"To believe or not to believe?" Religiosity, spirituality, and alcohol use among Hungarian adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
A growing number of studies focus on the relationship between religiosity/spirituality and substance use, including drinking. Although these studies often find a negative association between religiosity and adolescent alcohol use, different religious variables may play an altering role in alcohol-related activities. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between a set of religious variables (religious denomination, church membership, religious attendance, praying, religiosity, spiritual beliefs, and well-being) and drinking patterns (current alcohol use, lifetime prevalence of drinking, and heavy episodic drinking) among a sample of Hungarian youth.


METHODS
Data were collected among high school students (N = 592; ages between 14 and 17 years; 48.1% male) from a randomly selected set of schools in Szeged, Hungary, using a self-administered questionnaire and standardized procedures. Student participation was voluntary and confidential.


RESULTS
Despite a high level of alcohol use and a relatively low level of religiosity in the sample, we detected a relationship between the importance of religiousness/religious well-being and alcohol use, although religious denomination and affiliation were not significant correlates. Religious attendance and private praying were associated with lower odds of alcohol use among girls; boys who reported a belief in traditional religion were less likely to engage in alcohol use.


CONCLUSIONS
These exploratory results provide further details to a growing body of research showing that despite adolescents' low religious involvement, religiosity can play an important role in some youth's lives and may serve as a protective factor against alcohol use and misuse.
Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary. pikobettina@yahoo.com
Bettina F
BF
Piko
Eszter
E
Kovacs
Palma
P
Kriston
Kevin M
KM
Fitzpatrick
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012067:Religion; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000208:ethnology