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Positive Effects Of Conservative Religion On The Mental Health Of Sexual Minorities, Jaxon Jessup Jan 2024

Positive Effects Of Conservative Religion On The Mental Health Of Sexual Minorities, Jaxon Jessup

Student Works

Sexual minorities often struggle to navigate their sexuality and conservative religious beliefs. Conservative religion is often thought to be toxic for sexual minorities because of the emphasis on traditional marriage (Anderton et al., 2012), and often, the LGBT community will reject sexual minorities that choose to remain in religion (O'Brien, 2007). Conservative religion, however, provides many resources that could benefit sexual (and other) minorities. Religion can help create a sense of identity through teachings and community involvement that may strengthen positive self-perception; it may also create a sense of belonging within a supportive community, especially when individuals are raised among …


God, Can You Help Me? Effects Of Religious Coping On Patients With Anxiety And Trauma, Camron Angell Oct 2023

God, Can You Help Me? Effects Of Religious Coping On Patients With Anxiety And Trauma, Camron Angell

Student Works

Historically, religion has been overlooked in psychology as a method of coping due to stigma and an apprehension to bring up religious beliefs. Recent literature suggests positive religious coping can help patients with anxiety and PTSD (Anastasi & Newberg, 2008; Areba et al., 2018; Plante et al., 2000; Starnino et al., 2019; Yazici et al., 2020). Religious coping, both positive and negative, appears to affect patients with anxiety and PTSD. Positive religious coping is thought to have a positive effect on both anxiety and PTSD and can lead to greater mental health outcomes (Areba et al., 2018; Harris et al., …


Is There A Relationship Between Religiosity And Infidelity? A Meta-Analysis, Meghan Maddock Jul 2022

Is There A Relationship Between Religiosity And Infidelity? A Meta-Analysis, Meghan Maddock

Theses and Dissertations

Infidelity in romantic relationships is common and has been associated with relationship dissolution and strain on individuals. Most religions teach that infidelity is harmful, and some researchers have suggested that, in the aggregate, more religious people might be less likely to report infidelity. However, research has been mixed, with some studies finding that more religious people are less likely to report infidelity, other studies finding that more religious people are more likely to report infidelity, and other studies finding no relationship. To clarify seemingly contradictory findings, I conducted a meta-analysis of the infidelity-religiosity relationship with 38 studies and a total …


Adolescent Religious Identity And Body Esteem, Megan Gale Jul 2022

Adolescent Religious Identity And Body Esteem, Megan Gale

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents experience a key developmental process of identity formation and try to understand who they are and how they feel about themselves. While research has found religiosity to often predict increased body esteem for religious adults, little is known about the association between religiosity and body esteem for adolescents. Using an Identity Theory lens, the current cross-sectional study (n=1,693) examined the relationship between adolescent religious identity (religious salience and belief being a child of God) and body esteem, mediated by one's attachment to God. Three structural equation mediation models examined 1) overall relationships; 2) relationships by gender; and 3) relationships …


Returning Thanks To God And Others: The Relational, Prosocial, And Emotional Consequences Of Transcendent Indebtedness, Jenae Marie Nelson Apr 2022

Returning Thanks To God And Others: The Relational, Prosocial, And Emotional Consequences Of Transcendent Indebtedness, Jenae Marie Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Gratitude and indebtedness facilitate cooperative relationships and altruism. Although most of the world endorses some belief in God, gratitude and indebtedness to God have not received adequate empirical attention. The "Gratitude to God" research initiative was created to address this gap, of which the current project is an appendage. This project encapsulates a multiphase research proposal, including three parts; a pilot study and two experimental studies. The purpose of the pilot study (N = 475) was to create and test experimental manipulations for the two experimental studies. Experiment 1 (N = 659; highly religious emerging adult sample) was a 3x2 …


Warning! Explicit Material: The Effects Of Adolescent Pornography Use On Risky Sexual Behavior Over Time, Emily Jensen-Schvaneveldt Aug 2021

Warning! Explicit Material: The Effects Of Adolescent Pornography Use On Risky Sexual Behavior Over Time, Emily Jensen-Schvaneveldt

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the longitudinal effects of adolescent pornography trajectories on risky sexual behavior, as well as predictors of pornography trajectories. Data was taken from Waves V-X of the Flourishing Families Project, which included a sample of 463 families. A zero-inflated Poisson growth mixture model was run to determine class participation and growth trajectories. Findings revealed that gender and religiosity significantly predicted class participation, and class participation significantly predicted risky sexual behavior. While this study did have limitations, this study adds to the previous literature by examining adolescent pornography trajectories over an extended period of time.


