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Global Flourishing Study Research Publications

  • Writer: Human Flourishing Program Team
    Human Flourishing Program Team
  • Jun 8
  • 17 min read
Researchers from 25 countries participated in the Global Flourishing Study.
Researchers from 25 countries participated in the Global Flourishing Study.

The Global Flourishing Study is generating a substantial body of research on human flourishing across cultures, countries, and dimensions of life.


The publications below show the breadth of questions made possible by this global dataset. Papers have appeared in leading and widely read journals including Nature, Nature Mental Health, Nature Human Behaviour, Scientific Reports, Communications Medicine, BMC Global and Public Health, Social Science & Medicine, European Journal of Epidemiology, Journal of Happiness Studies, and the International Journal of Wellbeing.


Together, this work examines many of the central domains of flourishing, including happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships, and financial and material stability. The publications also extend into related areas such as religion and spirituality, community participation, childhood experiences, suffering, hope, forgiveness, social trust, belonging, physical activity, pain, and country-specific patterns of flourishing.


Taken as a whole, this growing publication record reflects the larger purpose of the Global Flourishing Study: to create a shared research resource for understanding what helps people and societies flourish across many different cultural contexts.




Published research

  1. Aglozo, E. Y., Johnson, K. A., Case, B., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). A cross-national analysis of demographic variation in belief in God, gods, or spiritual forces in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 13302. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79103-w 

  2. Bialowolski, P., Makridis, C. A., Bradshaw, M., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Gundersen, C., Le Pertel, N., Gibson, C., Jang, S. J., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Analysis of demographic variation and childhood correlates of financial well-being across 22 countries. Nature Human Behaviour, (9), 917–932. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02207-4 

  3. Bittár, N., Håkan Nilsson, A. H., Dahlen, D., Nathanson, M., Kajonius, P. J., Kjell, O., Lomas, T., Case, B., Padgett, R. N., Chen, Y., Cowden, R., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in Sweden: Great overall — but not for all. International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(15). https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i3.6001 

  4. Bradshaw, M., Counted, V., Lomas, T., Woodberry, R. D., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). Childhood experiences and adult prayer or meditation in 22 countries around the world. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 15083. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99796-x 

  5. Bradshaw, M., Kent, B. V., Levin, J., Wortham, J. S., Pertel, N. Le, VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). Demographic variation in self-rated physical health across 22 countries: findings from the Global Flourishing Study. BMC Global and Public Health, 3(1), 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-025-00141-1 

  6. Bradshaw, M., Kent, B. V., Wortham, J. S., Le Pertel, N., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2026). Childhood experiences and adult self-rated physical health in 22 countries. BMC Global and Public Health, 4(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-026-00253-2  

  7. Bradshaw, M., Shiba, K., Jang, S. J., Kent, B. V., Bonhag, R., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Demographic variation in symptoms of depression and anxiety across 22 Global Flourishing Study countries. Communications Medicine, 6(1), 100. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-01366-9  

  8. Buenconsejo, J. U., Contreras, E., Nabia, J. O., Socrates, M. C. A., Case, B., Lomas, T., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in the Philippines: Country-specific insights from the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(15). https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i3.6247 

  9. Chen, Y., Case, B. W., Long, K. N. G., Woodberry, R., Kim, E. S., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Childhood experiences and adult community participation in secular and religious contexts in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 40289. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-24020-9 

  10. Chen, Y., Case, B. W., Long, K. N. G., Woodberry, R. D., Kim, E. S., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Community participation in secular and religious contexts across sociodemographic groups in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 39251. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22806-5 

  11. Chen, Z. J., Cowden, R. G., Moreira-Almeida, A., Breedlove, T., Kent, B. V., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Childhood predictors of belief in life after death across 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 13300. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91615-7 

  12. Chen, Z. J., Cowden, R. G., Moreira-Almeida, A., Breedlove, T., Kent, B. V., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Sociodemographic variations of belief in life after death across 22 Countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14310. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83541-x 

  13. Chen, Y., Kubzansky, L. D., Kim, E. S., Koga, H., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Wilkinson, R., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). The distribution of optimism across sociodemographic groups in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14553. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-77257-1 

  14. Chen, Y., Kubzansky, L. D., Kim, E. S., Koga, H., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Wilkinson, R., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). When the glass is half full: early life experiences and adult optimism in 22 countries. Npj Mental Health Research, 4(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-024-00109-3 

