A Three-Wave Longitudinal Test of the Broaden and Build Theory (GFS Data)

Psychosocial resources such as basic psychological need satisfaction, gratitude, hope, and social connectedness are consistently associated with greater well-being. However, the direction of these relationships remains unclear. Resources may contribute to subsequent well-being, but well-being itself may also help individuals develop and maintain psychosocial resources. Using three waves of data from the Global Flourishing Study, this project examines reciprocal longitudinal relationships between psychosocial resources and well-being. Specifically, we investigate whether autonomy, competence, relatedness, gratitude, hope, and social connectedness predict subsequent changes in life satisfaction, life worthwhileness, and happiness, whether well-being predicts subsequent changes in these resources, and whether distinct profiles of psychosocial resources emerge and remain stable across time. By combining latent profile methods with longitudinal panel modelling, this study aims to clarify how psychosocial resources and well-being influence one another across multiple years.