oanadavid@psychology.ro
Doris Pop1, Oana A. David 2, 3*
1 Babeș-Bolyai University, Evidence-Based Psychological Assessment and Interventions
Doctoral School, Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Napoca, Romania
2 DATA Lab, The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied
Mental Health, Babes-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3 Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeş-Bolyai University, No 37
Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania
Abstract
Given the growing data accumulated in the research of personal values change, we explored the existence and intensity of values change following major life events, whether individual or cumulative. A second objective of our research was to identify which of the major life events are studied, which study populations and their effects on personal values change.
A total of 35 studies met the criteria to be included in the present meta-analysis with an average sample of 5289 participants. The mean effect size obtained was small with a great heterogeneity and thus subgroup analyses required grouping personal values in their clusters. The results show that traumatic events (e.g., war) and economic events of the region had the largest effect on mean-level changes in conservation cluster values analysis, while the directed interventions brought medium level changes in the self-enhancement and self-transcendence cluster values, followed by economic events and education. Education and time were associated with small level changes in all value clusters.
Keywords: personal value, value change, event
Please cite this article as:
Pop, D., & David, A. (2026). Do Values Change After Major Life Events? A Meta-analytic Review. Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies, 26(1), 117-135.
DOI: 10.24193/jebp.2026.1.6
Published online: 2026/03/01
Published print: 2026/03/01
