Devoutly Anxious: The Relationship Between Anxiety and Religiosity in Adolescence

The present study examined specific religious variables (e. g., religious service attendance, importance of faith) as predictors of anxiety in adolescents. Participants included a subsample of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care (n = 952; 48.3% female; 76.6% Caucasian). Youth completed religiosity measures in early adolescence (6th grade; ages 11-12) and in mid-adolescence (age 15); parents reported on youth religiosity in 5th grade (ages 10-11). Anxiety measures of youth were completed by parents in early adolescence and by youth in mid-adolescence. Results demonstrated a modest positive association between religious service attendance/youth group participation and anxiety in mid-adolescence. Time spent in weekday evening religious activities in early adolescence modestly predicted greater anxiety in mid-adolescence. Finally, youth who increased in religious service attendance experienced greater anxiety in mid-adolescence. The relation was mediated by self-reported guilt. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.