Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40307581›Full record

ArticleNpj mental health research2025

Identifying childhood correlates of adult purpose and meaning across 22 countries (Global Flourishing Study).

Eric S Kim, Matt Bradshaw, R Noah Padgett, Ying Chen, Koichiro Shiba, James L Ritchie-Dunham, Brendan W Case, Byron R Johnson, Tyler J VanderWeele

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Npj mental health research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Eric S KimDepartment of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. eric.kim@ubc.ca.
Matt BradshawInstitute for Studies of Religion, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA.
R Noah PadgettHuman Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Ying ChenHuman Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Koichiro ShibaDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
James L Ritchie-DunhamHuman Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Brendan W CaseHuman Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Byron R Johnson *Human Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Tyler J VanderWeele *Human Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Funding

Fetzer Institute 4354John Templeton Foundation 61665Templeton Religion Trust 1308TWCF 0605
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

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 whether 11 aspects of a child's upbringing correlate with 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, poor 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.

Identifiers

PMID40307581
PMCPMC12043817

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.