The Longitudinal Reciprocal Effects of Religiosity and Deviant Behaviors in a Sample of Poor, Inner-City African American Youth

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

The relationship between religiosity and behavioral outcomes has been well documented in the literature. However, the relationship has been far less investigated in African American youth. This is surprising considering the importance of religion and spirituality within African American communities (Chatters et al., 2008). Furthermore, most studies have examined the relationship between religiosity and deviant behaviors in adolescents from a unidirectional framework of social control theory (Hirschi, 1969). Recent studies suggest bidirectional links between religiosity and adolescent behaviors (e.g., Meier, 2003; Possel et al., 2011). Accordingly, the current study builds on the extant literature by investigating the bidirectional links between religiosity and deviant behaviors in a longitudinal sample (N = 2,862, M = 14.42 at Time 1) of poor, inner city African American adolescents over four waves of data. Cross-lagged path analyses provided evidence of consistent bidirectional links between religiosity and deviant behaviors over time. Multigroup analyses also provided some evidence of dissimilar patterns of relationships over time between religiosity and deviant behaviors by developmental period (early versus middle adolescents). Overall, the current study provides further evidence that religiosity is negatively associated with deviant behaviors among poor, inner-city African American youth.

Authors

• Charlene Harris, University of Kentucky

• Alexander T. Vazsonyi, University of Kentucky

• John M. Bolland, University of Alabama

• Guangyi Cui, University of Kentucky