"It's Like Being Pulled In Two Directions": Experiences Of Transgender Latter-Day Saints, Morgan Monet Jul 2021

"It's Like Being Pulled In Two Directions": Experiences Of Transgender Latter-Day Saints, Morgan Monet

Theses and Dissertations

This study qualitatively examined the experiences of transgender individuals who also identify as active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (N=10). Researchers took an interpretive phenomenological approach to elicit factors which allow trans Mormon folks to hold their apparently conflicting religious and gender identities simultaneously (and the consequences of doing so). Overall, we aimed to answer the broad question, “what is it like to be transgender and Mormon?” Following a process of semi-structured interviews, transcription, and coding, the broad categories which seemed to connect many elements of the trans/Mormon experience were 1) a sense of being …


The Impact Of Client And Therapist Religious Commitment On Psychotherapy In A University Counseling Center, Brodrick Thomas Brown Jun 2021

The Impact Of Client And Therapist Religious Commitment On Psychotherapy In A University Counseling Center, Brodrick Thomas Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Religion is important to many Americans and the way they approach life, but psychologists are less likely than the general population to be religious. Because of this, it is important to not only know how religious commitment can influence clients' outcome and experience in psychotherapy, but also how the level of match between client and therapist religious commitment might impact those variables. The current study was undertaken in order to investigate how client religious commitment impacts distress at the beginning and end of treatment, how therapist religious commitment impacts the use of religious/spiritual interventions in therapy, and whether the level …


Sanctification Or Inhibition? Religious Dualities And Sexual Satisfaction, Nathan D. Leonhardt, Dean M. Busby, Veronica R. Hanna-Walker, Chelom E. Leavitt Jan 2020

Sanctification Or Inhibition? Religious Dualities And Sexual Satisfaction, Nathan D. Leonhardt, Dean M. Busby, Veronica R. Hanna-Walker, Chelom E. Leavitt

Faculty Publications

Religiosity can influence sexual satisfaction both positively and negatively. To test positive and negative mechanisms, we assessed how religiosity is indirectly associated with sexual satisfaction through sexual sanctification and inhibited sexual passion. We sampled individuals from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (N 1,695, Study 1) and mixed-sex dyads from Bovitz Inc. (N 481 dyads, Study 2). Religiosity consistently had a positive indirect association with sexual satisfaction through sexual sanctification; little evidence suggested religiosity had an indirect association with sexual satisfaction through inhibited sexual passion. When accounting for these mechanisms simultaneously, however, religiosity consistently had a negative direct association with sexual satisfaction, supporting …


Examining Religious Commitment, Personality, And Well-Being Among Latter-Day Saints, Kawika Allen, Ofa Hafoka, Lane Fischer Jun 2019

Examining Religious Commitment, Personality, And Well-Being Among Latter-Day Saints, Kawika Allen, Ofa Hafoka, Lane Fischer

Faculty Publications

This study examined religious commitment, the big five personality traits, social interaction anxiety, and anger among 110 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Results suggest the majority of the participants are religious, score high on agreeableness and conscientiousness, and low on social interaction anxiety and anger. Agreeableness mediated the relationship between religious commitment and anger, and extraversion moderated the relationship between religious commitment and social interaction anxiety. Counseling strategies are discussed for social work providers. Implications and future directions are discussed.


