A multidimensional approach to religiosity and disengagement

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology of Religion

Background:

• The concept of "disengagement" in aging research often overlooks nuanced forms of social and religious participation.
• Previous studies on elderly engagement may not adequately differentiate between organizational and non-organizational religious activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine religious behavior in elderly populations as an indicator of social "disengagement."
• To investigate the necessity of measuring both organizational and non-organizational religiosity for accurate assessments of disengagement.

Main Methods:

• Study conducted on 106 elderly residents in Central Missouri.
• Analysis of religious behavior, distinguishing between organizational (e.g., attending services) and non-organizational (e.g., prayer, media) forms.

Main Results:

• Data indicate that elderly individuals can be organizationally disengaged while simultaneously being non-organizationally engaged.
• Religious behavior in the elderly presents a complex picture, not reducible to simple measures of participation.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive assessment of "disengagement" in the elderly requires evaluating diverse forms of religiosity.
• The study challenges simplistic views of disengagement by revealing the persistence of non-organizational religious engagement among older adults.