The Development of
Life Purpose in
Pepperdine University
Undergraduates
Cindy Miller-Perrin
Don Thompson
Pepperdine University Faculty Conference
October 5, 2007

 The college years are a critical time for the development of faith, identity, and one’s sense of life purpose
 The development of life purpose is related to:
 Faith
 Identity
 Life Purpose Barriers
 Additional variables examined:
 Gender
 International Experience

 Longitudinal Design
 Undergraduates surveyed at baseline and every spring semester of college career
 Senior Sample
 Seniors who participated in longitudinal study plus random sample of seniors not previously surveyed

 Faith and Spirituality
 Identity
 Life Purpose
 Life Purpose Barriers

Subscales Sample Items
• I believe in God.
Strength of Belief
(alpha = .81)
Faith Behavior
(alpha = .88)
Application of Faith
(alpha = .90)
• How often have you read a devotional, religious, or spiritual book in the last year?
• I depend on my faith in God for decision-making and direction.
Faith Maturity
(alpha = .91)
• My faith shapes how I think and act each and every day.
Spiritual
Transcendence
(alpha = .89)
• I believe death is a doorway to another plane of existence

 Measures identity along four dimensions:
 Diffusion: no exploration or commitment

“I haven’t really considered politics. It just doesn’t excite me much.”
 Foreclosure: no exploration, but commitment

“My parents decided a long time ago what I should go into for employment and I’m following through with their plans.”
 Moratorium: exploration without commitment

“Religion is confusing to me right now. I keep changing my views on what is right and wrong for me.”
 Achievement: exploration and commitment

“It took me a while to figure it out, but now I really know what I want for a career.”

Subscales Sample Items
Discernment
(alpha = .83)
Action Through
Service
(alpha = .70)
• I have a good sense of my purpose in life.
• I know of the many ways that I can use my gifts and talents within the context of my professional career.
•
I have a good sense of God’s purpose for my life.
• I am motivated to choose a career that will enable me to provide some type of service to others.
• I feel a deep sense of responsibility for reducing pain and suffering in the world.

Subscales Barriers to Life Purpose
Personal
Barriers
(alpha = .84)
• Fear
• Emotional Problems
• Self-doubt
• Lack of motivation
Interpersonal
Barriers
(alpha = .86)
• A parent
• A friend
• A boy/girl friend
• A teacher or professor
Social and
Cultural
Barriers
(alpha = .90)
• Lack of financial resources
• Feeling pressure or a desire to get married
• Feeling that my opportunities are limited by the gender stereotypes of society

 Response Rates from initial sample of
300





Baseline – 38%
First-Year – 68%
Sophomore – 64%
Junior – 83%
Senior – 70%
 Overall Demographics
 60% female; 40% male
 70% White; 7% Latino; 5% Asian; 3% Black;
15% Other

Strength of Belief, Faith Behavior, and Application of Faith
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
B as el in e
Fi rs t Y ea r
So ph om or e
Ju ni or
Se ni or
Belief Strength*
Behavior*
Application

5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
B as el in e
Fi rs t-
Y ear
Sop hom or e
Ju ni or
Se ni or
Faith
Religion

25
20
15
10
35
30
5
0
Baseline
First-Year Sophomore Junior Senior
Diffusion
Foreclosure*
Moratorium*
Achievement*

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Ba se lin e
Fi rs t-Ye ar
So ph omo re
Ju ni or
Se ni or
Personal*
Interpersonal
Social & Cultural

Correlations Between Faith and
Life Purpose Measures
Belief Belief
Faith
Maturity
Faith
Application
Faith
Maturity
Discernment
Faith
Application
Service
Spirit
Transcend
Faith
Behavior
Spirit
Transcend

Correlations Between Identity and
Life Purpose Measures
Life Purpose:
Discernment and Service
Diffusion Achievement
Moratorium

Additional Factors that
Contribute to the
Development of Life
Purpose
Gender
International Experiences


Sample of senior undergraduates

Sample size = 283

56% female, 44% male

64% White, 10% Asian, 7% Black, 10% Latino, 9%
Multiracial/Other

Females Score Significantly Higher on Nearly All Measures of
Faith and Life Purpose
Faith Maturity Spiritual
Transcendence
Strength of Belief Faith Application
Faith Behavior Life Purpose as
Service

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Gender Differences in Perceptions of Personal and Sociocultural
Barriers
Males
Females
Personal Barriers* Sociocultural Barriers*

Achieved
Identity
Personal Barriers
Faith
Maturity
Moratorium
Identity
Life Purpose

Achieved
Identity
Life Purpose

International Program Experience at

Seaver College
Provide students a life changing international experience designed for intellectual, social, personal and spiritual transformation.



Senior Sample
 IP Group = 133 seniors who participated in an International Program


No IP Group = 150 seniors who did not participate in an International
Program
No significant differences between groups on demographic variables
(e.g., age, ethnicity, faith tradition, gender, & socioeconomic status)
Longitudinal Sample
 Analyzed sub sample matched on age and sex



IP Group = 43 students who attended an international program during their sophomore year
No IP Group = 43 students who did not attend an international program
Examined first-year versus senior year

40
38
36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
Strength of Belief Faith Application** Faith Behavior*
IP
No IP

30
29
28
27
26
25
24
Discernment Service*
IP
No IP

Strength of Belief Scores for First-
Year and Senior Time Periods
36
35.5
35
34.5
34
33.5
33
32.5
32
IP
No IP
First-Year Senior Year

Faith Application Scores for First-
Year and Senior Time Periods
24
23.5
23
22.5
22
21.5
21
IP
No IP
First-Year Senior Year

24
23.5
23
22.5
22
21.5
21
20.5
Life Purpose Discernment Scores for First-Year and Senior Time
Periods
IP
No IP
First-Year Senior Year

Life Purpose Service Scores for
First-Year and Senior Time Periods
22.5
22
21.5
21
20.5
20
19.5
19
18.5
IP
No IP
First-Year Senior Year








Developmental Changes
Strength of Faith, Faith Behaviors, and Identity Status vary over time
Personal Barriers increase over time
Sophomore year appears to be critical
Faith and Identity are Related to Life Purpose Across the
College Years


Gender Differences
Females demonstrate greater faith maturity and spirituality, sense of life purpose, and perceptions of personal and sociocultural barriers than males
Best predictors of life purpose vary by gender
International Living and Learning Experiences associated with increased faith, spirituality, and sense of life purpose

 Helping Students Discover Their Life Purpose
 Encourage Questioning of Life Assumptions
 Introduce students to experiences outside comfort zone – e.g. Service Learning Experiences; Fieldtrips
 Expect Identity and Faith Crises
 Tolerate discomfort; provide confidence and hope
 Consider Gender

Perceptions and influences differ
 Provide support as students explore and make value/faith commitments
 Facilitate communities of mutual dependency and trust.
 Provide mentoring: opportunities for the mentorprotégé connection.

cperrin@pepperdine.edu
thompson@pepperdine.edu