  15. Chen, Y., Kim, E. S., Nakamura, J. S., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Wilkinson, R., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Early life experiences and adult orientation to promote good in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 20983. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03343-7  

  16. Chen, Y., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Kim, E. S., Nakamura, J. S., Hanson, J. A., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Variations in character involving an orientation to promote good across sociodemographic groups in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14552. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83539-5 

  17. Counted, V., Allen, K.-A., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Variations in belonging across 22 countries in the Global Flourishing Study. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2025.2569083 

  18. Counted, V., Allen, K.-A., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). The roots of belonging: Childhood predictors of belonging in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 30215. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14410-4 

  19. Counted, V., Long, K. N. G., Cowden, R. G., Witvliet, C. V. O., Gibson, C., Cortright, A., Walsh, J., Purcell, E., Garzon, F., Hathaway, W., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Seeds of hope: Cross-national analysis of childhood predictors of hope in 22 countries. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 20(3), 1111–1137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-025-10450-0 

  20. Counted, V., Long, K. N. G., Cowden, R. G., Witvliet, C. V. O., Gibson, C., Cortright, A., Purcell, E., Walsh, J., Hathaway, W., Garzon, F., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Where hope thrives: Demographic variation in hope across 22 countries. Journal of Happiness Studies, 27(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-025-00981-6  

  21. Counted, V., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Cowden, R. G., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Childhood antecedents of adult place satisfaction in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 24831. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00731-x  

  22. Cowden, R. G., Chen, Z. J., Wilkinson, R., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Breedlove, T., Gundersen, C., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). A cross-national analysis of sociodemographic variation in suffering across 22 countries. Communications Medicine, 5(1), 144. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00859-x 

  23. Cowden, R. G., Chen, Z. J., Wilkinson, R., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Breedlove, T., Gundersen, C., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025b). Childhood predictors of suffering in adulthood across 22 countries. Communications Medicine, 5(1), 217. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00913-8 

  24. Cowden, R. G., Skinstad, D., Lomas, T., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2024). Measuring wellbeing in the Global Flourishing Study: Insights from a cross-national analysis of cognitive interviews from 22 countries. Quality & Quantity. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-024-01947-1 

  25. Cowden, R. G., Wilson Fadiji, A., Govender, K., Hendriks, H. J., Schoeman, W. J., Case, B., Chen, Y., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Flourishing in South Africa: Benchmarks and sociodemographic variation across 69 health, wellbeing, and related factors in the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing, 15(3), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i3.5237 

  26.  Cowden, R. G., Worthington, E. L., Chung, C. A., De Kock, J. H., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Yancey, G., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Bradshaw, M., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Sociodemographic variation in dispositional forgivingness: a cross-national analysis with 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 12144. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82502-8 

  27. Cowden, R. G., Worthington, E. L., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Yancey, G., Witvliet, C. V. O., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Bradshaw, M., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Childhood predictors of dispositional forgivingness in adulthood: A cross-national analysis with 22 countries. Applied Research in Quality of Life. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-025-10451-z 

  28. Cowden, R.G., Padgett, R.N., Felton, C., Wilkinson, R., Macchia, L., Chen, Z.J., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Koning, S., Gundersen, C., Johnson, B.R., and VanderWeele, T.J. (2026). Longitudinal associations of suffering with subsequent multidimensional well-being in the Global Flourishing Study. Communications Medicine, in press. 

  29. Cowden, R. G., Worthington, E. L., Padgett, R. N., Felton, C., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Wilkinson, R., Jackson-Meyer, K., Chen, Z. J., Bradshaw, M., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Longitudinal associations of dispositional forgivingness with multidimensional well-being: a two-wave outcome-wide analysis in the Global Flourishing Study. Npj Mental Health Research, 5(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-026-00187-5  

  30. de la Rosa, P. A., Jang, S. J., Paltzer, J., Okafor, C. N., Bradshaw, M., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Demographic variation in weekly alcohol use across countries in the Global Flourishing Study. Communications Medicine, 6(1), 85. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-01346-z  

  31. Gonçalves, J. P. de B., Natividade, J., Lucchetti, G., Vallada, H., Giacomoni, C., Cowden, R., Chen, Y., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in Brazil: Health and well-being insights from the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing, in press. 

