Are religious teens nice kids? Faith and congeniality among American adolescents

Citation

Fondren, Kristi; Bartkowski, John; Xu, Xiaohe; & Levin, Martin (2018). Are religious teens nice kids? Faith and congeniality among American adolescents. Religions. vol. 9 (11)

Abstract

One body of extant research has documented the social contours and positive effects of teen religiosity, while another has explored the religious sources of social congeniality (“niceness”) among adult Americans. This study integrates these parallel bodies of scholarship by examining the religious bases of niceness among American teens. Using post-hoc interviewer ratings from wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), we examine the degree to which religious teens are perceived more positively than their nonreligious peers. Associations linked to six dimensions of teen religiosity are considered. Select facets of teen religiosity are associated with more positive interviewer ratings, particularly for interpersonal warmth, thereby providing modest support for hypothesized patterns. Findings are interpreted in light of current theories of religious involvement, interpersonal dispositions, and social competencies.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rel9110328

Keyword(s)

adolescents teens congeniality social competence religion Add Health

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Religions

Author(s)

Fondren, Kristi
Bartkowski, John
Xu, Xiaohe
Levin, Martin

Year Published

2018

Volume Number

9

Issue Number

11

ISSN/ISBN

2077-1444

DOI

10.3390/rel9110328

Reference ID

9298