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Filling the Void: Spiritual Development Among Adolescents of the Affluent

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Abstract

Building on both the spiritual development and affluent youth literature, the current study explores spiritual development and health outcomes in a sample of upper-middle-class youth. Exploratory analyses indicate long-term stability in religiosity and spirituality from late adolescence (mean age 18) well into emerging adulthood (mean age 24); specifically, a strong personal relationship with a Higher Power, that carries into the broader arena of life, appears to be the primary source of spiritual life in adolescence that transitions into young adulthood. Moreover, cross-sectional associations at age 24 suggest spiritual development may have important implications for increased mental health and life satisfaction, as well as decreased antisocial behaviors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY, 10027, USA

    Samuel H. Barkin & Lisa Miller

  2. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    Suniya S. Luthar

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  1. Samuel H. Barkin
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Barkin, S.H., Miller, L. & Luthar, S.S. Filling the Void: Spiritual Development Among Adolescents of the Affluent. J Relig Health 54, 844–861 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0048-z

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