Tracing the Childhood Roots of Adult Purpose and Meaning: A Cross-National Analysis of 22 Countries in the Global Flourishing Study

How might we cultivate a life imbued with purpose and meaning? Though common experience indicates purpose and meaning are inherently important, empirical evidence confirms they are also linked to improved health/well-being. However, childhood antecedents of purpose and meaning in adulthood are understudied. We analyzed nationally representative data from 22 countries in the Global Flourishing Study (N=202,898) and evaluated if 11 aspects of a child's upbringing predict purpose and meaning in adulthood, and if these associations vary by country. Some childhood factors were associated with increased purpose and meaning, including: good health, good relationship with parents, economic stability, regular religious service attendance, being female, and older birth cohorts. Childhood factors associated with decreased purpose and meaning, included: abuse, feeling alienated, only fair health, economic hardship, and loss of a parent. These findings may inform the development of programs designed to foster purpose and meaning that are globally adaptable, and locally nuanced.