  32. Huang, L., Xu, J., Zhao, M. Y., Hou, H., Jarden, A., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Case, B., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in Hong Kong: An analysis of wellbeing-related outcomes in the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(15), 6119. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i3.6119 

  33. Jang, S. J., de la Rosa, P. A., Padgett, R. N., Bradshaw, M., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). A cross-national analysis of demographic variation in daily smoking across 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14324. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76318-9 

  34. Jang, S. J., de la Rosa, P. A., Padgett, R. N., Bradshaw, M., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). A cross-national analysis of childhood predictors of daily smoking in adulthood. Communications Medicine, 5(1), 292. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-01005-3  

  35. Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2022). The Global Flourishing Study: A New Era for the Study of Well-Being. International Bulletin of Mission Research, 46(2), 272–275. https://doi.org/10.1177/23969393211068096 

  36. Johnson, K. A., Moon, J. W., VanderWeele, T. J., Schnitker, S., & Johnson, B. R. (2024). Assessing religion and spirituality in a cross-cultural sample: Development of religion and spirituality items for the Global Flourishing Study. Religion, Brain & Behavior, 14(4), 345–358. https://doi.org/10.1080/2153599X.2023.2217245 

  37. Kim, E. S., Bradshaw, M., Chen, Y., Chopik, W. J., Okuzono, S. S., Wilkinson, R., Padgett, R. N., Lachman, M. E., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Characterizing the childhood roots of adult sense of mastery across 22 countries in the global flourishing study. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 18520. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03045-0 

  38. Kim, Y.I., Jang, S.J., VanderWeele, T.J., and Johnson, B.R. (2026). A cross-national analysis of demographic variation in perceived social trust across 22 countries. Scientific Reports, in press. 

  39. Kim, E. S., Padgett, R. N., Bradshaw, M., Chen, Y., Chopik, W. J., Okuzono, S., Wilkinson, R., Lachman, M. E., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Mapping demographic variations in sense of mastery across the world a cross-national analysis of 22 countries in the global flourishing study. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 29904. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15304-1 

  40. Kim, E. S., Bradshaw, M., Noah Padgett, R., Chen, Y., Shiba, K., Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Case, B. W., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Identifying childhood correlates of adult purpose and meaning across 22 countries (Global Flourishing Study). Npj Mental Health Research, 4(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-025-00127-9 

  41. Kim, Y.-I., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). Childhood predictors of perceptions of social trust across 22 countries in the global flourishing study. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14358. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78201-z 

  42. Kirchner-Häusler, A., Park, J., Joshanloo, M., Takayama, M., Takano, S., Uchida, Y., Okuzono, S. S., Shiba, K., Shirai, K., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Case, B., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). The state of well-being in Japan: A multidimensional examination using data from the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing. In press 

  43. Kurniati, N. M. T., Cowden, R. G., Putri, D. E., Zulkaida, A., Kristinawati, W., Wulanyani, N. M. S., Eva, N., Chen, Y., Padgett, R. N., Lomas, T., Case, B., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in Indonesia: Benchmarks and sociodemographic variation across well-being and related outcomes in the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing. In press. 

  44. Lee, C. G., Kwon, E., Paltzer, J., Okafor, C. N., VanderWeele, T. J., Johnson, B. R., & Kwon, J. (2025). Comparison of the effects of childhood demographic characteristics on physical activity during adulthood across 22 countries. BMC Public Health, 25(1), 2393. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23430-8 

  45. Lee, C. G., Kwon, E., Paltzer, J., Okafor, C. N., VanderWeele, T. J., Johnson, B. R., & Choi, J. H. (2025). Comparison of the relationship between key demographic features and physical activity levels across 22 countries. BMC Public Health, 25(1), 2440. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23594-3 

  46. Lee, M. T., Wilkinson, R., Long, K. N. G., Case, B. W., Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Bradshaw, M., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Sociodemographic variation and childhood predictors of showing love and care for others in 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 16(1), 1796. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-31380-9  

  47. Levin, J., Bradshaw, M., Case, B., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2026). Population Estimates of Wellbeing among Israeli Jews: Findings from the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing. In Press 

  48. Lomas, T., Bradshaw, M., Case, B., Cowden, R., Crabtree, S., English, C., Fogleman, A., Johnson, K. A., Ritter, Z., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). The development of the Global Flourishing Study questionnaire: Charting the evolution of a new 109-item inventory of human flourishing. BMC Global and Public Health, 3(30). https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-025-00139-9 

