Examining the role of religion in a family setting: religious attitudes and quality of life among parents and their adolescent children

ABSTRACT

The study examined the role of religion in a family setting by evaluating relationships between religious attitudes and quality of life among parents and their adolescent children. Previous research suggested that religious beliefs and behavior play an important role in shaping family relations and their members’ well-being. The group of 465 parents and adolescents completed four scales measuring religiousness, quality of life, and satisfaction with life. Results using correlational analyses and cluster comparisons showed that religiousness had a significant effect on both subjective quality of life dimensions and satisfaction with life among parents and adolescents. Individuals characterized by an affirmative religious attitude were found to have a significantly higher level of quality of life and satisfaction with life than those holding critical and passive attitudes to beliefs and practices. There were also similarities in the type of relations between religious attitudes and quality of life among parents and adolescent children.

KEYWORDS:

• Religiousness
• parents
• adolescent children
• quality of life

SPECIALIZATIONS:

• Family psychology
• Psychology of religion