About the Research

We believe this study is the most comprehensive of its kind in the world in terms of taking an in-depth look at teenagers’ faith globally.

Now, equipped with relevant research on young people globally, the Church, leaders, and parents can minister and mentor the next generation more effectively.

Global Youth Culture was conducted by OneHope. In partnership with local churches, ministries, and governments around the world, OneHope has reached more than 1.7 billion children and youth with God’s Word. Based on in-country research OneHope conducts, Scripture programs are designed to be age and culturally relevant. Since 1987, OneHope has helped kids experience God’s Story, sharing the life-changing message of hope with children and youth in every country.  To learn more, visit onehope.net.

The study surveyed 8,394 teens ages 13-19 across 20 countries. In each country, a representative sample of approximately 400 teens provided the statistical power to be 95% confident that percentage results were within 5% of the true population percentage for teens ages 13 to 19 and to perform corresponding statistical tests. For multi-country regions and globally, the level of confidence was even higher and the margin of error lower


In five countries (China, Egypt, India, Japan, and Vietnam), quotas were used to ensure at least 10% of respondents were Christian to have a meaningful sample size for religious-based analysis and comparisons. In several other countries, a minimum of 10% target sample sizes for Christians or Muslims were met or approximated without quotas. A sampling quota was also used in Kenya to ensure at least 40% of respondents were female.


The instrument was distributed via Centiment Research. As a quality control measure, respondents were disqualified if they incorrectly answered a simple attention-check question. The research instrument consisted of 70 base questions, with several additional questions customized for each region to explore specific topics of interest.
Data for this study was collected from February 24, 2020, to March 27, 2020. We believe this research accurately reflects teens’ beliefs and behaviors before they began feeling widespread effects from shelter in place and quarantine orders which might be expected to affect data points including total time spent online and mental health indicators including depression, anxiety, and others examined as part of this study. In every country, except for China, data collection was completed before a national lockdown was imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. China was the notable exception as the epicenter of the pandemic with the earliest lockdown procedures.  
Country Sample Size Data Collection Dates
Argentina 420 teens February 27 - March 2, 2020
Brazil 420 teens February 27 - March 11, 2020
China 420 teens February 27 - March 6, 2020
Colombia 413 teens February 27 - March 2, 2020
Egypt 420 teens February 27 - March 9, 2020
India 412 teens February 28 - March 17, 2020
Indonesia 420 teens February 27 - March 7, 2020
Japan 425 teens February 27 - March 23, 2020
Kenya 435 teens February 25 - March 27, 2020
Mexico 420 teens February 27 - March 2, 2020
Netherlands 419 teens February 27 - March 8, 2020
Nigeria 420 teens February 24 - March 20, 2020
Portugal 419 teens March 7 - March 18, 2020
Romania 420 teens February 28 - March 13, 2020
Russia 418 teens February 27 - March 2, 2020
South Africa 420 teens February 24 - March 7, 2020
Spain 420 teens March 7 - March 13, 2020
United Kingdom 420 teens February 24 - March 3, 2020
United States 410 teens February 24 - February 29, 2020
Vietnam 423 teens March 13 - March 26, 2020

Geographically

  • Africa
    • Kenya 
    • Nigeria
    • South Africa
  •  Asia
    • China 
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Japan
    • Vietnam
  •  Eurasia
    • Egypt 
    • The Netherlands
    • Portugal
    • Russia 
    • Romania
    • Spain
    • The United Kingdom
  • Latin America
    • Argentina
    • Brazil
    • Colombia
    • Mexico
  • North America
    • United States

 

In some of the regional resources, countries are placed in different regions, according to OneHope’s internal structure (ex. Spain within the Latin America report). The above list displays the categories included in the data explorer and the Global Report.

 

Religious Demographics: 

Within the Global Youth Culture reports and resources, there were several breakdowns of religious demographics used.

  • Christian (including Catholics) and Christian (not including Catholics)
    • In the Latin America, Brazil, and Portugal reports, the Christian category excludes Catholic responses. In all other country and regional reports, Christian responses include Catholic.

The category No Religion is made of up of respondents who claimed their religion as: Atheist, Agnostic, or None.

Teens who self-identified as Christian, but not as Jehovah’s Witness or Mormon and who met the following criteria:

 

  • Believe God exists and they can have a personal relationship with him
  • Believe Jesus is the Son of God
  • Believe that forgiveness of sins is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ
  • Believe the Bible is the Word of God
  • Read Scripture on their own daily or weekly
  • Pray daily or weekly

 

Note that committed Christian teens may be Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, Orthodox or any other Christian denomination.

Teens who self-identified as Christian but not as Jehovah’s Witness or Mormon and who did not meet the criteria of core beliefs or habits established for Committed Christians.

Teens who self-identified as Buddhist, Hindu, Jew, Muslim, or other religion.

Teens who self-identified as atheist, agnostic, or none of the above.

Yes, request your copy by contacting us at [email protected] with subject line: Global Youth Culture Survey Instrument.

Contact OneHope’s research team, by emailing [email protected] with subject line: Global Youth Culture Question.

Global Youth Culture. (2020) OneHope Research. Retrieved from _______.

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