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The Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence builds on a long legacy of research and engagement by Search Institute. At the same time, it moves the institute into new arenas of inquiry, practice, and networking.
Since its beginning, Search Institute has focused energy on the scientific study of religion and youth in congregational life. Indeed, Search Institute is unique among child and youth development research institutions not only for its consistent commitment to understanding and valuing the spiritual and religious domain of individual and community life, but also in its emphasis on ensuring that the knowledge generated is both useful and accessible to leaders, practitioners, and parents.
Founded in 1958 by Dr. Merton P. Strommen as the Church Youth Research Center, the organization was one of the first in the United States to use the social sciences as tools for learning and improvement in religious organizations. The innovativeness, quality, and usefulness to practitioners and leaders of these early research efforts soon led to broadened interest in the organization’s work among youth-serving organizations, schools, and colleges, and the name was changed to Youth Research Center (1969) and then to Search Institute (1977).
Though Search Institute’s earliest work focused primarily on religious development, religious settings, and religious leaders in the United States, the institute broadened its work in the 1980s to include all young people and a broader perspective on child and adolescent development, not primarily religious or spiritual development. In 1990, the institute premiered the concept of Developmental Assets—a framework of positive relationships, opportunities, experiences, and personal qualities that help young people thrive and avoid risky behaviors. This line of inquiry catapulted the institute to international prominence and is now one part of a multi-faceted program of theory, research, and practice.
With the Center for Spiritual Development, Search Institute is weaving together two strands of its work by integrating current understandings of human development with spiritual development in a global context.
Below are selected studies and pilot projects that have explicitly addressed religious and spiritual development, beginning with most recent and going back in time to some of the early Search Institute studies.
Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence: Mapping the Field (2003 – 2005)—This initiative, funded by the John Templeton Foundation, involved more than 125 scholars from around the world and from multiple disciplines in documenting the current state of theory and research on spiritual development during the first two decades of life. It also became the foundation upon which Search Institute launched the center. It resulted in two books:
Habits of the Heart (1998-1999)—This project—led by the Indiana Humanities Council and funded by the Lilly Endowment—sought to equip congregations to nurture in youth the habits of giving and serving. Search Institute gathered information on youth giving and serving nationally, including identification of exemplary congregations (Christian and Jewish), interviews with key informants, and scanning existing resources, which resulted in the book Growing Up Generous: Engaging Youth in Giving and Serving (Alban Institute).
Uniting Congregations for Youth Development (1995-1999)—This pilot interfaith initiative designed to equip congregations and their youth workers in seven U.S. communities to build Developmental Assets in youth. It was supported by the DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund.
Shema: Listening to Jewish Youth (completed in 1998)—This study with the Minneapolis Jewish Federation examined young people’s attitudes toward Jewish life, their involvement in Jewish and secular practices, and other issues related to identity and continuity.
The Attitudes & Needs of Religious Youth Workers (completed in 1995)—This study, supported by the DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund, reported on surveys of about 500 youth workers in multiple faith traditions in the United States. It highlighted their training needs, their interests in positive youth development, and their experiences and interests in interfaith networking.
Valuegenesis (completed in 1991)—This study in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church examined the attitudes, values, and beliefs of Adventist youth in the United States. It led to comprehensive planning and change in this evangelical denomination. It is the largest study of youth ever conducted in a single religious denomination.
Effective Christian Education: A National Study of Protestant Congregations (completed in 1990)—This landmark study examined the faith lives of 11,000 youth and adults in six major Christian denominations in the United States. It also examined dynamics of congregational life that contribute to growth in faith.
Young Adolescents and Their Parents (1984)—Funded by the Lilly Endowment, this study examined the beliefs and values of 10- to 15-year-olds and their parents, including their religious and spiritual beliefs and practices.
Religion on Capitol Hill: Myths and Realities (1978–1980). Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and published by Harper & Row, this project involved in-depth interviews with members of the U.S. Congress on how their religious beliefs and values affected their public life and their votes.
Research on Religious Development: A Comprehensive Handbook (1971)—This landmark book—edited by Search Institute’s founder, Merton P. Strommen and published by Hawthorne Press—brought together leading scholars to address 75 years of religious development research. It included such scholars as James Dittes, Andrew Greeley, Bernard Spilka, and David Elkind.
A Study of Generations (1970–1972)—This study, supported by Lutheran Brotherhood, examined the beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors of 5,000 youth and adults (ages 15 to 65) in 320 Lutheran congregations in the United States.
Profiles of Church Youth (1960–1963)—With these first studies, Search Institute pioneered national, survey-based studies of adolescents affiliated with Protestant denominations. Its first two books were on young people in religious contexts in the United States: What Youth Are Thinking (Augsburg Publishing, 1960) and Profiles of Church Youth (Augsburg Publishing, 1963).
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