Understanding Delinquency among the Spiritual but Not Religious

Abstract

This study investigates the association between “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR) identity and delinquency using a representative sample aged 16–20 years (N = 2,530) in the United States. The analyses extend prior research by examining SBNR effects across a broad range of delinquent behaviors (theft, fighting, marijuana use, drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes) and by testing several theoretically salient mechanisms (religious attendance, peers, parental expectations, images of God, morality, and strain), which may account for the association between SBNR identity and delinquency. I estimate SBNR effects on delinquency using logistic and binomial regression and test mechanisms using the Karlson–Holm–Breen method. SBNR identity is positively associated with delinquency, with the strongest effects on substance use but a nonsignificant effect on theft. The hypothesized mechanisms explain between 54% and 69% of the association between SBNR identity and overall delinquency, depending on the “degree” of SBNR identity reported.

“Every Sinner Has a Future”: Religiosity, Future Orientation, Self-Control, and Marijuana Use

“…Very few studies have considered the relationship between identifying as spiritual but nor religious and delinquency (Hodge et al 2007;Jang and Franzen 2013;Seto 2021). Consistent with previous research (Seto 2021), the results suggest that adolescents who identify as spiritual but not religious are more likely to use marijuana than adolescents who do not identify as spiritual but not religious.…”

“…Very few studies have considered the relationship between identifying as spiritual but nor religious and delinquency (Hodge et al 2007;Jang and Franzen 2013;Seto 2021). Consistent with previous research (Seto 2021), the results suggest that adolescents who identify as spiritual but not religious are more likely to use marijuana than adolescents who do not identify as spiritual but not religious. Those who identify as spiritual but not religious, compared to those who do not identify as spiritual but not religious, are no more likely to think about the future, but they do tend to have lower self-control, perhaps because they are less likely to attend religious services or to think that religion is important.…”

“…When the data were collected in 2005, marijuana use was illegal in every state. I decided to focus on marijuana use because previous research suggests that religiosity is more likely to be related to substance use than other types of delinquency (Burkett and White 1974;Miller and Vuolo 2018), because secular and religious groups both condemn violence and theft, but religious groups are more likely than In addition to examining the relationships between religiosity, future orientation, self-control, and marijuana use, I also considered adolescents who identify as spiritual but not religious (Hodge et al 2007;Jang and Franzen 2013;Seto 2021). Previous research suggests that adolescents who identify as spiritual but not religious are more likely to use marijuana compared to adolescents who do not identify as spiritual but not religious (Seto 2021), primarily because they are less likely to attend religious services, they believe their parents would not be as upset if they found out they were using drugs, and they are more likely to believe that morals are relative (Seto 2021).…”

“…I decided to focus on marijuana use because previous research suggests that religiosity is more likely to be related to substance use than other types of delinquency (Burkett and White 1974;Miller and Vuolo 2018), because secular and religious groups both condemn violence and theft, but religious groups are more likely than In addition to examining the relationships between religiosity, future orientation, self-control, and marijuana use, I also considered adolescents who identify as spiritual but not religious (Hodge et al 2007;Jang and Franzen 2013;Seto 2021). Previous research suggests that adolescents who identify as spiritual but not religious are more likely to use marijuana compared to adolescents who do not identify as spiritual but not religious (Seto 2021), primarily because they are less likely to attend religious services, they believe their parents would not be as upset if they found out they were using drugs, and they are more likely to believe that morals are relative (Seto 2021). In this study I explore two additional mechanisms, a future orientation and self-control, that might help to explain why adolescents who identify as spiritual but not religious are more likely to use marijuana.…”

Religion and Hate Crime Victimisation: A Representative Study of Young People in Finland

“…14 This group likely includes youths who are “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR) and may be as religious as some in the majority “Christian” group, yet without church membership as a part of their religious identity. The elevated hate victimisation risk in this group adds to recent research observing above-average offending rates among the “spiritual but not religious” youth (Seto, 2021 ).…”