Religiosity
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Headline

Black students in tenth and twelfth grades are almost twice as likely as white students to report that religion plays a very important role in their lives. For example, in 2006, 53 percent of black twelfth graders reported that religion played a very important role in their lives, compared with 25 percent of their white peers.(See Figure 2)

Importance

Religious adolescents are more likely to avoid risky behaviors¹ and to engage in positive activities.² Adolescents who see themselves as religious are less likely to take risks or enjoy danger, engage in violent behaviors, or to get in trouble with the police.³ These adolescents are also less likely to skip school or be suspended, expelled, or sent to detention.⁴ Religious teens are more likely to volunteer in their communities, participate in student government, and play sports.⁵ They are more likely than their non-religious peers to engage in healthy behaviors such as exercising regularly and wearing a seatbelt, and have better eating and sleeping habits.⁶ These teens also have lower rates of drug abuse.⁷ In addition, religious teens tend to hold more conservative attitudes toward sex and have lower levels of sexual experience,⁸ though some research indicates that religious adolescents who have sex are less likely to use contraception.^9,10

Trends

Since the early 1990s, the percentage of students reporting that religion plays a very important part in their lives has fluctuated slightly. Between 2000 and 2006, however, the percentage of students who report that religion played a very important role in their lives decreased significantly from 37 percent to 33 percent among eighth graders, 32 percent to 27 percent among tenth graders, and from 32 percent to 30 percent among twelfth graders. (See Figure 1)

Differences by Gender

Female students are somewhat more likely than male students to report that religion plays a very important role in their lives. In 2006, the gender gap ranged from 4 percentage points among eighth graders to 7 percentage points among twelfth graders. (See Figure 3)

Differences by College Plans

Students who plan to complete four years of college are more likely than students who do not plan to attend or finish college to report that religion plays a very important role in their lives. For example, 31 percent of twelfth graders who had plans to complete four years of college in 2006 reported that religion was important in their lives, compared with 24 percent of those who did not have such plans. Differences among tenth and eighth graders followed a similar trend. (See Table 1)

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Differences by Race

Black students in tenth and twelfth grades are almost twice as likely to report that religion plays a very important role in their lives as are white students. In 2006, 53 percent of black twelfth graders, and 47 percent of black tenth graders reported that religion played a very important role in their lives, compared with 25 percent and 24 percent of their white peers, respectively. (See Figure 2) While not as dramatic, the difference between black and white eighth graders follows a similar pattern, with 46 percent of black students reporting that religion plays an important role in their life, compared with 31 percent of white students.

Related Indicators

Religious Services Attendance

State and Local Estimates

None available

International Estimates

None available

National Goals

There are no specific national goals in this area, but recent Federal faith-based initiatives recognize the importance of religious organizations in youths' lives.

More information is available at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci

What Works: Programs and Interventions that May Influence this Indicator

None available at this time.

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Research References

¹Lippman, Laura, Michelsen, Erik and Roehlekepartain, Eugene C. (2004). Indicators of Child, Family and Community Connections: The Measurement of Family Religiosity and Spirituality. Child Trends and the Search Institute. Paper prepared for Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, HHS. Available at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/connections-papers04/paper1.htm.

²Bridges, Lisa J., and Kristin Anderson Moore. (September 2002). "Religious Involvement and Children's Well-Being: What Research Tells Us (And What It Doesn't)," Child Trends Research Brief. Washington D.C., Child Trends.
http://www.childtrends.org/Files/ReligiosityRB.pdf

³Smith, Christian and Robert Faris. (2002). Religion and American Adolescent Delinquency, Risk Behaviors and Constructive Social Activities. National Study of Youth and Religion. Chapel Hill, NC.
http://www.youthandreligion.org/publications/docs/RiskReport1.pdf

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶Regnerus, Mark, Smith, Christian and Fritsch, Melissa. (2003). Religion in the lives of American adolescents: A review of the literature. National Study of Youth and Religion, Research Report Number 3. Available at: http://www.youthandreligion.org/publications/docs/litreview.pdf.

⁷National Center on Addition and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. (2001). So Help Me God: Substance Abuse, Religion, and Spirituality, pp 8-12. http://www.casacolumbia.org/ViewProduct.aspx?PRODUCTID={0D8D736C-CC5B-40a8-91F5-84810E8978DA}

⁸Bridges, Lisa J., and Kristin Anderson Moore. (September 2002).
http://www.childtrends.org/Files/ReligiosityRB.pdf

⁹Thorton, Arland and Marlena Studard. "Adolescent Religiosity and Contraceptive Use," Journal of Marriage and the Family, 49 (February 1987): 117-128.

¹⁰Manlove, Jennifer S., Terry-Humen, Elizabeth, Ikramullah, Erum N., and Moore, Kristin A. (Forthcoming). "The Role of Parent Religiosity in Teens' Transitions to Sex and Contraception." Journal of Adolescent Health.

Definition

Students were asked, "How important is religion in your life?" This indicator reflects those who responded "very important."

Data Source

Child Trends original analysis of the Monitoring the Future Survey, 1976 to 2006.

Raw Data Source

Bachman, Jerald G., Lloyd D. Johnston, and Patrick M. O'Malley. Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of American Youth (8th, 10th, and 12th-Grade Surveys), 1976-2006 [Computer files]. Conducted by University of Michigan, Survey Research Center. ICPSR ed. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [producer and distributor].
ICPSR: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu
Monitoring the Future:http://www.monitoringthefuture.org

Approximate Date of Next Update

November 2008

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