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Religious Involvement and Its Association to Risk Behaviors among Older Youth in Foster Care

  • Original Paper
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American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

This study examined religious involvement and its association to risk behaviors (sexual behavior, marijuana use, alcohol use, and cigarette use) among older youth in foster care (N=383). Three dimensions of religious involvement were assessed—church or religious service attendance, religious practices, and religious beliefs. Findings showed that gender, ethnic group membership, sexual abuse history, and placement type were significantly associated with older foster care youth’s religious involvement. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses showed that religious service attendance was associated with reduced odds of youth’s engagement in sexual behavior in the past 2 months and current use of cigarettes. In addition, greater religious beliefs were associated with a reduction in odds of youth’s use of alcohol in the past 6 months and current use of cigarettes. The consideration of religious involvement as a positive influence and resource that may reduce unhealthy risk behaviors among older youth in foster care is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (RO1-MH-61404). Points of view or opinions in this paper do not represent the official position of NIMH. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Chris Boyatzis, Ph.D., for invaluable comments and feedback on this article.

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Author notes

  1. Lionel D. Scott Jr.

    Present address: School of Social Work, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Washington University in St. Louis, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Lionel D. Scott Jr., J. Curtis McMillen & Marcia T. Ollie

  2. Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Michelle R. Munson

  3. School of Social Work, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA

    Lionel D. Scott Jr.

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  1. Lionel D. Scott Jr.
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Correspondence to Lionel D. Scott Jr..

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Scott, L.D., Munson, M.R., McMillen, J.C. et al. Religious Involvement and Its Association to Risk Behaviors among Older Youth in Foster Care. Am J Community Psychol 38, 223–236 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-006-9077-9

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