  49. Lomas, T., Koga, H. K., Padgett, N. P., Pawelski, J. O., Kim, E. S., Makridis, C. A., Gundersen, C., Bradshaw, M., Le Pertel, N., Shiba, K., Felton. C., Helliwell, J. F., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Exploring associations of three evaluative subjective wellbeing measures (Cantril’s ladder, life satisfaction, happiness) with 15 childhood and demographic factors across 22 countries. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-35777-y 

  50. Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Case, B., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Introduction to the Global Flourishing Study country-specific special issue. International Journal of Wellbeing, (3), 5103. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i3.5105  

  51. Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Pawelski, J., Makridis, C. A., Pacheco, P. A. d. l. R. F., Kim, Y.-I., Breedlove, T., Cowden, R. G., Counted, V., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). The prevalence and predictors of experiences of beauty in 22 countries: An international assessment of aesthetic appreciation in the Global Flourishing Study. Applied Research in Quality of Life. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-025-10532-z 

  52. Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Lee, M. T., Pawelski, J. O., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025a). A cross-national analysis of the childhood predictors of inner peace in the Global Flourishing Study. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83353-z 

  53. Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Lee, M. T., Pawelski, J. O., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025b). Demographic variation in inner peace across 22 countries: A cross-national analysis of the Global Flourishing Study. Journal of Happiness Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-024-00822-y 

  54. Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Pawelski, J. O., Nilsson, A. H., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). A longitudinal outcome-wide assessment of the impact of life balance on flourishing: A 2-year cross-national analysis of 22 countries in the Global Flourishing Study. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-47553-z 

  55. Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Pawelski, J. O., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025a). Childhood predictors of balance in life: A cross-national analysis of the Global Flourishing Study. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89853-w 

  56. Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Pawelski, J. O., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025b). Demographic variation in balance in life across 22 countries: A cross-national analysis of the Global Flourishing Study. Applied Research in Quality of Life, (20), 1011. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-024-10407-9 

  57. Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Warren, M. A., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). A cross-sectional analysis of male versus female flourishing among 202,898 participants across 22 countries on 73 variables in the Global Flourishing Study. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-40963-z 

  58. Macchia, L., Kaats, M., Johnson, B., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Physical pain as a component of subjective wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14355. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98421-1 

  59. Macchia, L., Okafor, C. N., Breedlove, T., Shiba, K., Piper, A., Johnson, B., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Demographic variation in pain across 22 countries. Communications Medicine, 5(1), 154. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00858-y 

  60. Macchia, L., Okafor, E., Breedlove, T., Piper, A., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Childhood predictors of physical pain: A cross-national analysis in the Global Flourishing Study. Communications Medicine. In Press 

  61. Moon, J. W., Johnson, K. A., Case, B., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Childhood predictors of adults’ belief in god, gods, and spiritual forces across 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14819. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98796-1 

  62. Nakamura, J. S., Gibson, C. B., Woodberry, R. D., Lee, M. T., Kim, Y.-I., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Understanding who volunteers globally through an examination of demographic variation in volunteering across 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 25299. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05459-2 

  63. Nakamura, J. S., Węziak-Białowolska, D., Woodberry, R. D., Kubzansky, L. D., Shiba, K., Padgett, N. P., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Demographic variation in charitable giving and helping across 22 countries: A cross-national analysis. Scientific Reports. 

  64. Nakamura, J. S., Lee, M. T., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Echoes of compassion in the Global Flourishing Study: Cross-national distributions and predictors of prosociality and loving care. International Journal of Wellbeing, 16(2), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v16i2.5585 

  65. Nakamura, J. S., Woodberry, R. D., Gibson, C. B., Lee, M. T., Kim, Y.-I., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Childhood predictors of volunteering across 22 countries in the Global Flourishing Study. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14797. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81639-w 

  66. Nakamura, J. S., Woodberry, R. D., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Kubzansky, L. D., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Childhood predictors of charitable giving and helping across 22 countries in the Global Flourishing Study. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 14493. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-77950-1 

  67. Nilsson, A. H., Kajonius, P. J., Kjell, O., Dahlen, M., Schwartz, H. A., Case, B., Johnson, B., Lomas, T., Padgett, N., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Swedish well-being: The rising importance of age among demographic, personality, and social relationship factors. SSM - Population Health, 101913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2026.101913 

  68. Okafor, C. N., Jean-Berluche, D., Paltzer, J., Kwon, E., Grigoropoulou, N., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). A cross-national analysis of demographic variation in self-rated mental health across 22 countries. Communications Medicine, 5(1), 320. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-01038-8 

  69. Okuzono, S. S., Cowden, R. G., Padgett, N., Yancey, G., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Sociodemographic variation in gratitude using a cross-national analysis with 22 countries. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 10(4), 60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-025-00254-w 

  70. Ortega, F., Snower, D., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Case, B., Ying, C., Cowden, R. G., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Well-being in the United States: Insights from the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing. In Press 

  71. Ortiz-Marcos,I., Fernández Espinosa, V., I., Rumayor, M., Dinwoodie, D., Ritchie-Dunham, J.L., Case, B., Lomas, T., Padgett, R, N., Johnson, B, R., VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in Spain. International Journal of Wellbeing, in press. 

