Family Facts: Social Science Research on Family, Society & Religion

Printer-Friendly Version

This finding looks at the relationship between religiosity and suicide ideation and attempts.

Three aspects of religiosity were associated with a small reduction in the likelihood that adolescents would think of suicide or attempt suicide: religious activity (-.05), church attendance (-.09) and the importance assigned to religion (between -.08 and -.11)

Sample or Data Description
Survey from a total of 250,000 individuals surveyed from public schools in 460 communities in 32 states (1989-1994), a nationally representative subsample of 34,129 cases, called The “Troubled Journey” survey, was used. (pp. 146-147) Given the large sample size all correlations reported are statistically significant with 95% confidence intervals on the order of +/- .02 .

Source
"Religion and the Well-Being of Adolescents"
Donahue, Michael J.
Benson, Peter L.
Journal of Social Issues Vol. 51, Number 2. , 1995. Page(s) 145-160.

FindingID: 7739