Faith and parenting: Investigating the intersection of religious beliefs, child welfare, and intervention strategies

Abstract

This comprehensive review critically examines the relationship between religious beliefs and parenting practices, focusing specifically on denialism and child neglect. The exploration of multidisciplinary literature identified three critical themes—religious beliefs about healing, attitudes toward punishment, and religious communities’ values on the rights and independence of children—that have substantial implications for child welfare. In some instances, these beliefs can result in faith-based medical neglect, overly strict disciplinary methods, and the subordination of children’s individual needs to religious conformity. However, the influence of religion on parenting is not uniformly negative. The review also discusses intervention strategies—such as comprehensive education programs and collaboration with religious institutions—that harness the positive aspects of religious beliefs to improve child welfare. Highlighting the necessity for culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary approaches in child welfare cases within religious contexts, this review underscores the need for further research to develop and test interventions that address these unique challenges effectively.

Keywords:

• Child maltreatment
• child neglect
• child welfare
• denialism
• faith
• religion
• religious beliefs

Authors’ contributions

Ducel Jean-Berluche, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Capella University, Minneapolis, MN. Ducel Jean-Berluche is now at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ducel Jean-Berluche

Ducel Jean-Berluche, Ph.D., M.S., is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.