Contextual Influences on Faith Development in Adolescents and Emerging Adults Katheryn A
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Master's Theses Graduate School 2011 Contextual influences on faith development in adolescents and emerging adults Katheryn A. Barker Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses Part of the Human Ecology Commons Recommended Citation Barker, Katheryn A., "Contextual influences on faith development in adolescents and emerging adults" (2011). LSU Master's Theses. 986. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/986 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Master's Theses by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CONTEXTUAL INFLUENCES ON FAITH DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENTS AND EMERGING ADULTS A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in The School of Human Ecology by Katheryn A. Barker B.A., Concordia University, 2005 August, 2011 Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................................................. iv Chapter 1 - Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2 - Literature Review ........................................................................................................................ 3 Adolescent and Emerging Adult Development ................................................................................... 4 Piaget’s Developmental Theory of Cognition ............................................................................... 5 Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory ........................................................................................................ 7 Attachment Theory .............................................................................................................................. 9 Fowler’s Faith Development Theory ............................................................................................ 10 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 12 Characteristics of Religiosity ................................................................................................................. 12 Adolescents ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Emerging Adults ................................................................................................................................ 17 Development of Religiosity ................................................................................................................... 20 Adolescents ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Emerging Adults ................................................................................................................................ 23 Useful Models for Studying Adolescent and Emerging Adult Religiosity .................................. 25 Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model of Human Development .......................................... 25 Marks and Dollahite’s Model of Religiosity ............................................................................... 28 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 29 Chapter 3 - Method ......................................................................................................................................... 34 Research Questions .................................................................................................................................. 34 Qualitative Research ................................................................................................................................ 34 Sample and Procedures ........................................................................................................................... 34 Interview Schedule ............................................................................................................................ 37 Coding ......................................................................................................................................................... 37 Measures .............................................................................................................................................. 37 Analysis ............................................................................................................................................... 38 Qualitative Methodological Considerations ....................................................................................... 39 Validity and Reliability .................................................................................................................... 39 Reflexivity ........................................................................................................................................... 39 Limitations ................................................................................................................................................. 40 Chapter 4 - Results .......................................................................................................................................... 42 Theme 1: Contexts ................................................................................................................................... 42 A. Peers ................................................................................................................................................ 42 B. School ............................................................................................................................................. 48 C. Religious Community ................................................................................................................. 52 Theme 2: Personal Beliefs ...................................................................................................................... 54 A. Belief Provides Comfort and Guidance .................................................................................. 55 B. Identity—“The Most Important Thing about Who You Are” ............................................ 57 Theme 3: Personal Practices .................................................................................................................. 61 ii A. Connection to God ....................................................................................................................... 62 B. Identity—“Everything I Do Is Affected by It” ...................................................................... 65 Chapter 5 - Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 69 References ......................................................................................................................................................... 76 Vita ..................................................................................................................................................................... 81 iii Abstract Recent research has revealed that high religiosity is associated with positive life outcomes in adolescents and emerging adults. However, the mechanisms and processes that underscore faith development, which is crucial to experiencing these outcomes, are not well understood. Furthermore, most research on faith development in adolescents and emerging adults is based on quantitative data and fails to examine the influence of developmental contexts on faith development. To address this, a racially diverse New England sample of 30 highly religious Christian, Jewish, New World faiths, and Muslim families were interviewed regarding their faith and family life. Focusing specifically on the faith development of the adolescents and emerging adults (age 12-25; N = 43) in this sample, qualitative coding and analysis revealed three key themes: (a) contexts, (b) personal beliefs, and (c) personal practices. Qualitative data is provided to explain each theme. Implications for religious institutions, families, and social service organizations are discussed. iv Chapter 1 - Introduction Within the past 10 years, social scientists have begun to call for more research into the development of religiosity (Benson, Roehlkepartain, & Rude, 2003; Dollahite, Marks, & Goodman, 2004; King, 2003; Smith & Snell, 2009). Religiosity is a three-part construct composed of religious beliefs, religious practices, and participation in a religious community (Marks, 2005). At the present time, the largest and most helpful data set on adolescent (age 12- 17) and emerging adult (age 18-25) religiosity is the National Survey of Youth and Religion, a longitudinal qualitative and quantitative research project that includes three waves of data collection to date (Smith