Existentieel welzijn

Een levensbeschouwelijk perspectief op de betekenis van ervaring

Samenvatting

This article explores existential well-being: the interplay between existential meaning and well-being. It is part of a research project that aims to offer an existential perspective on the declining well-being among Dutch adolescents and young adults. The article develops ‘existential well-being’ as a multidimensional concept and operationalises it in a narrative inquiry of the life stories of 42 adolescents. Three findings emerge from this analysis: the existential value of a change in perspective, the limited use for adolescents of religious language to describe and reflect on their lived experience, and the importance of connecting the past with the present for meaning making. The article concludes by revisiting the initial conceptualisation of existential well-being in light of the results, and by reflecting on how this study matters for teachers.