Transmission of religious beliefs in college students

The aim of the current study was to assess factors contributing to the generational transmission of religious beliefs in a sample of college students. Participants were 92 students from a small Catholic university in the southeastern United States. Students were surveyed in school regarding family relationships, communication, and religious values. Overall, results indicated that children’s and parents’ religious beliefs were significantly correlated. Furthermore, children were fairly accurate reporters of their parents’ religious beliefs. Some gender differences were found in the strength of the correlations between parents’ and children’s beliefs. Additionally, explicit communication, implicit communication, and perception of parents’ beliefs predicted children’s beliefs. The current study holds clinical and developmental significance by examining the manner in which religiosity is expressed within the familial milieu of emerging adults.