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Measuring Five Dimensions of Religiosity Across Adolescence

  • Research Note
  • Published:
Review of Religious Research

Abstract

This paper theorizes and tests a latent variable model of adolescent religiosity in which five dimensions of religiosity are interrelated: religious beliefs, religious exclusivity, external practice, private practice, and religious salience. Research often theorizes overlapping and independent influences of single items or dimensions of religiosity on outcomes such as adolescent sexual behavior, but rarely operationalizes the dimensions in a measurement model accounting for their associations with each other and across time. We use longitudinal structural equation modeling with latent variables to analyze data from two waves of the National Study of Youth and Religion. We test our hypothesized measurement model as compared to four alternate measurement models and find that our proposed model maintains superior fit. We then discuss the associations between the five dimensions of religiosity we measure and how these change over time. Our findings suggest how future research might better operationalize multiple dimensions of religiosity in studies of the influence of religion in adolescence.

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Fig. 1

Notes

  1. We also acknowledge that religious institutions and communities encourage these activities, so there may be a sense of obligation or duty separate from or related to one’s own desire to enact these religious behaviors.

  2. See “Appendix 1” for more information on attrition and its potential implications for our analyses.

  3. We use the direct maximum likelihood method for dealing with missing data which allows us to include respondents who have missing values on one or more indicators of religiosity.

  4. The question wordings and response options for each indicator are available in “Appendix 2.” Correlation matrices showing how the indicators are associated with each other at Wave 1 and Wave 2 are available in “Appendices 3 and 4,” respectively.

  5. As mentioned earlier, we do allow the errors of each indicator’s Wave 1 and Wave 2 measurement to covary.

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Acknowledgements

This research received support from the Population Research Training grant (T32 HD007168) and the Population Research Infrastructure Program (P2C HD050924) awarded to the Carolina Population Center at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The National Study of Youth and Religion, http://youthandreligion.nd.edu/, whose data were used by permission here, was generously funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., under the direction of Christian Smith, of the Department of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame and Lisa Pearce, of the Department of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Correspondence to Lisa D. Pearce.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Descriptive Statistics of NSYR Wave 1 Indicator Variables by Attrition Status

Latent variables and indicators

Range

In both waves

Lost to attrition

Mean

SD

Mean

SD

Religious beliefs

 Belief in afterlife

0–1

.494

.50

.436**

.50

 Belief in angels

0–1

.625

.48

.619

.49

 Belief in demons

0–1

.412

.49

.413

.49

 Belief in miracles

0–1

.600

.49

.615

.49

 Belief in god

0–1

.837

.37

.845

.36

 Belief in judgement day

0–1

.700

.46

.738*

.44

Religious exclusivity

 Convert others

0–1

.554

.50

.464***

.50

 Practice one religion

0–1

.447

.50

.465

.50

 View of truth

0–1

.289

.45

.250*

.43

 Pick and choose

0–1

.518

.50

.490

.50

External practice

 Attendance

1–7

4.185

2.19

3.814**

2.18

 Prayed with parents

0–1

.411

.49

.410

.49

 Religious group

0–1

.550

.50

.505*

.50

 Share faith

0–1

.447

.50

.388**

.49

Personal Practice

 Prayer frequency

1–7

4.322

2.01

4.349

2.04

 Read scripture

1–7

2.591

1.73

2.490**

1.73

 Fasted

0–1

.251

.43

.202**

.40

 Day of rest

0–1

.301

.46

.277

.45

Religious salience

 Importance of faith

1–5

3.437

1.14

3.428

1.11

 How decide

0–1

.200

.40

.170

.38

 Commitment to god

0–1

.556

.50

.521

.50

  1. Source National Study of Youth and Religion, Waves 1 and 2
  2. Sample sizes vary slightly for the difference in means tests of each variable (depending on missingness at Wave 1 for each respective item), but 2604 individuals were in both waves and 766 were lost to attrition. No more than 12 individuals who were in both waves, or 7 individuals who were lost to attrition, are missing for any of these comparisons
  3. p < .1; * p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001

Appendix 2: Wording and Coding for All of the Indicator Variables

Religious Beliefs

Do you believe definitely, maybe, or not at all: That there is life after death?

  • 0: Maybe or no

  • 1: Yes

Do you believe definitely, maybe, or not at all: In the existence of angels?

  • 0: Maybe or no

  • 1: Yes

Do you believe definitely, maybe, or not at all: In the existence of demons or evil spirits?

  • 0: Maybe or no

  • 1: Yes

Do you believe definitely, maybe, or not at all: In the possibility of divine miracles from God?

  • 0: Maybe or no

  • 1: Yes

Do you believe in God, or not, or are you unsure?

  • 0: Unsure or no

  • 1: Yes

Do you believe that there will come a judgment day when God will reward some and punish others, or not?

