Evaluating the predictive model for national life satisfaction from the world happiness report, between and within...

The present work evaluated the predictive model for national life satisfaction from the World Happiness Report. Drawing on national data from 165 countries spanning 19 annual surveys (2005-2023), between- and within-nation variation in national life satisfaction and six predictors were examined: log gross domestic product per capita, healthy life expectancy at birth, and social perceptions concerning generosity, support, freedom, and corruption. The pooled regression model employed by the World Happiness Report explained 75% of the variance in national life satisfaction. In contrast, two-level models generated for the present analyses explained 84% of the between-nation variance and either 25% (fixed effects model) or 67% (random effects model) of the within-nation variance. Nation-specific regression models generated for the present analyses explained between 19% and 97% of the variance within individual countries. The statistical significance, magnitude, and sign/direction for each of the six predictors varied widely depending on the analytic model and level of analysis. Few countries were characterized by a pattern of predictive effects that matched the pooled regression model. Thus, rather than suggesting a single set of results that generalizes around the world, the predictive model for national life satisfaction appears to differ by country. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).