Devoutly Anxious: The Relationship Between Anxiety and Religiosity in Adolescence

The present study examined specific religious variables (e.g., religious service attendance, importance of faith) as predictors of anxiety in adolescents. Participants included a subsample of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care (n = 952; 48...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychology of religion and spirituality 2014-05, Vol.6 (2), p.113-122
Main Authors: Peterman, Jeremy S, LaBelle, Denise R, Steinberg, Laurence
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent Development
Anxiety
Faith
Female
Human
Male
Religion
Religiosity
Spirituality
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Summary:The present study examined specific religious variables (e.g., religious service attendance, importance of faith) as predictors of anxiety in adolescents. Participants included a subsample of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care (n = 952; 48.3% female; 76.6% Caucasian). Youth completed religiosity measures in early adolescence (6th grade; ages 11-12) and in mid-adolescence (age 15); parents reported on youth religiosity in 5th grade (ages 10-11). Anxiety measures of youth were completed by parents in early adolescence and by youth in mid-adolescence. Results demonstrated a modest positive association between religious service attendance/youth group participation and anxiety in mid-adolescence. Time spent in weekday evening religious activities in early adolescence modestly predicted greater anxiety in mid-adolescence. Finally, youth who increased in religious service attendance experienced greater anxiety in mid-adolescence. The relation was mediated by self-reported guilt. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
ISSN:1941-1022
1943-1562
DOI:10.1037/a0035447