How does religion impact family ?

1. How does religion impact family? A Study of the Relationship Between Religiosity and Family Behavior Laura Williams Dr. Sarah Henseler LAEC 6321.01 November 20, 2012

2. What is the family unit? • The primary social unit, consisting of parents and children

3. What is the family model? • The family model says that a single member in the family unit can impact the whole group. Defined by Edwin F. Friedman in Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue

4. Four types of family behavior control • Rigid – authoritarian, inflexible, little negotiation • Laissez-faire – anything goes • Flexible – most ideal and adaptable • Chaotic – no consistency, fluctuates between styles

5. The Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems • By David H. Olson • Includes the 4 types of behavior control • Adds cohesion (closeness) and communication (the vehicle for moving through the levels of behavior control) • Balanced levels of cohesion and communication are necessary for a flexible family unit

6. 3 Part Family Model Cohesion Enmeshed – Connected – Separated - Disengaged Communication

7. How does religiosity affect marriage? • Positively correlated with increased marital satisfaction, greater stability and likelihood that an individual will marry (Fagan, 2006) • 2.4 times less likely to divorce when both spouses regularly attend worship (Fagan, 2006) • 22% less likely to divorce when the couple reports religious beliefs are “very important” (Fagan, 2006) “Religious attendance is the most important predictor of marital stability.” – David Larson, Duke University Medical School

8. Why is marital satisfaction and stability important? • Increased cohesiveness at the foundation of the unit • Greater ability to transmit beliefs to offspring • Creates a unified belief system which increases cohesiveness and communication among the family -Scott M. Myers, The Pennsylvania State University Note: Interfaith unions are linked with lower levels of family functioning -Kevin J. Coldwell, Southwest Missouri State University

9. How does religiosity affect incidents of domestic abuse and violence? • Higher religiosity is linked with less domestic violence (Dollahite & Thatcher, 2005) • “Men who attended religious services at least weekly were more than 50% less likely to commit and act of violence against their partners than were peers who attended only once a year or less.” (Fagan, 2006)

10. Religion-related physical abuse “Religious beliefs can foster, encourage and justify child abuse.” (Bottoms et al. 2003)

11. Sexual Abuse • Misuse of Judeo/Christian tradition can contribute to sexual abuse in 3 ways: • Patriarchalism – man is head of family, wife and children are regarded as possessions • Sexual activity is regarded as sinful, thus proper sexual expression becomes perverted • Sexual activity is hidden by secrecy - Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Note: Families with higher levels of religiosity were more likely to experience sexual abuse from a family member. Families with lower levels of religiosity were more likely to experience sexual abuse from a non-family member. - Journal of Child Sexual Abuse

12. Incest • “The incestuous father often presents himself as a quiet, solid, family man who is a good provider and regular churchgoer.”(Blake-White and Kline, 1985) • 88% of incestuous families attend church regularly (Hules, 2005) • 40% convicted incest offenders against their daughters were religiously devout according to Gebhard et al. (1965)

13. Adolescent Deviant Behavior “Adolescent religiosity is inversely related with many high-risk behaviors, all of which have the potential to greatly influence the the adolescents’ current and future family relationship.” (Dollahite & Thatcher, 2005)

14. Religiosity and Deviance • Participation in religious activities associated with less drug abuse (Byron Johnson, Baylor University) • Higher levels of adolescent religiosity reduced delinquency (Child Trends) • Connection between higher parental religiosity and decline in behavioral problems among children and an increased feeling of adolescent social responsibility (Bridges & Moore, 2002)

15. How does religiosity influence deviant behavior? • “Parent religiosity appears to follow the reverse path: a weak or unstable direct affect on delinquency, but a strong indirect one through it’s influence on autonomy and family satisfaction.” (Mark D. Regenerus, University of Texas) • “The life chances of being delinquent or truant are probably not independent of fact or type of religious orientation or of individual family participation in church activity.” (Rhodes et al., 1956)

16. There’s always an exception… • In the case of white teenage males, there is a connection between increased levels of family closeness and communication and increased delinquency. (Regenerus, 2003)

17. Religiosity and Adolescent Sexual Behavior • Adolescents who regarded religion as “very important” and had frequent church attendance were 27-54% less likely to have sex than their peers and had fewer sexual partners (Haglund et al., 2009) • “Higher levels of family religiosity, including parents’ beliefs, prayer and religious service practices, and frequency of family participation in religious activities, have contributed to decreased sexual initiation among adolescents, older age at coitarche and indirectly to decreased sexual partners.” (Manlove et al., 2008)

18. Religiosity and Safe Sex • “One troubling piece of evidence is that when females who consider themselves highly religious do have sex for the first time, some studies indicate that they are less likely to use contraception, putting them at risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.” (Bridges & Moore, 2002) • All sex is considered sinful and not discussed • The more open communication with the mother is about sexual behavior, the less likely teens are to engage in high-risk sexual behavior

19. Religiosity and Prosocial Behavior • Prosocial behavior – actions that are altruistic in nature • Positively linked to religiosity among adolescents • “Religiosity, maternal support, and paternal support all represent viable intervention pathways to increased youth prosocial behavior.” (Henkle et al., 2011)

20. Transmission of beliefs • According to Scott M. Myers of the Pennsylvania State University, 3 sets of family characteristics influence adult offspring religiosity: • Parental religiosity • Quality of the family relationship • Traditional family structure

21. Conclusion “The family that prays together, stays together”… BUT remember what Aristotle said, “Everything in moderation.”