts[2].id | https://openalex.org/C15744967 |
| concepts[2].level | 0 |
| concepts[2].score | 0.46548405289649963 |
| concepts[2].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418 |
| concepts[2].display_name | Psychology |
| concepts[3].id | https://openalex.org/C143141573 |
| concepts[3].level | 2 |
| concepts[3].score | 0.46407726407051086 |
| concepts[3].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7450971 |
| concepts[3].display_name | Sense (electronics) |
| concepts[4].id | https://openalex.org/C77805123 |
| concepts[4].level | 1 |
| concepts[4].score | 0.22074654698371887 |
| concepts[4].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272 |
| concepts[4].display_name | Social psychology |
| concepts[5].id | https://openalex.org/C127413603 |
| concepts[5].level | 0 |
| concepts[5].score | 0.173238605260849 |
| concepts[5].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11023 |
| concepts[5].display_name | Engineering |
| concepts[6].id | https://openalex.org/C71924100 |
| concepts[6].level | 0 |
| concepts[6].score | 0.13843867182731628 |
| concepts[6].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11190 |
| concepts[6].display_name | Medicine |
| concepts[7].id | https://openalex.org/C199343813 |
| concepts[7].level | 1 |
| concepts[7].score | 0.0 |
| concepts[7].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12128 |
| concepts[7].display_name | Dentistry |
| concepts[8].id | https://openalex.org/C119599485 |
| concepts[8].level | 1 |
| concepts[8].score | 0.0 |
| concepts[8].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q43035 |
| concepts[8].display_name | Electrical engineering |
| keywords[0].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/attrition |
| keywords[0].score | 0.810671329498291 |
| keywords[0].display_name | Attrition |
| keywords[1].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/purpose-in-life |
| keywords[1].score | 0.5942647457122803 |
| keywords[1].display_name | Purpose in life |
| keywords[2].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/psychology |
| keywords[2].score | 0.46548405289649963 |
| keywords[2].display_name | Psychology |
| keywords[3].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/sense |
| keywords[3].score | 0.46407726407051086 |
| keywords[3].display_name | Sense (electronics) |
| keywords[4].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/social-psychology |
| keywords[4].score | 0.22074654698371887 |
| keywords[4].display_name | Social psychology |
| keywords[5].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/engineering |
| keywords[5].score | 0.173238605260849 |
| keywords[5].display_name | Engineering |
| keywords[6].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/medicine |
| keywords[6].score | 0.13843867182731628 |
| keywords[6].display_name | Medicine |
| language | en |
| locations[0].id | doi:10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| locations[0].is_oa | True |
| locations[0].source.id | https://openalex.org/S4210231101 |
| locations[0].source.issn | 2205-0795 |
| locations[0].source.type | journal |
| locations[0].source.is_oa | True |
| locations[0].source.issn_l | 2205-0795 |
| locations[0].source.is_core | True |
| locations[0].source.is_in_doaj | True |
| locations[0].source.display_name | Student Success |
| locations[0].source.host_organization | https://openalex.org/P4310319749 |
| locations[0].source.host_organization_name | Queensland University of Technology |
| locations[0].source.host_organization_lineage | https://openalex.org/P4310319749 |
| locations[0].source.host_organization_lineage_names | Queensland University of Technology |
| locations[0].license | cc-by |
| locations[0].pdf_url | |
| locations[0].version | publishedVersion |
| locations[0].raw_type | journal-article |
| locations[0].license_id | https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by |
| locations[0].is_accepted | True |
| locations[0].is_published | True |
| locations[0].raw_source_name | Student Success |
| locations[0].landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| locations[1].id | pmh:oai:doaj.org/article:8cf2a0777d1f4f31b813f6578a646381 |