  72. Padgett, R. N., Bradshaw, M., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., Jang, S. J., Kim, E. S., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Analytic methodology for childhood predictor analyses for wave 1 of the Global Flourishing Study. BMC Global and Public Health, 3(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-025-00142-0 

  73. Padgett, R. N., Bradshaw, M., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., Jang, S. J., Kim, E. S., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Analytic methodology for demographic variation analyses for wave 1 of the global flourishing study. BMC Global and Public Health, 3(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-025-00140-2 

  74. Padgett, R. N., Cowden, R., Chattopadhyay, M., Han, Y., Honohan, J., Ritter, Z., Srinivasan, R., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Survey sampling design in wave 1 of the Global Flourishing Study. European Journal of Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-024-01167-9 

  75. Padgett, R. N., Felton, C., Bradshaw, M., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., Kim, E. S., Wilkinson, R., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Coordinated outcome-wide analytic methodology for multi-wave analyses of the global flourishing study. BMC Global and Public Health, 4(1), 55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-026-00287-6  

  76. Padgett, R.N. & Felton, C. Case, B. Lomas, T. Johnson, B.R. and VanderWeele, T.J. Life satisfaction is more strongly correlated with flourishing than Cantril’s Ladder. Applied Research in Quality of Life, in press. 

  77. Padgett, R. N., Le Pertel, N., Hinton, C., Kettler, T., Ho, A. D., Chen, Y., Bradshaw, M., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). A cross-national analysis of sociodemographic variation in educational attainment. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 13870. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87406-9 

  78. Paltzer, J., Carter, E. W., Kwon, E., Okafor, C. N., Padgett, R. N., Benfer, J., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). A cross-sectional study of demographic variation in health problem-related limitations in life across 22 countries: a cross-national analysis. BMC Global and Public Health, 3(1), 78. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-025-00190-6 

  79. Paltzer, J., Kwon, E., Okafor, C. N., Padgett, R. N., Carter, E. W., Benfer, J., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). Childhood predictors of health limitations in life across 22 countries: a cross-national and cross-sectional analysis. BMC Global and Public Health, 3(1), 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-025-00188-0 

  80. Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Yancey, G., Managi, S., Bartel, C., Bonhag, R., Padgett, N., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025a). Demographic variation in social support and intimate friend across 22 countries: A cross-national analysis. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 10(2), 37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-025-00226-0 

  81. Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Yancey, G., Managi, S., Bartel, C., Bonhag, R., Padgett, R. N., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025b). Childhood predictors of social support and intimate friends in a cross-National analysis of the Global Flourishing Study. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 25068. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09953-5 

  82. Sattler, S., Adriaans, J., Steckermeier, L. C., Sauer, C., Delhey, J., Brendan Case, B., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in Germany: A comprehensive country-specific analysis of wellbeing-related outcomes in the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing. In Press. 

  83. Ssozi, J., Kiweewa, J., Norman-Krause, N., Bradshaw, M., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2026). Childhood predictors of political voice across 22 countries in the global flourishing study. Scientific Reports, 16(1), 16765. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-46513-x 

  84. Sung, M., Mattson, S. A., Cowden, R. G., Wilkinson, R., Padgett, R. N., Denckla, C., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). A cross-national study of demographic variation and childhood predictors of traumatic distress. Communications Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-026-01657-9  

  85. Tamés-Muñoz, E., López-Montiel, G., Hernández-Baqueiro, A., Cebral-Loureda, M., Ritchie-Dunham, J., Lomas, T., Case, B., Padgett, R, N., Johnson, B, R., VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in México. International Journal of Wellbeing, in press.  

