Examining the Relationship Between Meaningful Engagement and Well-Being Across Men and Women

While engagement in meaningful activities is associated with well-being, the influence of gender on this relationship is unknown. The study aims to (a) examine the difference between meaningful engagement and well-being for individuals who identify as men and women and (b) explore the association between engagement and well-being in men and women. In this observational study, 256 community-dwelling individuals completed meaningful engagement and well-being measures. Between-group tests indicated no significant differences between men and women for engagement ( = 0.595, = .552) and well-being ( = 0.818, = .414). There were fair, positive correlations (s = .376; < .01) between engagement and well-being for men and moderate positive correlations (s = .567; < .01) between engagement and well-being for women. Self-identified gender may influence the relationship between engagement in meaningful activities and the sense of well-being it provides.