Francis, Leslie J. and Robbins, Mandy. (2008) The relationship between denominational affiliation and spiritual health among weekly-churchgoing 13- to 15-year-old adolescents in England and Wales. Journal of Education & Christian Belief, Vol.12 (No.1). pp. 21-39. ISSN 1366-5456

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Abstract

THIS PAPER DRAWS on John Fisher’s formative definition of spiritual health as comprising good relationships within four domains (the personal, the communal, the environmental and the transcendental) and uses the operationalization of these constructs proposed by Francis and Robbins (2005). Comparisons are made between the responses of five groups of 13- to 15-year-olds who report weekly church attendance: 1,549 Anglicans, 1,458 Roman Catholics, 830 members of one of the Free Churches, 212 members of one of the Pentecostal churches, and 212 Jehovah’s Witnesses. The data demonstrate significant variations in the levels of spiritual health reported by weekly churchgoers according to denominational affiliation. The conclusion is drawn that denominational affiliation needs to be taken into account alongside frequency of church attendance in constructing a view of the relationship between Christian practice and spiritual health during the adolescent years.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BR Christianity B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Institute of Education
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Christian sects -- Great Britain, Teenagers -- Religious life -- Great Britain, Mental health -- Religious aspects -- Christianity, Church attendance -- Great Britain
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Education & Christian Belief
Publisher:	The Paternoster Press
ISSN:	1366-5456
Date:	March 2008
Volume:	Vol.12
Number:	No.1
Page Range:	pp. 21-39
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/2171

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