Positive and negative associations between adolescents' religiousness and health behaviors via self-regulation

Abstract

It has been proposed that self-regulation may be the explanatory mechanism for the relation between religiousness and positive health behaviors. However, different religious motivations have differential effects on a variety of health related outcomes, which may explain the adverse effects of religiousness found in some studies. The current study hypothesized that higher identification as religious motivation would be linked to higher health-promoting behavior and lower health-risk behavior through higher self-regulation, whereas higher introjection would be linked to lower health-promoting behavior and higher health-risk behavior through lower self-regulation. The sample included 220 adolescents (mean age = 15 years, 55% male) and their primary caregivers. Structural equation modeling results supported the hypotheses and indicated that adolescent self-regulation mediated the relations between their religious motivation and health behavior. The findings suggest that different types of religious motivation may be promotive or hindering for adolescents’ health.

Why are Religiousness and Spirituality Associated with Externalizing Psychopathology? A Literature Review

“…This perspective has been empirically justified by demonstrating that religious undergraduates (measured via intrinsic religiousness) report more consideration for their future in current decision making than non-religious undergraduates (Oner-Ozkan, 2007). This evidence has been further corroborated in a longitudinal analysis of sequential mediation linking religiousness → afterlife beliefs → future orientation → substance use behaviors, after controlling for initial levels of substance use in a sample of adolescents (Holmes & Kim-Spoon, 2015). Specifically, the findings directly indicated that higher religiousness (measured as a composite of organizational and personal religiousness and private practices) was associated with lower EP through higher afterlife beliefs as afterlife beliefs may lead an adolescent to think more about the future, which ultimately may deter cigarette and marijuana use (indirect effects 95% CI for b * = [−.05, −.003] for cigarette use and 95% CI for b * = [−.06, −.001] for marijuana use).…”

“…Because behaviors that are regulated by introjection feel less volitional and may create greater conflict, introjected beliefs are less assimilated and the behaviors they motivate do not feel self-determined. Indeed, Holmes and Kim-Spoon (in press) found that identification of religious values were associated with lower levels of substance use among adolescents, whereas introjection of religious values were associated with higher levels of substance use even after controlling for the effects of general religiousness (measured by a composite of organizational and personal religiousness and private practices). Similarly, another study included an exploration in differences of hazardous alcohol use between three latent profiles of religiousness (Jankowski et al, 2015).…”

“…A large body of research has also noted the association between higher R/S and lower substance use and abuse including tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs (Brechting & Carlson, 2015; Desmond, Ulmer, & Bader, 2013; Ford & Hill, 2012; Holmes & Kim-Spoon, 2015; Isralowitz & Reznik, 2015; Jankowski, Hardy, Zamboanga, & Ham, 2013; Jankowski et al, 2015; Kendler et al, 2003; Kim-Spoon, Farley, Holmes, Longo, & McCullough, 2014; Longest & Vaisey, 2008; Marsiglia, Ayers, & Hoffman, 2012; Mason & Spoth, 2011; Milot & Ludden, 2009; Razali & Kliewer, 2015; Sinha et al, 2007; Ulmer, Desmond, Jang, & Johnson, 2012; Unlu & Sahin, 2015; also see Chitwood, Weiss, & Leukefield, 2008 for a review). Taken together, it may be concluded that a robust association exists between R/S and EP such that R/S exert protective effects in adolescents.…”

“…There seems to be a significant contrast between the effects of R/S on self-control when motivation is considered. For example, Holmes and Kim-Spoon (in press) demonstrated that there is evidence religiousness motivated via identification (more intrinsic and personally meaningful) is indeed related to higher self-control and subsequently lower health-risk behavior (indirect effects 95% CI for b* = [−.28, −.03]) and higher health-promoting behavior (indirect effects 95% CI for b* = [.02, .34]) after controlling for sex, age, and income in a sample of adolescents. However, when religiousness is motivated via introjection (more extrinsic and used as a means for other approval) it is negatively related to self-control and in turn related to higher health-risk behavior (indirect effects 95% CI for b* = [.03, .20]) and lower health-promoting behavior (indirect effects 95% CI for b* = [−.25, −.02]).…”

“…The study conducted by Weatherly and Terrell (2011) examined only organizational religiousness (attendance) so they may have captured more introjected driven believers who are concerned with outward demonstrations of R/S and the extrinsic rewards these demonstrations bring. Such introjection motivated religiousness has been demonstrated as being inversely related to self-control (Holmes & Kim-Spoon, in press). Another possible explanation for the discrepancy of the findings may be the differences in religious ecology.…”