The Many Pathways to Personal Growth: Contemporary Perspectives and Future Directions

Abstract

Although philosophers and psychologists have pondered for centuries on what it means to pursue personal development and to live a good life, psychological research on personal growth remains broad and diverse. This Editorial introduces a Special Issue comprising 25 contributions to Experiences and Well-Being in Personal Growth. These diverse perspectives conceptualize growth as an aspect of eudaimonic well-being, an intentional process of self-change, a response to adversity, or a process facilitated by relationships and broader contexts. Growth may emerge through coping with adversity or through engagement with life opportunities, and its likelihood and consequences depend on individual characteristics, close relationships, and wider social and cultural environments. The Editorial synthesizes recent developments in the field, with special attention paid to the central role of interpersonal relationships, highlighting contributions from this Special Issue to the broader discussion surrounding personal growth. Future research directions are identified, including the need to prioritize greater conceptual and measurement precision, stronger longitudinal and causal evidence, closer attention to individual and contextual variation, and consideration of how the growing use of conversational AI for support and guidance may reshape how personal growth is pursued, experienced, and understood.