Religion and the life attitudes and self-images of American adolescents / [print]
Christian Smith and Robert Faris.
- Chapel Hill, North Carolina : National Study of Youth and Religion, (c)2002.
- 39 pages ; tables ; 28 cm.
- Research report of the National Study of Youth and Religion 2 .
- Research report of the National Study of Youth and Religion .
Attitude toward self -- Pride in self -- Self-worth -- Enjoyment of life -- Hopelessness -- Usefulness of life -- Good to be alive -- Satisfaction with life -- Meaningfulness of life -- Hated being in school -- Nonconventionality -- Feelings about self -- Self-assessed competence
This report, based on nationally representative survey data, shows that religious U.S. 12th graders have significantly higher self-esteem and hold more positive attitudes about life in general than their less religious peers. Of the 13 attitudinal variables this report examines, only one was not significantly related to some dimension of religion when controlling for the effects of nine other variables such as age, race, sex and family structure. The religion factors most commonly related to these outcomes are religious service attendance and importance of religion, although religious affiliation and youth group participation were also important in many cases.