Changes in Home-Centered Religious Practices and Relational Wellbeing following the Initial Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Keywords

COVID-19, family, family closeness, qualitative, religion, religious practices

Abstract

We explored associations between changes in the frequency of home-centered religious practices and family relational conflict, emotional closeness, and the perceived long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on relationships. The panel survey of 1,510 adult individuals in the United States, was administered during the summer of 2020. Given our interest in understanding changes in religious practices following the COVID-19 related closures of religious institutions, the panel included an intentional oversampling of religious individuals from diverse religious affiliations. We employed a mixed methods approach (integrated quantitative and qualitative measures). Controlling for a large group of demographic variables (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity) and other factors (e.g., religiosity, stage of COVID-19 closures), OLS and logistic regressions found some significant associations between retrospectively reported changes in the frequency of religious practices and emotional closeness and perceived lasting impact of the pandemic on family well-being. Qualitative data from a subsample of survey participants (n = 624) suggested that family prayer, scripture study, shared sacred rituals, and home-based worship helped foster positive family interactions.

Original Publication Citation

Dollahite, D. C., Kelley, H. H., James, S., & Marks, L. D. (2023). Changes in home-centered religious practices and relational wellbeing following the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marriage and Family Review, 59, 65-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2022.2141942

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2023

Publisher

Marriage & Family Review

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Link to Full Text

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