Abstract

This study examines the impact of religiosity on coping in a group of Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) youth. Longitudinal data were gathered from detailed questionnaires administered to 2852 male and female adolescents in 1990 and 1993. Coping was conceptualized as four general dimensions (self-concept, public activities and service, deviance and future plans). Religiosity was also conceptualized multi-dimensionally (religious belief, public religiosity, private religious behavior, and religious experiences). Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the unique effects of each of the dimensions of religiosity on each dimension of coping. It was hypothesized that religiosity was positively related to coping. More specifically, it was hypothesized that public religiosity would have the greatest impact on community service, while private religious practices would most strongly influence deviance and future plans, and that religious belief and religious experiences would have the strongest impact on the self. Results from the study failed to confirm the hypothesis. While private religiosity moderately impacted future religious, educational and career plans among these youth, the results indicated that the impact of religiosity on the other dimensions of coping was negligible. Limitations of the study and possible reasons for these results are discussed.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Sociology

Rights

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