Journal Article

A Longitudinal Study of Religious Identity and Participation During Adolescence

Huynh, Virginia W., Lopez, Anna B., Fuligni, Andrew J.

2011

Overview

To examine the development of religious identity during the teenage years, adolescents (N = 477) from Latin American, Asian, and European backgrounds completed questionnaires in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades (10th grade age: M = 15.81, SD = 0.36). Results indicated that religious identity remained stable across high school whereas religious participation declined. Even after controlling for ethnic differences in religious affiliation, socioeconomic background, and generational status, adolescents from Latin American and Asian backgrounds reported higher levels of religious identity and adolescents from Latin American backgrounds reported higher rates of religious participation. Within individual adolescents, changes in religious identity were associated with changes in ethnic and family identities, suggesting important linkages in the development of these social identities during adolescence.

• Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd,Wiley-Blackwell
• Subject: Adolescence / Adolescent / Adolescent Behavior - ethnology / Adolescent Behavior - psychology / Adolescent development / Adolescents / American people / Asia / Asian Americans / Asian Americans - ethnology / Background / Biological and medical sciences / Buddhism / Child development / Christianity / Cultural Differences / Cultural identity / Developmental psychology / EMPIRICAL ARTICLES / Ethnic differences / Ethnic identity / Ethnicity / Europe / European Continental Ancestry Group - ethnology / Family (Sociological Unit) / Family identity / Female / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Gender identity / Generational differences / High School Students / Hispanic Americans / Hispanic Americans - ethnology / Humans / Identification (Psychology) / Latin America / Linear Models / Longitudinal Studies / Los Angeles / Male / Minority & ethnic groups / Participation / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychology. Psychophysiology / Questionnaires / Racial differences / Religion / Religion and Psychology / Religious attitudes / Religious beliefs / Religious identity / Religious participation / Secondary education / Secondary schools / Self Report / Sex Factors / Social development / Social Identification / Social identity / Socioeconomic Status / Whites / Youth participation