wfn.org | Risky business less likely among religious teenagers

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Note #7431 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

19-September-2002
02357

Risky business less likely among religious teenagers

Study finds link between religion and constructive behavior

by Roxann L. Miller
Director of Communication
National Study of Youth and Religion
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

CHAPEL HILL, NC - Sociologists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, have found significant positive correlations among U.S. 12th graders
between religion and choosing to not participate in many risk behaviors.  

The findings were released Sept. by the UNC-related National Study of Youth
and Religion (NSYR) in its report "Religion and American Adolescent
Delinquency, Risk Behaviors and Constructive Social Activities."

Complete results of the study can be found on the NSYR web site:
www.youthandreligion.org

According to Christian Smith, principal investigator of the National Study of
Youth and Religion, "The report demonstrates that religion among U.S. 12th
graders is positively related to participation in constructive youth
activities. In addition, those who participate in religious activities seem
to be less likely to be involved in many delinquent and risky behaviors."  

Smith is professor and associate chair of sociology at UNC-CH.	He
co-authored the report with Robert Faris, a Ph.D. candidate in sociology at
the university.

The study examined correlations between four religion variables and a variety
of behaviors, including the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs; volunteer and
civic participation; theft and other crimes; school detention and suspension;
and risk-taking.  

"Of the 30 delinquency, risk and activity outcomes we investigated, only one
was not significantly related to religion," Smith noted.

The researchers concluded that regular religious service attendance, high
personal importance of faith and many years spent participating in religious
youth groups are clearly associated with safer, healthier, more constructive
lifestyles for U.S. teenagers. 

The survey data - gathered in 1996 by Monitoring the Future (MTF) - reflects
the reported behaviors of teens prior to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11,
2001.

The National Study of Youth and Religion is a four-year research project
funded by Lilly Endowment.  It began in August 2001 and will continue until
August 2005.  

The purpose of the project is to research the shape and influence of religion
and spirituality in the lives of American adolescents; to identify effective
practices in the religious, moral, and social formation of the lives of
youth; to describe the extent to which youth participate in and benefit from
the programs and opportunities that religious communities are offering to
their youth; and to foster an informed national discussion about the
influence of religion in youth's lives, to encourage sustained reflection
about and rethinking of our cultural and institutional practices with regard
to youth and religion.

The Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey is a nationally representative survey
of U.S. high school students which has polled eighth, 10th and 12th graders
since 1975. MTF does not include school dropouts and home?schooled youth in
its surveys. 

This NSYR analysis focused on 12th graders only.  

The four questions regarding religion analyzed in this report were: 

1)	How often do you attend religious services?
	  
2)	How important is religion in your life? 
	
3)	How many years, if any, have you participated in religious youth
groups? and 
	
4)	What is your religious preference?

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