The Longitudinal Profiles of Child and Parent Religiousness and Spirituality: Their Relations With Child Adjustment

Abstract

Prior research has documented many relations between child religiousness/spirituality (R/S) and outcomes including externalizing symptomatology, internalizing symptomatology, substance use, and sexual behaviors. Yet no previous studies have examined child R/S and parent R/S using a person centered approach. The current study used longitudinal data collected 2 years apart (N = 357 Time 1, N = 220 Time 2) in the examination of child and parent R/S. Four questions were raised in the project. First, are there identifiable subgroups of individuals characterized by unique multidimensional patterns of religious experiences? Second, if there are identifiable subgroups, do these subgroups change over time? Third, how do these experiences related to outcomes such as delinquency, substance use, and sexual behaviors? Fourth, what is the correspondence between parent and child R/S profiles? The use of person-centered techniques to examine R/S was supported, finding three profiles of both parent and child R/S at Time 2 that were differentially related to several outcomes. Implications and suggestions for future research are provided.