What Is The Relationship Between Religiosity, Self-Perceived Problematic Pornography Use, And Depression Over Time?, Meghan Elizabeth Maddock Jun 2019

What Is The Relationship Between Religiosity, Self-Perceived Problematic Pornography Use, And Depression Over Time?, Meghan Elizabeth Maddock

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies suggest that religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to perceive their pornography use as problematic. For our six-month longitudinal study, we recruited a sample of adults from Turkprime.com. We hypothesized that more religious individuals who use pornography at baseline would report higher self-perceived problematic pornography use at three months, which would be associated with higher depression at six months. We constructed and validated our own measure of self-perceived problematic pornography use, which included two factors: excessive pornography use and compulsive pornography use. We ran two separate structural equation models, one with excessive use at three months …


Sex Guilt Or Sanctification? The Indirect Role Of Religiosity On Sexual Satisfaction, Nathan D. Leonhardt, Dean M. Busby, Brian J. Willoughby Jan 2019

Sex Guilt Or Sanctification? The Indirect Role Of Religiosity On Sexual Satisfaction, Nathan D. Leonhardt, Dean M. Busby, Brian J. Willoughby

Faculty Publications

With a Mechanical Turk sample of 1,614 sexually active individuals (62.6% women, 85% heterosexual, mean age of 34.47 years) who had been in a committed sexual relationship for a least two years, we used structural equation modeling to better understand how global religiosity may indirectly influence sexual satisfaction. Because religiosity has been linked to the way people make sense of sexuality, we assessed positive (sexual sanctification) and negative (sexual guilt) meaning making variables as mediators between religiosity and sexual satisfaction. Consistent with prior research, greater sanctification of sexuality was directly tied to greater sexual satisfaction, whereas greater sexual guilt was …


Faith, Feminism, And Marriage: Institutions, Norms, And Relationship Quality, Jason S. Carroll, Spencer James, W. Bradford Wilcox, Richard Reeves, Laurie Derose Jan 2019

Faith, Feminism, And Marriage: Institutions, Norms, And Relationship Quality, Jason S. Carroll, Spencer James, W. Bradford Wilcox, Richard Reeves, Laurie Derose

Faculty Publications

In this essay, we explore the links between religion and relationship quality for cohabiting and married couples. Our evidence from an 11-country sample suggests men and women in highly religious couples enjoy significantly higher levels of relationship quality and sexual satisfaction. Joint decision-making, however, is higher among men in shared secular relationships and women in highly religious relationships, compared to their peers in less/mixed religious couples. We also find a J-Curve in overall relationship quality for women such that women in shared secular, progressive relationships enjoy comparatively high levels of relationship quality, women in the ideological and religious middle report …


The Pornography Debate: Religiosity And Support For Censorship, Brian A. Droubay, Robert P. Butters, Kevin Shafer Nov 2018

The Pornography Debate: Religiosity And Support For Censorship, Brian A. Droubay, Robert P. Butters, Kevin Shafer

Faculty Publications

Pornography has become an increasingly salient topic in public discourse. We sought to better understand the role of religiosity in shaping people’s support of policy stances against pornography, in the form of censorship, using nationally representative data from the 2014 General Social Survey (n = 1676). Results from logistic regression indicate that high religiosity significantly increases odds of supporting censorship. Holding control variables at their sample means, the least religious persons had a predicted probability of 0.09 of supporting censorship, compared to 0.57 for the most religious respondents. We discuss these findings within the context of the current public …


Can Stress Build Relationships? Predictors Of Increased Marital Commitment Resulting From The 2007–2009 Recession, Jeffrey P. Dew, Ashley Lebaron, David Allsop Jan 2018

Can Stress Build Relationships? Predictors Of Increased Marital Commitment Resulting From The 2007–2009 Recession, Jeffrey P. Dew, Ashley Lebaron, David Allsop

Faculty Publications

Although some studies have examined factors that can help married couples maintain their relationship quality during financial stress, few have examined factors that might actually help marriages flourish during financial stress. This study examined participants’ reports of their commitment increasing because of the 2007–2009 Recession using dyadic data from a national sample of married couples. We found that religious marital sanctification, relationship maintenance behaviors, and social and financial support from family and friends were all related to both wives’ and husbands’ reports that their commitment had increased during the Recession. Wives who faced employment- or housing-related problems reported increased commitment. …


