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Maintaining Family Relationships After Religious Disaffiliation: A Grounded Theory.
Emily E Janes1, Jaclyn D Cravens2, Stephen T Fife2
1Couple and Family Therapy Program, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Family Process
|June 17, 2026
Summary
Religious disaffiliation can strain family ties, but maintaining relationships is possible. This study explores how disaffiliated individuals navigate family connections, focusing on actions and shared experiences that preserve bonds.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Religious disaffiliation, the process of leaving a religious tradition, often leads to significant relational consequences.
- Existing research highlights challenges such as loss of social ties, secrecy, and familial tension following religious disaffiliation.
- There is a notable gap in understanding how families successfully maintain relationships despite religious disaffiliation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how individuals maintain family relationships after religious disaffiliation.
- To identify factors and processes that facilitate positive family connections post-disaffiliation.
- To develop a model illustrating the dynamics of maintaining family relationships from the disaffiliated individual's perspective.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative study employing constructivist grounded theory.
- Interviews were conducted with 20 individuals in the United States who had disaffiliated from a religious tradition.
- Data analysis focused on understanding the experiences and strategies used to maintain family relationships.
Main Results:
- A dynamic model of maintaining family relationships was developed, comprising two core processes: disaffiliated individual actions and perceived joint actions.
- Both processes are fundamentally supported by a foundation of love and a shared desire to preserve family connections.
- Key factors influencing relationship maintenance include proactive engagement and collaborative efforts between the disaffiliated individual and their family.
Conclusions:
- Maintaining family relationships after religious disaffiliation is achievable through specific individual and joint actions.
- The study provides insights into the resilience of family bonds, emphasizing love and commitment as crucial elements.
- Clinical implications include the potential for therapeutic interventions focused on communication, perspective-taking, and community building for disaffiliated individuals and their families.
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