| locations[1].is_oa | False |
| locations[1].source.id | https://openalex.org/S4306401280 |
| locations[1].source.issn | |
| locations[1].source.type | repository |
| locations[1].source.is_oa | False |
| locations[1].source.issn_l | |
| locations[1].source.is_core | False |
| locations[1].source.is_in_doaj | False |
| locations[1].source.display_name | DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) |
| locations[1].source.host_organization | |
| locations[1].source.host_organization_name | |
| locations[1].license | |
| locations[1].pdf_url | |
| locations[1].version | submittedVersion |
| locations[1].raw_type | article |
| locations[1].license_id | |
| locations[1].is_accepted | False |
| locations[1].is_published | False |
| locations[1].raw_source_name | Student Success, Vol 16, Iss 1, Pp 48-60 (2024) |
| locations[1].landing_page_url | https://doaj.org/article/8cf2a0777d1f4f31b813f6578a646381 |
| indexed_in | crossref, doaj |
| authorships[0].author.id | https://openalex.org/A5003404859 |
| authorships[0].author.orcid | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3288-1725 |
| authorships[0].author.display_name | Jacob Alderson |
| authorships[0].author_position | first |
| authorships[0].raw_author_name | Jacob E Alderson |
| authorships[0].is_corresponding | False |
| authorships[1].author.id | https://openalex.org/A5069930540 |
| authorships[1].author.orcid | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9426-292X |
| authorships[1].author.display_name | Nathan A. Lewis |
| authorships[1].author_position | middle |
| authorships[1].raw_author_name | Nathan A Lewis |
| authorships[1].is_corresponding | False |
| authorships[2].author.id | https://openalex.org/A5036120539 |
| authorships[2].author.orcid | https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5902-6051 |
| authorships[2].author.display_name | Patrick L. Hill |
| authorships[2].author_position | middle |
| authorships[2].raw_author_name | Patrick L Hill |
| authorships[2].is_corresponding | False |
| authorships[3].author.id | https://openalex.org/A5066734099 |
| authorships[3].author.orcid | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2266-2959 |
| authorships[3].author.display_name | Nicholas A. Turiano |
| authorships[3].author_position | last |
| authorships[3].raw_author_name | Nicholas A Turiano |
| authorships[3].is_corresponding | False |
| has_content.pdf | False |
| has_content.grobid_xml | False |
| is_paratext | False |
| open_access.is_oa | True |
| open_access.oa_url | https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| open_access.oa_status | diamond |
| open_access.any_repository_has_fulltext | False |
| created_date | 2025-10-10T00:00:00 |
| display_name | Sense of Purpose in Life Predicts University Performance and Attrition |
| has_fulltext | False |
| is_retracted | False |
| updated_date | 2025-11-06T03:46:38.306776 |
| primary_topic.id | https://openalex.org/T10475 |
| primary_topic.field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/32 |
| primary_topic.field.display_name | Psychology |
| primary_topic.score | 0.8245000243186951 |
| primary_topic.domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| primary_topic.domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| primary_topic.subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/3207 |
| primary_topic.subfield.display_name | Social Psychology |
| primary_topic.display_name | Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction |
| related_works | https://openalex.org/W4391375266, https://openalex.org/W2748952813, https://openalex.org/W1969175355, https://openalex.org/W2007101045, https://openalex.org/W2056472298, https://openalex.org/W4389273703, https://openalex.org/W2586909830, https://openalex.org/W4231153204, https://openalex.org/W2775846538, https://openalex.org/W2116688168 |
| cited_by_count | 2 |
| counts_by_year[0].year | 2025 |
| counts_by_year[0].cited_by_count | 2 |
| locations_count | 2 |
| best_oa_location.id | doi:10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| best_oa_location.is_oa | True |