  86. VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025a). Multidimensional versus unidimensional approaches to well-being. Nature Human Behavior, 9, 857–863. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02187-5 

  87. VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025b). Why we need to measure people’s well-being — lessons from a global survey. Nature, 641(8061), 34–36. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-01254-1 

  88. VanderWeele, T. J., Johnson, B. R., Bialowolski, P. T., Bonhag, R., Bradshaw, M., Breedlove, T., Case, B., Chen, Y., Chen, Z. J., Counted, V., Cowden, R. G., de la Rosa, P. A., Fogleman, A., Gibson, C., Grigoropoulou, N., Gundersen, C., Jang, S. J., Johnson, K. A., Kim, E. S., … Yancey, G. (2025). The Global Flourishing Study: Study profile and initial results on flourishing. Nature Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00423-5 

  89. VanderWeele, T. J., Johnson, B. R., Bradshaw, M., Goodman, D. M., Kubzansky, L. D., Lomas, T., Moreira-Almeida, A., Okafor, C. N., Ouyang, S. T., & Patel, V. (2026). Mental illness, mental health, and mental well-being. Npj Mental Health Research, 5(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-026-00193-7  

  90. Vanney, C. E., Mesurado, B., Fitz Herber, A. L., Lomas, T., Case, B., Padgett, R. N., Chen, Y., Cowden, R., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in Argentina: A comprehensive country-specific analysis of wellbeing-related outcomes in the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(15), 5955. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i3.5955 

  91. Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Cwynar, A., Bialowolski, P., Cowden, R. G., Wilkinson, R., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). From hardship to resilience: Childhood financial conditions and adult well-being in WEIRD and less WEIRD countries. Social Science & Medicine, 385, 118622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118622 

  92. Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Cowden, R. G., Bialowolski, P., Bradshaw, M., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Childhood predictors of religious reading: A cross-national analysis in the Global Flourishing Study. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 24899. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10142-7 

  93. Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Cowden, R. G., Paltzer, J., Bialowolski, P., Bradshaw, M., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Early-Life Predictors of Religious and Spiritual Comfort: A Cross-National Analysis in the Global Flourishing Study. Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion, 21. Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion, 21. 

  94. Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Bialowolski, P., Cowden, R. G., Fogleman, A., Bradshaw, M., R. Noah, Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Religious reading across borders and demographics: A study of 22 countries. Studia Religiologica, 59(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.4467/20844077SR.26.002.23351 

  95. Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Bialowolski, P., Cowden, R. G., Jang, S. J., Bradshaw, M., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Delayed gratification across 22 Countries: A cross-national analysis of demographic variation and childhood predictors. Journal of Research in Personality, 117, 104627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2025.104627 

  96. Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Cowden, R. G., Paltzer, J., Bialowolski, P., Bradshaw, M., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Mapping religious and spiritual comfort worldwide: Demographic patterns across 22 countries. Critical Research on Religion. https://doi.org/10.1177/20503032261451246 

  97. Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Zalewska, A. M., Krys, K., Case, B., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Understanding well-being in Poland: Insights from the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing, 15(3), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i3.5175 

  98. Wilkinson, R., Shiba, K., Gibson, C. B., Okafor, C. N., Chen, Y., Bradshaw, M., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Life course insights into social relationship quality: a cross-national analysis of 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 12096. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86246-x 

  99. Wilkinson, R., Shiba, K., Gibson, C. B., Okafor, C. N., Chen, Y., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Strangers, friends, and everything between: Sociodemographic variation in social relationship quality across 22 countries. Social Indicators Research, 181(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-025-03743-2 

  100. Woodberry, R. D., Bradshaw, M., Vander Weele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). Cross-national variation in faith sharing across religious traditions. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 13299. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83531-z 

  101. Woodberry, R. D., Johnson, K. A., Case, B., Bradshaw, M., VanderWeele, T. J., & Johnson, B. R. (2025). Religious centrality across 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 15081. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99183-6 

  102. Yemiscigil, A., Baskurt, A. B., Asici, A. A., Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Case, B., Chen, Y., Cowden, R., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2026). Flourishing in Türkiye: A comprehensive country-specific analysis of wellbeing-related outcomes in the Global Flourishing Study. International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(15), 5933. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i3.5933 

  103. Zambelli, M., Tse, D. C. K., Cowden, R. G., Höltge, J., Johnson, B. R., Padgett, R. N., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). The psychometric network of individual flourishing across nationally representative samples from 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 30206. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15016-6  

 


Non-peer reviewed papers 


  1. Padgett, R. N., Felton, C., Johnson, B., & VanderWeele, T. (2025). Rglobalflourishing: An R package for coordinated analyses for the Global Flourishing Study. Center for Open Science. https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/vbype 

 
 
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