Spiritual and religious beliefs and behaviour: data collected from 27/28-year-old offspring in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, 2019-2020
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Younger generations are increasingly secular compared to their parents, with a significant decline in religious/spiritual beliefs and practices observed across this demographic. This generational shift highlights a growing trend of secularization in contemporary society.
Area Of Science
- Sociology of Religion
- Generational Studies
- Public Health
Background
- Religious/spiritual beliefs and practices are linked to positive health outcomes, including coping, well-being, and reduced anxiety/depression.
- Increasing secularization, particularly in Western societies, may correlate with rising rates of mental health issues.
- Longitudinal and intergenerational studies on religious/spiritual beliefs and practices are scarce.
Purpose Of The Study
- To examine religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviors (RSBB) in offspring generation (ages 27-28) using Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) data.
- To compare offspring RSBB with data from their parents (mothers and partners).
- To investigate generational differences and trends in secularization.
Main Methods
- Utilized 2019-2020 data collection from the ALSPAC cohort, focusing on offspring born in 1991/1992.
- Collected new and previously gathered data on offspring's religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviors.
- Compared offspring data with identical data collected from their mothers and partners in early 2020.
Main Results
- Offspring, both male and female, exhibit significantly higher levels of secularity across nearly all RSBB aspects compared to their mothers.
- Over 56% of offspring report no belief in God/divine power, versus 26.6% of mothers and 45.3% of partners.
- A majority of offspring (65.4%) identify 'none' when asked about religion, compared to 27.2% of mothers and 40.2% of partners.
- Female offspring are more likely than males to believe in and practice their religious/spiritual beliefs, mirroring parental trends.
Conclusions
- Findings confirm a significant intergenerational decline in religious/spiritual beliefs and practices, indicating increasing secularization from parents to offspring.
- The study underscores the importance of considering generational shifts in religious/spiritual engagement within health research.
- Despite overall secularization, gender differences in belief and practice persist across generations.
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