| best_oa_location.source.id | https://openalex.org/S4210231101 |
| best_oa_location.source.issn | 2205-0795 |
| best_oa_location.source.type | journal |
| best_oa_location.source.is_oa | True |
| best_oa_location.source.issn_l | 2205-0795 |
| best_oa_location.source.is_core | True |
| best_oa_location.source.is_in_doaj | True |
| best_oa_location.source.display_name | Student Success |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization | https://openalex.org/P4310319749 |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization_name | Queensland University of Technology |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization_lineage | https://openalex.org/P4310319749 |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization_lineage_names | Queensland University of Technology |
| best_oa_location.license | cc-by |
| best_oa_location.pdf_url | |
| best_oa_location.version | publishedVersion |
| best_oa_location.raw_type | journal-article |
| best_oa_location.license_id | https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by |
| best_oa_location.is_accepted | True |
| best_oa_location.is_published | True |
| best_oa_location.raw_source_name | Student Success |
| best_oa_location.landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| primary_location.id | doi:10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| primary_location.is_oa | True |
| primary_location.source.id | https://openalex.org/S4210231101 |
| primary_location.source.issn | 2205-0795 |
| primary_location.source.type | journal |
| primary_location.source.is_oa | True |
| primary_location.source.issn_l | 2205-0795 |
| primary_location.source.is_core | True |
| primary_location.source.is_in_doaj | True |
| primary_location.source.display_name | Student Success |
| primary_location.source.host_organization | https://openalex.org/P4310319749 |
| primary_location.source.host_organization_name | Queensland University of Technology |
| primary_location.source.host_organization_lineage | https://openalex.org/P4310319749 |
| primary_location.source.host_organization_lineage_names | Queensland University of Technology |
| primary_location.license | cc-by |
| primary_location.pdf_url | |
| primary_location.version | publishedVersion |
| primary_location.raw_type | journal-article |
| primary_location.license_id | https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by |
| primary_location.is_accepted | True |
| primary_location.is_published | True |
| primary_location.raw_source_name | Student Success |
| primary_location.landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3612 |
| publication_date | 2024-10-20 |
| publication_year | 2024 |
| referenced_works_count | 0 |
| abstract_inverted_index.= | 66 |
| abstract_inverted_index.A | 8, 145 |
| abstract_inverted_index.a | 19, 34, 40, 69, 78, 92, 120, 167, 182 |
| abstract_inverted_index.(n | 65 |
| abstract_inverted_index.an | 133, 177 |
| abstract_inverted_index.as | 18, 176 |
| abstract_inverted_index.at | 68 |
| abstract_inverted_index.in | 12, 26, 38, 48, 81 |
| abstract_inverted_index.is | 14 |
| abstract_inverted_index.of | 5, 10, 36, 62, 94, 108, 115, 136, 143, 147, 156, 170, 180, 184 |
| abstract_inverted_index.on | 160 |
| abstract_inverted_index.to | 24, 43, 76, 85, 151, 173 |
| abstract_inverted_index.The | 29 |
| abstract_inverted_index.and | 46, 96, 132 |
| abstract_inverted_index.are | 2 |
| abstract_inverted_index.for | 91 |
| abstract_inverted_index.key | 20 |
| abstract_inverted_index.low | 157 |
| abstract_inverted_index.the | 82, 139, 153 |
| abstract_inverted_index.769) | 67 |
| abstract_inverted_index.GPA. | 162 |
| abstract_inverted_index.U.S. | 71 |
| abstract_inverted_index.also | 149 |
| abstract_inverted_index.less | 129 |
| abstract_inverted_index.life | 13, 53 |
| abstract_inverted_index.line | 49 |
| abstract_inverted_index.more | 126 |
| abstract_inverted_index.odds | 135 |
| abstract_inverted_index.that | 112 |
| abstract_inverted_index.then | 101 |
| abstract_inverted_index.were | 74, 100, 117 |
| abstract_inverted_index.with | 50, 119 |
| abstract_inverted_index.These | 163 |
