Religiosity and Substance Use and Abuse Among Adolescents in the National Comorbidity Survey

• NCJ Number: 184646
• Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 39 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2000 Pages: 1190-1197
• Author(s): Lisa Miller Ph.D.; Mark Davies M.P.H; Steven Greenwald M.S.
• Editor(s): Mina K. Dulcan M.D.
• Date Published: September 2000
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01MH46376
• Sponsoring Agency: William T. Grant Foundation; National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

To replicate previous findings among adults of an inverse association between religiosity and substance abuse in a nationally representative sample of adolescents, this study sampled 676 adolescents (328 female and 348 male) in the National Comorbidity Survey who were assessed for substance use and abuse with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.

Abstract

Religiosity was assessed through affiliation with religious denomination and through responses to seven questions concerning religious beliefs and practices. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated in adolescents the two religiosity factors of personal devotion and personal conservatism previously identified among adults, although the two factors were more highly correlated in adolescents than in adults. Personal devotion and affiliation with more fundamentalist religious denominations were inversely associated with substance use and substance dependence or abuse across a range of substances (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or any contraband drug). Personal conservatism, defined as a personal commitment to teaching and living according to creed, was inversely associated with alcohol use only. The authors conclude that low levels of religiosity may be associated with adolescent onset of substance use and abuse. 38 references and 3 tables