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Fast Facts
Do Religion and Spirituality Make a Difference?
Authoritative Communities: The Scientific Case for Nurturing the Whole Child (recently published in the Search Institute Series on Developmentally Attentive Communities and Society with Springer Books), presents a wealth of research that makes a compelling case for all aspects of communities to nurture children in body, mind, and spirit.
 The book includes chapters by many distinguished scholars, among them Dr. Byron Johnson, who also serves as a distinguished advisor for the Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence. In his chapter, Johnson reviewed more than 600 studies on religion/spirituality that examined a wide array of health-related outcomes for children, youth, and adults (with the preponderance of the research being with adults).
He catalogues a broad range of evidence linking religious beliefs and practices that are nurtured across time (what he calls “organic religion”) to positive outcomes for a wide range of populations.
Protecting Against Risks
Religious and spiritual practices are beginning to be acknowledged as a key protective factors that buffers or shields youth and adults from harmful outcomes.
- Injury—Religious commitment is significantly associated with a lower likelihood of adolescent unintentional and intentional injury.
- Hypertension—Seventy-six percent of the studies found that religious activities or involvement tend to be linked with reduced levels of hypertension.
- Depression—People who are frequently involved in religious activities and who highly value their religious faith are at reduced risk for depression. Religious involvement seems to play an important role in helping people cope with the effects of stressful life circumstances.
- Suicide—Religious involvement (for example, measured by frequency of religious attendance, frequency of prayer, and degree of religious salience) is associated with less suicide, suicidal behavior, suicidal ideation, as well as less tolerant attitudes toward suicide.
- Promiscuous sexual behaviors—Those who are religious are less likely to engage in premarital sex or extramarital affairs or to have multiple sexual partners.
- Alcohol and other drug use—The greater a person’s religious involvement, the less likely he or she will initiate alcohol or drug use or have problems with these substances if they are used.
- Delinquency—Religious involvement may lower the risks of a broad range of delinquent behaviors, including both minor and serious criminal behavior. Religious involvement may also have a cumulative effect throughout adolescence and thus may significantly lessen the risk of later adult criminality.
Increasing Prosocial Factors
In addition, religious and spiritual practices are beginning to be acknowledged as a key promotional factors that foster positive developmental outcomes and thriving.
- Longevity—Higher levels of religious involvement have a sizable and consistent relationship with greater longevity.
- Civic engagement—Religious and spiritual commitment are associated with increased civic engagement and service to others.
- Well-being—The vast majority of studies on well being report a positive association between religious involvement and greater happiness, life satisfaction, morale, positive affect or some other measure of well-being.
- Hope, purpose, and meaning in life—Religious involvement or commitment is associated with having hope or a sense of purpose or meaning in life, greater optimism, larger support networks, more social contacts, and greater satisfaction with support.
- Self-esteem—Sixty-five percent of studies analyzed conclude that religious commitment and activities are related to increases in self-esteem.
- Educational attainment—Religiosity is positively correlated with improved educational attainment.
SOURCE: Johnson, B. R. (2008). A tale of two religious effects: Evidence for the protective and prosocial impact of organic religion. In Kline, K. K. (Ed.), Authoritative Communities: The Scientific Case for Nurturing the Whole Child. New York: Springer Books.
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