Do Children and Teens Benefit from Church Activity? – New Research Just Released
Do Children and Teens Benefit from Church Activity? – New Research Just Released
The California-based Barna Research Group has just published its findings from a study regarding the long-term effects of spiritual activity among children and teens. The survey asked adults to recall their childhood experiences and describe the frequency of their involvement in Sunday school or religious training. Researchers then compared a person’s reported early-life behaviors with their current levels of religious activity and faith durability.
Adults remembered their church involvement as teenagers as less frequent than their participation as children. Still, about 70% of Americans recalled attending Sunday school or other religious programs for teens at least once a month. And 50% indicated they had been involved in such teen programs at least once a week.
The study found that those who attended Sunday school or other religious programs as children or teens were much more likely to attend church and to have an active faith as adults, compared to those without such experiences. Among those who frequently attended programs as a child, 50% said they had attended a worship service in the past week, which is slightly higher than the national average and well ahead of those who rarely or never attended religious programs in their childhood.
Among those who frequently attended religious programs as teenagers, 58% said they had attended a worship service in the last week. In comparison, less frequent participation as a teenager correlated with less frequent adult participation.
In contrast, the highest proportion of adults not attending religious services was found among those who had never attended as children or teenagers. Similarly, a person’s likelihood to switch faith views at some point was also correlated to their early-life spiritual experiences.
Researchers asked if people had the same faith perspectives today as they did when they were children, or whether they had ever significantly changed their religious views. The study indicates that individuals who recalled frequent religious attendance as a child were less likely to have changed central faith views than were those who attended less often.
The study also revealed the remarkable breadth and scope of Americans’ exposure to spiritual training as children and teenagers. Over 80% of adults remember consistently attending Sunday school or some other religious training before the age of 12. Those who recalled being involved typically said they attended every week. In fact, seven out of 10 adults said they attended religious programs weekly. Did this early participation in religious activities as children remain constant during the teen years?
David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, made several observations about the research. “It is important to clarify what this research does and does not indicate. First, correlation does not imply causation. This means that the research does not prove that spiritual activity as a young person causes spiritual engagement as an adult. In fact, the research confirms the pattern that some students who are active early in life disengage from their faith as they get older. And people’s recollections of childhood activities are only one limited way of understanding faith durability.
“However, the study shows that most American adults recall frequent faith activity when they were growing up. Moreover, it provides clarity that the odds of one sticking with faith over a lifetime are enhanced in a positive direction by spiritual activity under the age of 18. And it raises the intriguing possibility that being involved at least a few times a month is correlated with nearly the same sticking power as weekly involvement – especially among teenagers.”
Posted on November 19, 2009
The California-based Barna Research Group has just published its findings from a study regarding the long-term effects of spiritual activity among children and teens. The survey asked adults to recall their childhood experiences and describe the frequency of their involvement in Sunday school or religious training. Researchers then compared a person’s reported early-life behaviors with their current levels of religious activity and faith durability.
Adults remembered their church involvement as teenagers as less frequent than their participation as children. Still, about 70% of Americans recalled attending Sunday school or other religious programs for teens at least once a month. And 50% indicated they had been involved in such teen programs at least once a week.
The study found that those who attended Sunday school or other religious programs as children or teens were much more likely to attend church and to have an active faith as adults, compared to those without such experiences. Among those who frequently attended programs as a child, 50% said they had attended a worship service in the past week, which is slightly higher than the national average and well ahead of those who rarely or never attended religious programs in their childhood.
Among those who frequently attended religious programs as teenagers, 58% said they had attended a worship service in the last week. In comparison, less frequent participation as a teenager correlated with less frequent adult participation.
In contrast, the highest proportion of adults not attending religious services was found among those who had never attended as children or teenagers. Similarly, a person’s likelihood to switch faith views at some point was also correlated to their early-life spiritual experiences.
Researchers asked if people had the same faith perspectives today as they did when they were children, or whether they had ever significantly changed their religious views. The study indicates that individuals who recalled frequent religious attendance as a child were less likely to have changed central faith views than were those who attended less often.
The study also revealed the remarkable breadth and scope of Americans’ exposure to spiritual training as children and teenagers. Over 80% of adults remember consistently attending Sunday school or some other religious training before the age of 12. Those who recalled being involved typically said they attended every week. In fact, seven out of 10 adults said they attended religious programs weekly. Did this early participation in religious activities as children remain constant during the teen years?
David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, made several observations about the research. “It is important to clarify what this research does and does not indicate. First, correlation does not imply causation. This means that the research does not prove that spiritual activity as a young person causes spiritual engagement as an adult. In fact, the research confirms the pattern that some students who are active early in life disengage from their faith as they get older. And people’s recollections of childhood activities are only one limited way of understanding faith durability.
“However, the study shows that most American adults recall frequent faith activity when they were growing up. Moreover, it provides clarity that the odds of one sticking with faith over a lifetime are enhanced in a positive direction by spiritual activity under the age of 18. And it raises the intriguing possibility that being involved at least a few times a month is correlated with nearly the same sticking power as weekly involvement – especially among teenagers.”
Posted on November 19, 2009
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