Processes Linking Parents’ and Adolescents’ Religiousness and Adolescent Substance Use: Monitoring and Self-Control

Abstract

Empirical evidence suggests that religiousness is related negatively to adolescent substance use; yet, we know little about how such protective effects might occur. The current study examined whether parents’ and adolescents’ religiousness are associated positively with parental, religious, and self-monitoring, which in turn are related to higher self-control, thereby related to lower adolescent substance use. Participants were 220 adolescents (45% female) who were interviewed at ages 10–16 and again 2.4 years later. Structural equation modeling analyses suggested that higher adolescents’ religiousness at Time 1 was related to lower substance use at Time 2 indirectly through religious monitoring, self-monitoring, and self-control. Higher parents’ religiousness at Time 1 was associated with higher parental monitoring at Time 2, which in turn was related to lower adolescent substance use at Time 2 directly and indirectly through higher adolescent self-control. The results illustrate that adolescents with high awareness of being monitored by God are likely to show high self-control abilities and, consequently, low substance use. The findings further suggest that adolescents’ religiousness as well as their religious environments (e.g., familial context) can facilitate desirable developmental outcomes.

Does adolescents’ religiousness moderate links between harsh parenting and adolescent substance use?

“…Although researchers have paid increased attention to the mediated effects of religiousness on substance use via self-control (e.g., Kim-Spoon, Farley, Holmes, Longo, & McCullough, 2014; Walker, Ainette, Wills, & Mendoza, 2007), we still know very little about the moderating effects of religiousness. Available studies examined interaction effects between religiousness and self-control without considering other risk factors (or stressors) and reported either non-significant interaction effects on adolescent alcohol and marijuana use (Desmond, Ulmer, & Bader, 2013) or significant, yet relatively weak, interaction effects on adolescent antisocial behaviors (Laird, Marks, & Marrero, 2011).…”

“…Although there was no mean difference for the latent factor of harsh parenting between adolescents with higher religiousness and adolescents with lower religiousness, the significant correlations suggest that adolescents with higher religiousness tended to report higher levels of mild physical aggression than those with lower religiousness. Prior research suggests that parents’ and adolescent’s levels of religiousness are highly similar (Kim-Spoon et al, 2014). Therefore, as Mahoney (2010) discussed, our findings suggest the possibility that certain aspects of religious beliefs and practices regarding discipline might increase mild form of parents’ physical aggression towards their children.…”

Why are Religiousness and Spirituality Associated with Externalizing Psychopathology? A Literature Review

“…A large body of research has also noted the association between higher R/S and lower substance use and abuse including tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs (Brechting & Carlson, 2015; Desmond, Ulmer, & Bader, 2013; Ford & Hill, 2012; Holmes & Kim-Spoon, 2015; Isralowitz & Reznik, 2015; Jankowski, Hardy, Zamboanga, & Ham, 2013; Jankowski et al, 2015; Kendler et al, 2003; Kim-Spoon, Farley, Holmes, Longo, & McCullough, 2014; Longest & Vaisey, 2008; Marsiglia, Ayers, & Hoffman, 2012; Mason & Spoth, 2011; Milot & Ludden, 2009; Razali & Kliewer, 2015; Sinha et al, 2007; Ulmer, Desmond, Jang, & Johnson, 2012; Unlu & Sahin, 2015; also see Chitwood, Weiss, & Leukefield, 2008 for a review). Taken together, it may be concluded that a robust association exists between R/S and EP such that R/S exert protective effects in adolescents.…”

“…Specifically, R/S may influence monitoring of the self in a number of ways. First, within social control theory and the religious ecology model, R/S foster monitoring by others in the community which may in turn increase an individual's self-awareness, thus making them more conscious of their behavior, the possible consequences of their behaviors, and the discrepancies between their behaviors and their own standards for their behaviors (Kim-Spoon et al, 2014). Indeed, previous studies have demonstrated that an evaluative audience fosters increased self-awareness which leads to an individual comparing their own behavior to the relevant standard (Carver & Scheier, 1998).…”

Adolescents’ Religiousness and Substance Use Are Linked via Afterlife Beliefs and Future Orientation

“…Kim-Spoon et al, 2014, 2015; Laird, et al, 2011). Nevertheless, little is known as to the processes that explain why religious individuals tend to use fewer substances.…”