| abstract_inverted_index.asked | 75 |
| abstract_inverted_index.first | 105, 140 |
| abstract_inverted_index.goals | 45 |
| abstract_inverted_index.grade | 122 |
| abstract_inverted_index.life, | 39 |
| abstract_inverted_index.means | 179 |
| abstract_inverted_index.point | 123 |
| abstract_inverted_index.prior | 84, 172 |
| abstract_inverted_index.sense | 9, 35, 93, 146, 169 |
| abstract_inverted_index.study | 31 |
| abstract_inverted_index.their | 104 |
| abstract_inverted_index.three | 106, 141 |
| abstract_inverted_index.which | 88 |
| abstract_inverted_index.years | 61, 107, 142 |
| abstract_inverted_index.(GPA), | 125 |
| abstract_inverted_index.across | 59 |
| abstract_inverted_index.better | 56 |
| abstract_inverted_index.buffer | 152 |
| abstract_inverted_index.effect | 155 |
| abstract_inverted_index.factor | 23 |
| abstract_inverted_index.foster | 25 |
| abstract_inverted_index.higher | 113, 121 |
| abstract_inverted_index.large, | 70 |
| abstract_inverted_index.levels | 114 |
| abstract_inverted_index.public | 72 |
| abstract_inverted_index.pursue | 44 |
| abstract_inverted_index.scores | 159 |
| abstract_inverted_index.strong | 168 |
| abstract_inverted_index.summer | 83 |
| abstract_inverted_index.survey | 80 |
| abstract_inverted_index.Results | 110 |
| abstract_inverted_index.average | 124 |
| abstract_inverted_index.credits | 127, 130 |
| abstract_inverted_index.current | 30 |
| abstract_inverted_index.earned, | 128 |
| abstract_inverted_index.gaining | 15 |
| abstract_inverted_index.one’s | 51 |
| abstract_inverted_index.purpose | 11, 37, 95, 116, 148, 171 |
| abstract_inverted_index.several | 60 |
| abstract_inverted_index.success | 58 |
| abstract_inverted_index.support | 165 |
| abstract_inverted_index.through | 138 |
| abstract_inverted_index.variety | 183 |
| abstract_inverted_index.whether | 33 |
| abstract_inverted_index.Students | 64, 99 |
| abstract_inverted_index.academic | 6, 57, 185 |
| abstract_inverted_index.appeared | 150 |
| abstract_inverted_index.baseline | 79 |
| abstract_inverted_index.complete | 77 |
| abstract_inverted_index.dropped, | 131 |
| abstract_inverted_index.entering | 86, 174 |
| abstract_inverted_index.entrance | 158 |
| abstract_inverted_index.examined | 32 |
| abstract_inverted_index.findings | 164 |
| abstract_inverted_index.followed | 102 |
| abstract_inverted_index.included | 89 |
| abstract_inverted_index.measures | 90 |
| abstract_inverted_index.negative | 154 |
| abstract_inverted_index.success. | 7 |
| abstract_inverted_index.tendency | 42 |
| abstract_inverted_index.attention | 17 |
| abstract_inverted_index.effective | 178 |
| abstract_inverted_index.important | 3 |
| abstract_inverted_index.improving | 181 |
| abstract_inverted_index.increased | 134 |
| abstract_inverted_index.outcomes. | 186 |
| abstract_inverted_index.predicted | 55 |
| abstract_inverted_index.students. | 28 |
| abstract_inverted_index.Individual | 0 |
| abstract_inverted_index.activities | 47 |
| abstract_inverted_index.associated | 118 |
| abstract_inverted_index.background | 97 |
| abstract_inverted_index.difference | 22 |
| abstract_inverted_index.direction, | 54 |
| abstract_inverted_index.increasing | 16 |
| abstract_inverted_index.individual | 21 |
| abstract_inverted_index.persisting | 137 |
| abstract_inverted_index.predictors | 4 |
| abstract_inverted_index.throughout | 103 |
| abstract_inverted_index.university | 27, 73, 161, 175 |
| abstract_inverted_index.cultivating | 166 |
| abstract_inverted_index.differences | 1 |
| abstract_inverted_index.overarching | 52 |
| abstract_inverted_index.university, | 87 |
| abstract_inverted_index.university. | 63, 109, 144 |
| abstract_inverted_index.demonstrated | 111 |
| abstract_inverted_index.dispositional | 41 |
| abstract_inverted_index.characteristics. | 98 |
| cited_by_percentile_year.max | 97 |
| cited_by_percentile_year.min | 95 |
| countries_distinct_count | 0 |
| institutions_distinct_count | 4 |
| citation_normalized_percentile.value | 0.8515499 |
| citation_normalized_percentile.is_in_top_1_percent | False |
| citation_normalized_percentile.is_in_top_10_percent | True |