  • 0: No

  • 1: Yes

Religious Exclusivity

Is it okay for religious people to try to convert other people to their faith, or should everyone leave everyone else alone?

  • 0: Leave others alone

  • 1: Okay to convert

Do you think it is okay for someone of your religion to also practice other religions, or should people only practice one religion?

  • 0: Okay to practice other religions

  • 1 Should only practice one faith

Which of the following statements comes closest to your own views about religion?

  • 0: Truth is not in only one religion

  • 1: Only one religion is true

Some people think that it is okay to pick and choose their religious beliefs without having to accept the teachings of their religious faith as a whole. Do you agree or disagree?

  • 0: Okay to pick and choose

  • 1: Not okay to pick and choose

External Practice

About how often do you usually attend religious services [at first named church]?

  • 1: Never

  • 2: Few times a year

  • 3: Many times a year

  • 4: Once a month

  • 5: 2 to 3 times a month

  • 6: Once a week

  • 7: More than once a week

In the last year, have you prayed out loud or silently together with one or both of your parents, other than at mealtimes or at religious services?

  • 0: Did not pray with parents

  • 1: Prayed with parents

Religious group participation. Includes any participation, such as a music group, religious group at school, prayer group, or youth group. *Note: In Wave 2, there is no option for a prayer group.

  • 0: Not part of a religious group

  • 1: Part of a religious group

In the last year, have you shared your own religious faith with someone else not of your faith?

  • 0: Did not share faith with someone

  • 1: Shared faith with someone

Personal Practice

How often, if ever, do you pray by yourself alone?

  • 1: Never

  • 2: Less than once a month

  • 3: One to two times a month

  • 4: About once a week

  • 5: A few times a week

  • 6: About once a day

  • 7: Many times a day

In the last year, have you fasted or denied yourself something as a spiritual discipline?

  • 0: No

  • 1: Yes

In the last year, have you tried to practice a weekly day of rest to keep the Sabbath?

  • 0: Does not practice day of rest

  • 1: Practices day of rest

How often, if ever, do you read from [Scriptures] to yourself alone?

  • 1: Never

  • 2: Less than once a month

  • 3: One to two times a month

  • 4: About once a week

  • 5: A few times a week

  • 6: About once a day

  • 7: Many times a day

Religious Salience

If you were unsure of what was right or wrong in a particular situation, how would you decide what to do?

  • 0: Something other than God or Scripture

  • 1: Do what God or Scripture says is right

Have you ever made a personal commitment to live your life for God? *Note: Wave 2 asks if this happened in the past 2 years.

  • 0: Did not make commitment to live for God

  • 1: Made commitment to live for God

How important or unimportant is religious faith in shaping how you live your daily life?

  • 1: Not important at all

  • 2: Not very important

  • 3: Somewhat important

  • 4: Very important

  • 5: Extremely important

Appendix 3: Pairwise Correlations Between All Religious Indicator Variables at Wave 1

  

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Religious beliefs

(1) Belief in afterlife

1

          

(2) Belief in angels

.457

1

         

(3) Belief in demons

.394

.487

1

        

(4) Belief in miracles

.380

.512

.350

1

       

(5) Belief in god

.289

.433

.232

.447

1

      

(6) Belief in judgement day

.258

.382

.313

.399

.465

1

     

Religious exclusivity

(7) Covert others

.178

.193

.214

.198

.170

.218

1

    

(8) Practice one religion

.139

.146

.168

.192

.188

.236

.144

1

   

(9) View of truth

.221

.249

.292

.249

.202

.278

.281

.408

1

  

(10) Pick and choose

.132

.154

.147

.150

.142

.191

.117

.233

.231

1

 

External practice

(11) Attendance

.243

.311

.263

.332

.339

.345

.268

.277

.359

.214

1

(12) Prayed with parents

.185

.230

.181

.271

.245

.254

.173

.141

.202

.118

.312

(13) Religious group

.219

.270

.231

.311

.292

.282

.225

.184

.271

.143

.550

(14) Share faith

.202

.225

.233

.236

.211

.197

.212

.099

.218

.089

.383

Personal practice

(15) Prayer frequency

.301

.428

.287

.451

.480

.414

.213

.201

.281

.171

.428

(16) Read scripture

.240

.298

.254

.335

.289

.320

.220

.233

.287

.178

.393

(17) Fasted

.168

.116

.159

.152

.108

.126

.127

.077

.126

.057

.234

(18) Day of rest

.187

.222

.182

.266

.222

.221

.166

.144

.213

.124

.303

Religious salience

(19) Importance of faith

.335

.428

.322

.461

.485

.447

.247

.282

.329

.218

.496

(20) How decide

.247

.268

.273

.270

.188

.229

.202

.200

.320

.148

.276

(21) Commitment to god

.247

.354

.253

.391

.372

.381

.242

.234

.299

.171

.432

  

