title: The relationship between spirituality and religiosity on psychological outcomes in adolescents and emerging adults: a meta-analytic review.
abstract: The present study used meta-analytic techniques to examine the association between spirituality and religiosity (S/R) and psychological outcomes in adolescents and emerging adults. The outcome measures of risk behavior, depression, well-being, self-esteem, and personality were examined with respect to the influence of S/R across 75 independent studies encompassing 66,273 adolescents and emerging adults extracted from electronic databases between 1990 and 2010. Results showed significant main effect sizes of S/R with several outcomes: risk behavior, -.17; depression, -.11; well-being, .16; self-esteem, .11; and the personality measures of Conscientiousness, .19; Agreeableness, .18; Openness, .14. Moderating effects were found for age, race, and type of S/R measure. Results show that S/R has a positive effect on psychological outcomes in adolescents and emerging adults. Possible explanations and implications of these results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Calvin College, Department of Psychology, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, USA. jey2@calvin.edu
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yonker
authors.forename: Chelsea A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Schnabelrauch
authors.forename: Laura G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Dehaan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D029181:Spirituality; D055815:Young Adult