Psychometric properties of the Three-Dimensional Meaning in Life Scale in Chinese undergraduate students

The Three-Dimensional Meaning in Life Scale (3DM) is a newly developed instrument designed to assess individuals' meaning in life on the basis of an assumed trichotomous structure (i.e., significance, purpose, and coherence). The aim of this study was to translate the 11-item 3DM into Chinese and assess the psychometric characteristics of the Chinese version of the 3DM (3DM-C) among Chinese undergraduate students. In this cross-sectional study, two samples of undergraduate students were recruited using convenience sampling. Sample A consisted of 547 students, and the students filled out the 3DM-C, the Short Form 36 Health Survey Version 2, and the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students and provided demographic information (e.g., gender, age, major, and annual household income). Sample B included 319 students, and the participants completed the 3DM-C, the Presence of Meaning subscale from the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the Flourishing Scale and provided the same demographic information as Sample A. For test‒retest analysis, 166 respondents from Sample A completed the 3DM-C again after two weeks. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated adequate structural fit with the three-factor (coherence, purpose, and significance) model and the hierarchical model based on a second-order latent factor that included the three first-order latent constructs of significance, purpose, and coherence (χ² = 207.738, df = 41, CFI = 0.966, TLI = 0.954, RMSEA = 0.069). The standardized factor loadings for the second order factor are very high (ranged from 0.82 to 0.94). The 3DM-C' total (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and subscale (Cronbach's α = 0.81-0.91) scores exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.81-0.84) and temporal stability (r = 0.69-0.80, intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.69-0.89), as well as strict invariance across genders (χ² = 343.554, df = 109, CFI = 0.952, TLI = 0.952, RMSEA = 0.070, ΔCFI = -0.004). We found that the three factors of the 3DM-C play different roles in predicting psychological well-being, physical health, mental health, and academic engagement. These results further support the rationale for the uniqueness of the three dimensions of the 3DM-C. Overall, the 3DM-C demonstrated good psychometric properties within the Chinese cultural context.