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

Religious beliefs

(1) Belief in afterlife

          

(2) Belief in angels

          

(3) Belief in demons

          

(4) Belief in miracles

          

(5) Belief in god

          

(6) Belief in judgement day

          

Religious exclusivity

(7) Covert others

          

(8) Practice one religion

          

(9) View of truth

          

(10) Pick and choose

          

External practice

(11) Attendance

          

(12) Prayed with parents

1

         

(13) Religious group

.284

1

        

(14) Share faith

.253

.379

1

       

Personal practice

(15) Prayer frequency

.388

.381

.305

1

      

(16) Read scripture

.350

.377

.262

.518

1

     

(17) Fasted

.143

.220

.252

.192

.193

1

    

(18) Day of rest

.249

.310

.223

.303

.320

.224

1

   

Religious salience

(19) Importance of faith

.355

.426

.326

.571

.474

.237

.355

1

  

(20) How decide

.200

.254

.213

.321

.355

.161

.212

.381

1

 

(21) Commitment to god

.298

.383

.276

.422

.383

.147

.298

.513

.301

1

  1. All correlations are significant at the p < .001 level. Sample sizes for each pair of variables range from 3340 to 3369

Appendix 4: Pairwise Correlations Between All Religious Indicator Variables at Wave 2

  

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Religious beliefs

(1) Belief in afterlife

1

          

(2) Belief in angels

.524

1

         

(3) Belief in demons

.484

.616

1

        

(4) Belief in miracles

.473

.577

.455

1

       

(5) Belief in god

.389

.469

.318

.556

1

      

(6) Belief in judgement day

.392

.471

.410

.522

.516

1

     

Religious exclusivity

(7) Covert others

.289

.331

.312

.329

.277

.332

1

    

(8) Practice one religion

.236

.285

.264

.283

.270

.319

.284

1

   

(9) View of truth

.333

.360

.369

.344

.294

.352

.349

.497

1

  

(10) Pick and choose

.153

.184

.165

.206

.165

.225

.194

.276

.286

1

 

External practice

(11) Attendance

.352

.366

.331

.409

.390

.418

.366

.367

.433

.272

1

(12) Prayed with parents

.263

.284

.279

.332

.309

.311

.249

.224

.302

.179

.381

(13) Religious group

.270

.319

.279

.370

.345

.393

.327

.288

.357

.235

.598

(14) Share faith

.326

.322

.280

.340

.299

.295

.275

.170

.247

.146

.439

Personal practice

(15) Prayer frequency

.426

.478

.393

.535

.542

.483

.311

.313

.388

.233

.526

(16) Read scripture

.318

.344

.341

.360

.315

.381

.320

.328

.429

.262

.541

(17) Fasted

.187

.139

.186

.175

.144

.159

.158

.109

.154

.106

.319

(18) Day of rest

.234

.240

.255

.248

.228

.265

.264

.241

.335

.173

.373

Religious salience

(19) Importance of faith

.422

.479

.408

.547

.569

.528

.372

.371

.462

.276

.596

(20) How decide

.293

.285

.305

.287

.227

.279

.242

.249

.354

.192

.347

(21) Commitment to god

.316

.363

.282

.420

.368

.400

.291

.253

.331

.196

.454

  

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

Religious beliefs

(1) Belief in afterlife

          

(2) Belief in angels

          

(3) Belief in demons

          

(4) Belief in miracles

          

(5) Belief in god

          

(6) Belief in judgement day

          

Religious exclusivity

(7) Covert others

          

(8) Practice one religion

          

(9) View of truth

          

(10) Pick and choose

          

External practice

(11) Attendance

          

(12) Prayed with parents

1

         

(13) Religious group

.368

1

        

(14) Share faith

.303

.381

1

       

Personal practice

(15) Prayer frequency

.413

.461

.412

1

      

(16) Read scripture

.404

.481

.379

.566

1

     

(17) Fasted

.211

.264

.289

.250

.254

1

    

(18) Day of rest

.301

.357

.232

.338

.360

.253

1

   

Religious salience

(19) Importance of faith

.413

.515

.421

.673

.552

.255

.359

1

  

(20) How decide

.258

.289

.261

.374

.417

.186

.278

.413

1

 

(21) Commitment to god

.305

.416

.331

.506

.452

.195

.320

.550

.317

1

  1. All correlations are significant at the p < .001 level. Sample sizes for each pair of variables range from 2570 to 2595

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Pearce, L.D., Hayward, G.M. & Pearlman, J.A. Measuring Five Dimensions of Religiosity Across Adolescence. Rev Relig Res 59, 367–393 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13644-017-0291-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13644-017-0291-8

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