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<p>To deepen theoretical understandings of well-being in Africa, it is essential to engage with qualitative research that foregrounds everyday experiences and culturally grounded conceptions of flourishing. This scoping review examines the contributions of qualitative studies on well-being across the African continent to the global discourse in positive psychology. We screened 1,879 articles and identified 53 studies that met rigorous inclusion criteria. Our analysis focused on paradigmatic orientations, sample characteristics, constructs explored, and the nature of contributions to the field.</p><p>Findings show limited explicit engagement with research paradigms and a predominant focus on student and general adult populations. Frequently studied constructs included happiness, meaning, subjective well-being, psychological well-being, and gratitude. African-centred themes such as spirituality, relational connectedness, access to material resources, and moral expectations were consistently emphasized. The findings underscore the dialectical nature of flourishing and affirm the need for culturally responsive frameworks.</p><p>We argue that theoretical models of well-being must integrate these context-specific aspects of well-being, and that measurement tools and interventions should reflect lived realities in African settings. Future research should prioritize methodological innovation, diversified samples, and expand the range of constructs examined to capture the richness of well-being in Africa more fully.</p>

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Understanding Well-Being Through African Voices: A Scoping Review of Qualitative Evidence

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月13日

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  • Angelina Wilson Fadiji,
  • Itumeleng Khumalo

摘要

To deepen theoretical understandings of well-being in Africa, it is essential to engage with qualitative research that foregrounds everyday experiences and culturally grounded conceptions of flourishing. This scoping review examines the contributions of qualitative studies on well-being across the African continent to the global discourse in positive psychology. We screened 1,879 articles and identified 53 studies that met rigorous inclusion criteria. Our analysis focused on paradigmatic orientations, sample characteristics, constructs explored, and the nature of contributions to the field.

Findings show limited explicit engagement with research paradigms and a predominant focus on student and general adult populations. Frequently studied constructs included happiness, meaning, subjective well-being, psychological well-being, and gratitude. African-centred themes such as spirituality, relational connectedness, access to material resources, and moral expectations were consistently emphasized. The findings underscore the dialectical nature of flourishing and affirm the need for culturally responsive frameworks.

We argue that theoretical models of well-being must integrate these context-specific aspects of well-being, and that measurement tools and interventions should reflect lived realities in African settings. Future research should prioritize methodological innovation, diversified samples, and expand the range of constructs examined to capture the richness of well-being in Africa more fully.