Longitudinal Patterns of Religious Perspective and Civic Integration

This study examined the association between adolescents' religious development, social integration, and risk-taking behaviors. Religious development was tracked along 4 trajectories from sophomore to senior year in high school: low religiosity (sophomore)-low religiosity (senior), low-high, high-low, and high-high. Civic integration was measured by participation in civic activities (e.g., working on a political campaign, demonstrating for a cause), participation in extracurricular activities, and willingness to perform volunteer service. Risk-taking behaviors included alcohol use and marijuana use. For the most part, civic integration was positively associated with the stable or upward religious developmental trajectories, whereas alcohol and drug use were associated with low and downward trajectories.