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

December's "Top Ten Findings" highlight data from "A Portrait of Family and Religion in America: Key Outcomes for the Common Good," published last month by The Heritage Foundation. In contrast to other studies evaluating the impact of either family or religion on teen outcomes, this new study takes a unique look at teen outcomes in correlation with both family structure and religious participation.

The study compares a number of social outcomes among four groups of teenagers: (1) those from intact families with frequent religious attendance, (2) those from intact families with low or no religious attendance, (3) those from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance, and (4) those from non-intact families with low or no religious attendance.

1.  Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were least likely to have ever gotten into a fight. Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were least likely to have ever gotten into a fight (27.1 percent) when compared to (a) their peers from intact families with infrequent religious attendance (32.1 percent), (b) peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (34.3 percent), and (c) peers from non-intact families with infrequent religious attendance (43.5 percent).

2.  Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were least likely to have ever used hard drugs. Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were least likely to have ever used hard drugs (8.5 percent) compared to (a) their peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (9.5 percent), (b) peers from intact families with low to no religious attendance (14.6 percent), and (c) peers from non-intact families with low to no religious attendance (20.1 percent).

3.  Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were least likely to have ever committed a theft of $50 or more. Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have ever committed a theft of $50 or more (11.7 percent) when compared to (a) those from intact families with low to no religious attendance (15.3 percent), (b) those from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (15.8 percent), and (c) those from non-intact families with low to no religious attendance (23.5 percent).

4.  Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have ever shoplifted. Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have ever shoplifted (6.1 percent) when compared to (a) their peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (7.9 percent), (b) peers from intact families with low to no religious attendance (9.9 percent), and (c) peers from non-intact families with low to no religious attendance (12.3 percent).

5.  Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have ever run away. Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have ever run away (5.2 percent) when compared to (a) their peers from intact families with low to no religious attendance (8.1 percent), (b) peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (8.5 percent), and (c) peers from non-intact families with low to no religious attendance (13.1 percent).

6.  Teen girls from intact families with frequent religious attendance averaged the fewest sexual partners. Teen girls from intact families with frequent religious attendance averaged the fewest sexual partners (0.47) when compare to (a) their peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (0.93), (b) peers from intact families with low to no religious attendance (1.14), and (c) peers from non-intact families with low to no religious attendance (1.55).

7.  Teen boys from intact families with frequent religious attendance averaged the fewest sexual partners. Teen boys from intact families with frequent religious attendance averaged the fewest sexual partners (1.04) when compared to (a) their peers from intact families with low to no religious attendance (2.03), (b) peers from non-intact families with low to no religious attendance (3.14), and (c) peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (3.92).

8.  Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have ever been drunk. Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have ever been drunk (22.4 percent) when compared to (a) their peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (24.5 percent), (b) peers from intact families with low to no religious attendance (33.4 percent), and (c) peers from non-intact families with low to no religious attendance (41.2 percent).

9.  Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have been expelled or suspended from school. Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance were the least likely to have ever been expelled or suspended from school (17.3 percent) when compared to (a) their peers from intact families with low to no religious attendance (25.5 percent), (b) peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (32.5 percent), and (c) peers from non-intact families with low or no religious attendance (46.7 percent).

10.  Teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance earned the highest GPA, on average. On average, teens from intact families with frequent religious attendance earned the highest GPA (2.94) when compared to (a) their peers from intact families with low to no religious attendance (2.75), (b) peers from non-intact families with frequent religious attendance (2.72), and (c) peers from non-intact families with low to no religious attendance (2.48).

• Source: Fagan, Patrick
• 2006
• full details

Terminology: "Intact families" are defined as families with two biological parents who are married or cohabiting; "non-intact families" are defined as families without two biological parents. For religious participation, "frequent attendance" indicates at least monthly attendance at religious services; "low attendance" indicates less than monthly religious attendance.