Unlocking the Insights Behind Flourishing
The first wave of data uncovered key insights which illustrate the richness and depth of the Global Flourishing Study.
64%
of the world’s population represented
#1
The Flourishing Index
Flourishing is measured by a composite index using two self-report questions in five domains: happiness and life satisfaction, physical and mental health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships. The Flourishing Index itself is measured on a 0 to 10 scale, where zero is the absence of flourishing and 10 is comprehensive attainment.
This flourishing score varies significantly across the countries surveyed.
The countries with the highest median scores are…
8.47
Indonesia
8.19
Mexico
8.11
Philippines
The median result across the 22 countries and Hong Kong was 7.45.
Countries, like people, may flourish more in some areas of life and less in others. Such flourishing surpluses may offer a reservoir that helps offset flourishing deficits.
The flourishing index and its sub-components identify some consistent relationships that cut across all countries but also reveal how different countries are flourishing in different ways.
#2
Flourishing with Age
Some of the more interesting findings from the Global Flourishing study explore the relationship between flourishing and age. In Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States, flourishing appears, on average, to increase with age.
The difference between young and old is most striking in the United States where the average flourishing score is…
6.36
for Adults age 18-29
7.68
Adults age 60-69
In most countries, mental health is, on average, a flourishing deficit for young individuals and a surplus or at least net neutral for older individuals.
This finding aligns with recent calls to action over a looming youth mental health crisis.
#3
Group Participation as a Pathway to Flourishing
While individual flourishing may be influenced, to some extent, by country of residence and demographic factors, the GFS also seeks to identify behaviors, personal experiences, and beliefs that may lead one along the pathway to greater flourishing. A few such areas of focus include the influence of religion/spirituality and the role of community participation on human flourishing.