Open AccessThe Influence of Parental Religiosity on the Health of Children during Late Adolescence/Early Adulthood: A Test of Mediation
Author(s) -
Jason A. Freeman
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
sociological perspectives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1533-8673
pISSN - 0731-1214
DOI - 10.1177/0731121421990061
Subject(s) - religiosity , psychology , developmental psychology , mediation , adolescent health , early adulthood , longitudinal study , clinical psychology , young adult , social psychology , medicine , nursing , pathology , political science , law
The present study explores whether adolescent religiosity, health-related behaviors, and marital stability mediate the association between parental religiosity and health. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult (Add) Health, I model potential direct and indirect effects between three measures of parental religiosity (i.e., parental institutional religiosity, parental personal religiosity, and parental religious affiliation); three sets of mediators indicating adolescent religiosity, health-related behaviors, and marital stability; and self-rated health during late adolescence/early adulthood. Overall, I found that parental institutional religiosity has a direct effect on the self-rated health of children during late adolescence/early adulthood, and that it influences self-rated health by reducing adolescent and parental smoking. I also found evidence for deleterious effects of parental institutional religiosity on health as well. Future research should explore variation in the influence of parental religiosity on self-rated health between various sociodemographic groups and between different stages of the life course.