Ikigai and probable anxiety among adults in Japan

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that has been equated with having a sense of purpose in life. It has previously been linked to better physical health, although, as yet, there has been comparatively little research on its association with mental health outcomes. This study examined the association between ikigai and anxiety in the Japanese general population.

Data were analyzed from 3701 adults who participated in an online survey in 2023. Information on ikigai was obtained with a single-item question, while the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale was used to assess probable anxiety. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between the variables.

In a fully adjusted analysis, compared to those with ikigai, individuals who reported that they did not have ikigai had over twice the odds of anxiety (OR: 2.04, 95%CI: 1.36-3.06). In a sex-stratified analysis, an absence of ikigai was associated with higher odds of probable anxiety in both men and women. However, when the analysis was stratified by age, in the fully adjusted model, not having ikigai was associated with significantly higher odds of probable anxiety in adults aged 35-59 (OR: 2.97, 95%CI: 1.63-5.41) but not in those aged 18-34 (OR: 1.28, 95%CI: 0.64-2.54) or ≥ 60 years old (OR: 1.59, 95%CI: 0.52-4.87).

This study used cross-sectional data obtained in an online survey.

An absence of ikigai is associated with higher odds of probable anxiety among Japanese men and women and middle-aged adults.