Religiosity And Chastity Among Single Young Adults And Married Adults, Sam A. Hardy, Brian J. Willoughby Aug 2017

Religiosity And Chastity Among Single Young Adults And Married Adults, Sam A. Hardy, Brian J. Willoughby

Faculty Publications

The purpose of the present study was to present theological, philosophical, and psychological arguments for chastity as a virtue, and then test an empirical model linking religiosity to outcomes by way of values about chastity. Specifically, we tested a mediation model linking religiosity to outcomes via chastity values (beliefs about the importance of waiting until marriage to have sex and importance of sex within marriage as a bonding experience). This model was tested with a sample of single young adults (4,188) and a sample of married adults (2,531). Among single young adults, religiosity positively predicted abstinence beliefs, and abstinence beliefs …


Substitution Of Religiosity For Socioeconomic Status And Its Correlation With Adolescent Drug Use, Jordan Coburn, Mikaela Dufur May 2017

Substitution Of Religiosity For Socioeconomic Status And Its Correlation With Adolescent Drug Use, Jordan Coburn, Mikaela Dufur

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Adolescents with higher socioeconomic status participate in fewer negative activities. Religiosity is correlated with more positive activities. Religiosity can help through socialization: interacting with people who influence pro-social norms.


Spiritual Pathways To Healing And Recovery: An Intensive Single-N Study Of A Patient With An Eating Disorder, Troy William Lea Jun 2016

Spiritual Pathways To Healing And Recovery: An Intensive Single-N Study Of A Patient With An Eating Disorder, Troy William Lea

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents an in-depth case study of eight sessions of spiritually integrated psychotherapy with a 20-year-old woman recovering from an Eating Disorder. The inclusion and utility of session-to-session outcome data as well as systematic follow up data in conjunction with in-depth qualitative interviews are shown. The therapist and client's perspectives are highlighted over the course of treatment. Three clinical areas of focus (renewing identity, reducing self-contempt, and fostering hope) are extracted from the qualitative interviews and the therapeutic process of weaving them together is highlighted. The Tau-U and SMA single case study statistical analyses are used to highlight clinical …


Seeing A More Complete Worker: Religiosity, Income, & Job Satisfaction, Rolf David Dixon Jr. Apr 2015

Seeing A More Complete Worker: Religiosity, Income, & Job Satisfaction, Rolf David Dixon Jr.

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

A central assumption to the study of individuals in work settings it to study only the those factors directly connect to the work context. The purpose of this study is to examine whether a more holistic approach to a generally very compartmentalized phenomena, such as job satisfaction, is in order. Using the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data collected in 2000, I examine the effects of religious attendance frequency of job satisfaction under the hypothesis that religious attendance will have a statistically significant effect on job satisfaction and that that effect will be positive. The results show that there …


Examining Religious Commitment, Perfectionism, Scrupulosity, And Well-Being Among Lds Individuals, Kawika Allen, Kenneth T. Wang Mar 2014

Examining Religious Commitment, Perfectionism, Scrupulosity, And Well-Being Among Lds Individuals, Kawika Allen, Kenneth T. Wang

Faculty Publications

This study examined the relationships and interactions between religious commitment, perfectionism, scrupulosity, and psychological well-being among Latter-Day Saints (LDS or Mormons). The results showed a positive association between religious commitment and satisfaction with life. Scrupulosity partially mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression, anxiety, and satisfaction with life. The sample majority was classified as adaptive perfectionists, reporting higher intra- and interpersonal religious commitment, self-esteem, and satisfaction with life, and lower levels of anxiety and depression than the maladaptive and nonperfectionists. Additional results are provided. Implications of these findings are outlined.


