Maternal Religiosity, Family Resources and Stressors, and Parent–Child Attachment Security in Northern Ireland

Abstract

This study explores the associations between mothers' religiosity, and families' and children's functioning in a stratified random sample of 695 Catholic and Protestant mother-child dyads in socially deprived areas in Belfast, Northern Ireland, a region which has experienced centuries of sectarian conflict between Protestant Unionists and Catholics Nationalists. Findings based on mother and child surveys indicated that even in this context of historical political violence associated with religious affiliation, mothers' religiosity played a consistently positive role, including associations with multiple indicators of better family functioning (i.e., more cohesion and behavioral control and less conflict, psychological distress, and adjustment problems) and greater parent-child attachment security. Mothers' religiosity also moderated the association between parent-child attachment security and family resources and family stressors, enhancing positive effects of cohesion and mother behavioral control on mother-child attachment security, and providing protection against risks associated with mothers' psychological distress. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for understanding the role of religiosity in serving as a protective or risk factor for children and families.

Youth in Northern Ireland: Linking Violence Exposure, Emotional Insecurity, and the Political Macrosystem

“…Another line of research in this project investigated the role of the family with a particular focus on religiosity, social coping, and father presence. Mothers’ religiosity—referring specifically to their adherence to Christianity, church attendance, and the centrality of religion in their lives—was consistently associated with better family functioning (Goeke‐Morey et al, 2013). Specifically, mothers’ religiosity related to more family cohesion and behavioral control, and less family conflict, psychological distress, and adjustment problems.…”

Religiosity as a potential mediator for violence in childhood and adulthood: results from a Brazilian nationally representative survey

“… 48 Likewise, parents who were more available were likely to raise more religious and less violent adolescents. 23 Additionally, levels of maternal religiosity were associated with lower conflict and psychological distress at home, greater trust in the parent child relationship, 22 and desirable emotional and behavioural outcomes in adolescents. 49 …”

“…Several other studies have indicated a protective role of religiosity in intimate partner violence (IPV), in fights and gang affiliations 18–21. Research also showed a potential protective role of religiosity on children when the parents were religious,22–24 which could be due to the moral and spiritual values shared within the home. Although the mechanisms are still not clear, R/S have an influence on violent outcomes, both in childhood and adulthood23 25 which, in other words, may explore R/S as a good candidate for mediation analyses.…”

Half the Art of Living: The Influence of Religion on the Relation Between Interparental Conflict and Childhood Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors

“…Since young children in particular are primarily exposed to religion within the context of their families, parent and family religious influences on young children have often been examined (Bader & Desmond, 2006;Goeke-Morey et al, 2013;Hair, Moore, Hadley, & Sidorowicz, 2008;Huesmann, Dubow, & Boxer, 2011;Jacobs et al, 2012;Kim, McCullough, & Cicchetti, 2009;Lustig et al, 2004;Petts, 2011;Vaaler, 2008). A variety of studies have found high correlations between parent religiosity and child religiosity, so that studying a parent's religiosity can provide some perspective on the child's religiosity as well (Bader & Desmond, 2006;Carothers Bert, 2011;Francis & Gibson, 1993;Huesmann et al, 2011;Jacobs et al, 2012;Leonard, Cook, Boyzatis, Kimball, & Flanagan, 2013;Okagaki & Bevis, 1999;Schreiber, 2013 Studies have also shown a direct relation between higher levels of parent religiosity or the religiosity of the family as a whole and lower levels of psychopathology in children (Caputo, 2004;Carothers Bert, 2011;Christian & Barbarin, 2001;Farmer, Sinha, & Gill, 2008;Goeke-Morey et al, 2013;Jacobs et al, 2012;Kim et al, 2009;Vaaler, 2008;van der Jagt-Jelsma et al, 2011). Parental religion is related to a variety of other family-level factors that could promote the resilience of the child.…”

“…This association holds even though the grandparents' religiosity no longer correlates with their own child's aggression at that later date. A study of families in Northern Ireland found that mothers' religiosity negatively correlated with child conflict, psychological distress, and adjustment problems(Goeke-Morey et al, 2013). These studies indicate that parental religiosity may indeed be related to children's psychological adjustment, but the means of measuring religiosity are still quite disparate.…”