Social relationships are fundamental to the human experience, significantly shaping our sense of meaning in life. Existing research consistently demonstrates a strong link between social connections and meaning, with familial relationships often cited as the most impactful. This study focuses on two key familial relationships – romantic partnerships and parenthood – investigating their individual and combined contributions to meaning in life. The quality of romantic relationships, particularly, has been linked to increased meaning, but the role of relationship quality requires further exploration. Similarly, while parenthood is often associated with enhanced meaning, the nuances of this association, especially concerning the number of children and gender, need clarification. Existing literature suggests that parenthood may increase feelings of purpose, but also introduces stress which could negatively impact meaning. Gender differences in the significance of relationships for meaning in life are also poorly understood. While some suggest that relationships are more important for women's meaning, other studies demonstrate no gender moderation of this effect. Furthermore, the interplay between romantic relationship quality and the number of children on meaning in life remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationships between romantic relationship quality, the number of children, and gender on individuals' self-reported meaning in life, examining potential interactions among these factors.

Prior research confirms the crucial role of social relationships in fostering meaning in life, with familial relationships holding particular significance. Studies highlight the positive impact of romantic relationships on meaning, with higher quality relationships associated with greater meaning. However, few studies have investigated the specific contribution of relationship quality. Research on parenthood suggests that it can enhance meaning in life, primarily through increased feelings of purpose. However, the literature presents mixed findings, with some suggesting parenting stress may negatively impact meaning, particularly for women. The role of gender in these relationships is also complex; while some research indicates that relationships are a stronger source of meaning for women than men, other studies suggest no significant gender differences. The interplay between romantic relationship quality and parenthood on meaning in life remains understudied, lacking sufficient research to provide a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics involved.

This cross-sectional study collected data from 473 US adults (53.3% women) in romantic relationships, recruited via Prolific. Data were gathered approximately one year into the COVID-19 pandemic (December 11, 2020 – February 11, 2021). The study utilized several measures: * **Meaning in Life:** Assessed using a six-item scale based on Martela and Steger's (2016) trichotomy of meaning in life (sense of purpose, coherence, and significance; α = 0.91). * **Relationship Quality:** Measured using the six-item Quality of Marriage Index (QMI; Norton, 1983; α = 0.96 for women, 0.97 for men). * **Number of Children:** Participants reported the number of children under 18 living in their home, categorized into three groups: no children, one child, and more than one child. * **Covariates:** Age, race/ethnicity, religiosity, and feelings of connectedness were also assessed. Data analysis involved hierarchical linear mixed modeling in R, accounting for the dyadic nature of the data (couples). Four models were constructed: 1. Main effects of relationship quality, number of children, and gender on meaning in life. 2. Interaction between relationship quality and gender. 3. Interaction between number of children and gender. 4. Three-way interaction between relationship quality, number of children, and gender. Simple slope analyses were conducted to further interpret significant interactions. All continuous predictors were grand mean-centered and standardized.

Descriptive analyses revealed that men reported higher meaning in life, connectedness, and were older than women. Bivariate correlations showed positive associations between meaning in life and relationship quality, number of children, religiosity, and connectedness for both genders. Furthermore, significant differences in meaning in life, relationship quality, parenting status, religiosity, and connectedness were observed across racial/ethnic groups, with Black participants reporting the highest levels of meaning in life and religiosity. Hierarchical linear mixed modeling results indicated: 1. A significant positive main effect of relationship quality on meaning in life (HO1a). 2. A significant interaction between relationship quality and gender, with a stronger positive association for men than women (counter to HO1b). 3. A significant positive main effect of number of children on meaning in life (HO2a), but no significant interaction with gender (HO2b). 4. A significant three-way interaction between relationship quality, number of children, and gender. Simple slopes analyses revealed that for women, the association between relationship quality and meaning was consistent across different numbers of children. However, for men, the strength of this association decreased with an increasing number of children, becoming non-significant for men with more than one child.

This study's findings support the hypothesis that both romantic relationship quality and having children contribute to meaning in life, possibly by enhancing feelings of purpose, coherence, and significance. The stronger association between relationship quality and meaning for men compared to women may be attributed to men's greater reliance on their romantic partners for social support compared to women, who tend to have broader social networks. The lack of gender differences in the impact of children on meaning aligns with some previous research but contradicts others that consider broader parenting aspects. The three-way interaction highlights the complex interplay between relationship quality, number of children, and gender. The decreased association between relationship quality and meaning for men with more children suggests that the role of the romantic relationship in their lives may diminish as the family expands, possibly due to the shift in roles and priorities within the family unit. For women, the romantic partnership may hold a more distinct and independent contribution to their sense of meaning.

This study demonstrates the significant contribution of both romantic relationships and parenthood to meaning in life, yet reveals the nuanced and complex interplay of these factors influenced by gender. Future research should explore a broader range of social relationships and parenting aspects, consider diverse gender identities, and utilize longitudinal designs to establish causal relationships. The findings have implications for family policies, emphasizing the need for supportive measures that enhance family wellbeing and promote individuals' sense of meaning.

This cross-sectional study limits causal inferences and is susceptible to selection bias. The overrepresentation of non-parents and exclusion of non-binary individuals limit generalizability. Data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced results, and the study did not consider other potential sources of meaning in life. Future research should address these limitations using larger, more diverse samples and longitudinal designs.