Spending Today Or Saving For Tomorrow: The Influence Of Family Financial Socialization On Financial Preparation For Retirement, Scott H. Payne, Jeremy B. Yorgason, Jeffrey P. Dew Jun 2013

Spending Today Or Saving For Tomorrow: The Influence Of Family Financial Socialization On Financial Preparation For Retirement, Scott H. Payne, Jeremy B. Yorgason, Jeffrey P. Dew

Faculty Publications

Many of the factors that motivate individuals occur within the context of the family, and can be influenced through family socialization processes. To better understand the influence family socialization processes may have on financial capabilities and financial behaviors, 334 married couples were sampled. Structural equation modeling was used to examine both direct and indirect associations. Findings indicated direct relationships between materialism and financial strain, between religiosity and determination of needs, and between financial strain and saving for retirement. Indirect relationships were found between materialism and saving for retirement through financial strain. Our study found evidence to support the Family Financial …


Interracial, Yet Intrafaith: Does A Common Religion Predict Higher Relationship Quality In Interracial Romantic Relationships?, Danielle Fenn Jun 2012

Interracial, Yet Intrafaith: Does A Common Religion Predict Higher Relationship Quality In Interracial Romantic Relationships?, Danielle Fenn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between relationship quality and religious discrepancy of interracial couples who are either married or cohabiting. Two variables of religious discrepancy (religious affiliation discrepancy and religiosity discrepancy) were studied. The sample included three groups of interracial couples: Hispanic-white, Asian-white, and Black-white. The data were analyzed using a structural equation model and regression estimates of the three groups were compared. Results showed a significant relationship in only three of the 12 relationships between the two variables of religious discrepancy and relationship quality. Significant negative relationships were found between religious denomination discrepancy and …


The Role Of Mothers And Media On Emerging Adults’ Religious Faith And Practices By Way Of Internalization Of Prosocial Values, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Larry J. Nelson Dec 2011

The Role Of Mothers And Media On Emerging Adults’ Religious Faith And Practices By Way Of Internalization Of Prosocial Values, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Larry J. Nelson

Faculty Publications

In the current study, we investigated the role of emerging adults’ internalization of prosocial values as a mediator between maternal relationship quality and two types of media use (positive and negative) and religious faith and practices. Participants included 500 undergraduate students (ranging from 18 to 26 years; 75% European American) from five American universities. Structural equation modeling results indicated that both maternal relationship quality and positive media were related positively and indirectly (by way of prosocial values) to religious faith, and maternal relationship quality was related positively and directly to religious faith. In contrast, negative media use was related negatively …


Examining The Mediating Factors Between Religiosity And Pornography Use In Adolescents, Michael A. Steelman Jul 2011

Examining The Mediating Factors Between Religiosity And Pornography Use In Adolescents, Michael A. Steelman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine relations between adolescent religiosity and pornography use, and the roles of self-regulation, attitudes towards pornography, and social control as mediators of these relations. It was hypothesized that religiosity would protect adolescents from exposure to pornography by increasing their self-regulation capacity, their conservative attitudes about pornography, and their perceived social norms regarding pornography. The sample consisted of 419 adolescents (ages 15 - 18 years; M age = 15.68, SD = .98; 56% male) recruited online from across the U.S. Participants completed an online survey. All variables were bivariately associated as expected. Path models …


Religiosity In Adolescence And Emerging Adulthood, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry, Larry J. Nelson Jan 2011

Religiosity In Adolescence And Emerging Adulthood, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry, Larry J. Nelson

Faculty Publications

According to IEA Civic Education Study, approximately half of American adolescents participate in religious groups (Torney-Purta et al. 2001) and half of American 18–24-year-olds report religious beliefs to be important (Inglehart et al. 2004). Thus, religious experiences are an important aspect of the lives of many adolescents and emerging adults (approximately ages 18 to the mid-20s) in the USA. Specifically, adolescents are fully immersed in identity exploration and ideally resolve this search in emerging adulthood. They embark on a quest to solidify their values and beliefs about countless issues, including religiosity. This essay will review the literature on religiosity among …


Religiosity, Self-Control, And Antisocial Behavior: Religiosity As A Promotive And Protective Factor, Robert D. Laird, Loren D. Marks, Matthew D. Marrero Jan 2011

