Religion and Parent-Adolescent Relationships among Latinos

• In Event: 165 - Section on Sociology of Religion Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. Latino/a Religion

Abstract

This study examines Latino adolescents’ perceptions of the effects of religion on family relationships in the context of intersecting variables of influence such as assimilation, family structure, and migration. Using ecological and acculturation frameworks, this qualitative, exploratory study analyzes responses from 37 religiously diverse Latino adolescents to open ended, semi-structured questions from the National Study of Youth and Religion to explore religious influence. Results suggest that religion is an influential factor in the lives of Latino adolescents and in relationships with their family members, with higher degrees of positive religious influence expressed by Baptists and Latino males. Country of origin, gender, and family structure also affect the degree and direction of influence. Results also suggest an intersection between the Latino cultural values of respeto and marianismo with religion.

Author

• Eve Veliz, Providence College