Is Gen Alpha Really the Same Around the World?

From digital habits and family relationships to faith and spirituality, OneHope’s growing global research reveals what connects Gen Alpha across cultures and what sets their experiences apart.

What do a 12-year-old in Brazil and a 12-year-old in Australia have in common? They might watch the same videos, play the same games, and follow the same trends. Online, the distance between them nearly disappears.

But does growing up in the same digital world mean they’re experiencing the same childhood?

That’s one question driving OneHope’s growing global research about Generation Alpha, those born between 2010 and 2024. What began in the United States has expanded into a global initiative exploring young people’s beliefs, relationships, digital habits, and spiritual lives.

To date, OneHope has surveyed 3,300 internet-connected young people ages 11–15 across seven countries: the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Singapore, France, and Kenya. Research has been conducted in different countries at different times, with age ranges varying by country and new countries continuing to be added.

The findings reveal a generation connected by global influences but shaped by surprisingly different realities.

Growing Up Connected, Yet Facing Real Challenges

If there’s one thing connecting Gen Alpha across cultures, it’s that they’ve never known a world without smartphones, social media, and constant digital connectivity.

OneHope’s research reveals just how much of their daily lives unfold online.

In the United States, gaming leads the way, with 90% of preteens surveyed playing daily. In Brazil, 94% of preteens use social media every day, and in Kenya, that number climbs to 96%. Meanwhile, in Singapore, 88% of preteens use social media daily, while 85% play online games every day.

The activities may vary, but the pattern is unmistakable: Across continents, digital technology is deeply woven into young people’s lives. A teenager in Kenya can follow the same creators and participate in the same online trends as someone thousands of miles away in Brazil.

But constant connection doesn’t necessarily mean greater well-being.

Across several countries, heavier internet use is associated with higher rates of reported loneliness, anxiety, and depression. In Singapore, 39% of preteens online six or more hours a day report experiencing depression in the past three months, compared with 11% of those online less than three hours. In Kenya, 74% of teens online six or more hours a day report loneliness, versus 57% of those online less than three hours. While these findings don’t establish cause and effect, they raise important questions about the pressures young people face in an always-connected world.

And amid these digital influences, the research reveals another common thread that might surprise us.

The Influence Gen Alpha Still Values

With so much of Gen Alpha’s world shaped by screens and online personalities, it’s easy to overlook one of the most important influences in their lives: family.

Across all seven countries, more than 90% of young people surveyed describe their family experience positively. Parents and family members also remain among their most trusted sources of guidance on life’s biggest questions.

Yet a closer look reveals an interesting tension.

In France, 93% report positive family experiences, but only 63% say they can usually or often be honest with their parents. Singapore reveals an even wider gap: 95% describe their family experience positively, while just 58% feel they can regularly speak openly with their parents.

These findings suggest that while Gen Alpha values family relationships, feeling supported doesn’t always mean feeling comfortable sharing what’s really happening in their lives.

And when we look beyond their family relationships to what young people actually believe, the differences become even more striking.

One Generation, Very Different Spiritual Realities

Perhaps nowhere are these differences more striking than in Kenya and France, where OneHope’s research reveals two vastly different spiritual landscapes.

In Kenya, Christianity is deeply woven into everyday life. Among teens surveyed, 93% identify as Christian, and 78% of Christian teens read or listen to Scripture at least weekly.

In France, the picture looks dramatically different. Just 38% identify as Christian, and only 8% of Christian teens engage with Scripture weekly.

This is the same generation, with very different spiritual realities. 

Even among young people who don’t identify with a religion, spirituality can remain important. In Australia, 57% of nonreligious preteens say their faith beliefs, religion, or spiritual journey is important to their identity. In Singapore, 53% say the same.

Yet spiritual interest doesn’t necessarily translate into familiarity with Jesus or openness to church.

In France, 71% of nonreligious teens say they never think about Jesus. Meanwhile, in Brazil, 55% of nonreligious preteens say they would attend church if a friend invited them.

Together, these findings reveal a generation whose spiritual starting points can look remarkably different, even as they navigate many of the same global influences.

Understanding Their World to Reach Their Hearts

So, what does this mean for those of us who care about the next generation?

Perhaps the most important discovery is that understanding a generation is not the same as understanding the young people within it. Shared technology and global trends may connect Gen Alpha, but they don’t erase the cultural, relational, and spiritual realities that shape how each young person sees the world or encounters the Gospel.

For the global Church, OneHope’s research offers three important takeaways:

• Meet young people where they are spiritually. In France, where many young people rarely think about Jesus, the first step may be introducing them to who He is. In Kenya, where Christianity is deeply rooted in the culture, the greater opportunity may be helping young people move beyond inherited beliefs to develop a personal, growing faith.
• Invest in relationships that invite honest conversations. Gen Alpha values family, but not every young person feels comfortable sharing their struggles or questions. Parents, churches, and ministry leaders can create spaces where children and youth feel heard, supported, and safe to explore difficult topics.
• Engage their digital world with intentionality. Technology is shaping how Gen Alpha learns, connects, and forms beliefs. Rather than ignoring these spaces, the Church can help young people navigate digital influences with discernment while exploring meaningful ways to engage them with God’s Word online.

At OneHope, these insights help us develop contextualized Scripture engagement experiences that reflect young people’s unique cultures, questions, and needs.

While the Gospel never changes, the world young people are growing up in does. So, the better we understand that world, the better equipped we are to share the life-changing hope of God’s Word with the next generation.

Explore the Research

Discover what Gen Alpha looks like around the world, with new insights added as OneHope continues expanding its research.

[Explore the Global Gen Alpha Research Hub →]

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