Assessing peer and parental influence on the religious attitudes and attendance of young churchgoers: exploring the Australian National Church Life Survey

Drawing on data from the 2011 Australian National Church Life Survey (NCLS), this study was designed to assess peer and parental influence on frequency of church attendance, attitude toward church, and attitude toward Christianity among a sample of 6256 young churchgoers between the ages of eight an...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Francis, Leslie J. 1947- (Author) ; Penny, Gemma (Author) ; Powell, Ruth (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge [2018]
In: Journal of beliefs and values
Year: 2018, Volume: 39, Issue: 1, Pages: 57-72
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Australia / Child (8-14 Jahre) / Religiosity / Church attendance / Gleichaltrigkeit / Influence / Parents / Interrogation / Geschichte 2011
IxTheo Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
KBS Australia; Oceania
RB Church office; congregation
Further subjects:B Church
B Tweenagers
B Parents
B Peers
B Australia
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Description
Summary:Drawing on data from the 2011 Australian National Church Life Survey (NCLS), this study was designed to assess peer and parental influence on frequency of church attendance, attitude toward church, and attitude toward Christianity among a sample of 6256 young churchgoers between the ages of eight and 14 years, attending a range of denominations, including Catholic, Anglican, Uniting, Pentecostal, and other Protestant Churches. The data indicated the power of parental example on frequency of church attendance. Frequent attendance among young churchgoers occurred when both parents attend as well. Parental influence worked differently on shaping attitude toward church. The most positive attitude was found among young churchgoers who had the opportunity to talk about God with their parents and who did not feel that their parents made them go to church. Young churchgoers responded to parental encouragement better than to parental pressure. Although peer influence within the church did not make much contribution to frequency of attendance, it made a contribution to shaping positive attitude toward church.
ISSN:1469-9362
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of beliefs and values
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/13617672.2016.1209923