Religion and Personal Happiness among Young Churchgoers in Australia: The Importance of the Affective Dimension

Abstract

Drawing on data from 9,851 young people between the ages of 8 and 14 years who completed surveys while attending Catholic, Protestant, or Pentecostal churches as part of the 2016 Australian National Church Life Survey, the study employed multiple regression modelling to test two hypotheses regarding the linkages between religion and happiness among young churchgoers. The first hypothesis is that there is a positive association between religion and happiness. The second hypothesis is that the association between religion and happiness is routed through religious affect rather than through religious practice. The data support both hypotheses, and demonstrate the negative impact of church attendance on happiness among this age group when church attendance (external religiosity) is not supported by positive religious affect (internal religiosity).