Religiosity, Self-Control, And Antisocial Behavior: Religiosity As A Promotive And Protective Factor, Robert D. Laird, Loren D. Marks, Matthew D. Marrero

Faculty Publications

Three hypotheses with the potential to provide information on the role of religiosity as a promotive and protective factor in early adolescence were tested. Adolescents (N = 166, M age = 13 years, 49% female, 49% European American, 45% African American) and mothers reported their own personal importance of religion and the frequency of their attendance of religious services. Greater mother importance and attendance was associated with greater adolescent importance and attendance. Mother importance was indirectly linked to adolescent antisocial behavior through adolescent importance. Less adolescent importance and attendance were associated with low self-control and low self-control was associated …


Parenting Style, Religiosity, Peers, And Adolescent Heavy Drinking, Stephen J. Bahr, John P. Hoffmann Jul 2010

Parenting Style, Religiosity, Peers, And Adolescent Heavy Drinking, Stephen J. Bahr, John P. Hoffmann

Faculty Publications

Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine whether authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful parenting styles were associated with adolescent alcohol use and heavy drinking, after controlling for peer use, religiosity, and other relevant variables. Method: Structural equation modeling was used to estimate direct and indirect associations of parenting style with alcohol use and heavy drinking among 4,983 adolescents in Grades 7-12. Results: Adolescents whose parents were authoritative were less likely to drink heavily than adolescents forms he other three parenting styles, and they were less likely to have close friends who used alcohol. In addition, religiosity was negatively …


“I Believe It Is Wrong But I Still Do It”: A Comparison Of Religious Young Men Who Do Versus Do Not Use Pornography, Larry J. Nelson, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Jason S. Carroll Jan 2010

“I Believe It Is Wrong But I Still Do It”: A Comparison Of Religious Young Men Who Do Versus Do Not Use Pornography, Larry J. Nelson, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Jason S. Carroll

Faculty Publications

While researchers have found a negative association between religiosity and pornography use, little, if any, research has examined the specific aspects of religiosity that might be related the use of pornography. Therefore, the purpose of this study of religious young men was to compare those who view pornography with those who do not on indices of (a) family relationships, (b) religiosity (i.e., beliefs, past/present personal religious practices, and past family religious practices), and (c) personal characteristics (identity development, depression, self-esteem, and drug use). Participants were 192 emerging-adult men ages 18-27 (M age = 21.00, SD = 3.00) attending a …


Adolescent Religiosity As A Protective Factor For Delinquency: Review Of Evidence And A Conceptual Framework For Future Research, Robert D. Laird, Matthew D. Marrero, Loren D. Marks Jan 2009

Adolescent Religiosity As A Protective Factor For Delinquency: Review Of Evidence And A Conceptual Framework For Future Research, Robert D. Laird, Matthew D. Marrero, Loren D. Marks

Faculty Publications

The first section of this chapter reviews evidence showing that although greater religiosity has been associated with less involvement in delinquent and analogous behaviors, the mechanisms and processes through which religiosity is linked too delinquent behavior are not well understood. In the second section of the chapter, a conceptual framework and theory for studying the religion-delinquency association will be presented. The framework adapts and builds on Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990) General Theory of Crime. The third section of the chapter presents results off the initial study guided by the framework. Data are drawn from a longitudinal study of development during …


Religion And Academic Achievement Among Adolescents, Benjamin Mckune, John P. Hoffmann Jan 2009

Religion And Academic Achievement Among Adolescents, Benjamin Mckune, John P. Hoffmann

Faculty Publications

In this article, we examine the association between religiosity and academic achievement among adolescents. Recent research demonstrates a positive association between religiosity and academic success. However, some studies show that this association is due to family and community factors; for example, variation in levels of family capital among religious affiliates could explain it. Yet whether religious factors affect academic achievement among adolescents might also be due to the concordance or discordance of religiosity between parents and their children. Using data for two years from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examine the associationbetween adolescents‘ religiosity, parents‘ religiosity, and …