Christian Smith, associate chairman of the Department of Sociology, conducted a study based on the findings of a recent survey from the University of Michigan called "Monitoring the Future."
The survey drew from 2,478 high school seniors who were interviewed about several aspects of their lives including religion, family, school, drug and alcohol use, criminal behavior, self-esteem and extracurricular activities.
In analyzing the data, Smith said, his team was careful to control for nine other variables assessed in the survey. He said removing their influence gave researchers a clear picture of the effects of religious involvement on the behaviors of youths.
"As we examined the data, we found a consistent association between more religious involvement and positive or constructive outcomes in teenagers," Smith said.
The analysis shows that youths who attend religious services regularly or profess a strong religious faith are less likely to engage in substance abuse, criminal or risky behavior, arguments with their parents or poor school habits.
Correlations also show that religious teens exercise more regularly and have a higher rate of involvement in sports, student government and other community activities.
"We're not trying to say that religion is unequivocally good for all teenagers," Smith said. "But there's a definite association, and we want to relay that information to the public."
Religion itself might cause youths to engage in better behavior, he said. But it is also possible that risk-avoiding families choose religion as a way to facilitate that lifestyle.
Also, students who get involved in religious activities at a young age might reduce their participation if they begin to engage in risky behaviors.
