Religion,risk prevention and health promotion in adolescents: A community-based approach

Religion is an area that is increasingly examined as to how it relates to psychological and physical adjustment. However, there is a dearth of research as to how this factor operates in the lives of adolescents. The limited research available does suggest the importance of religious belief systems to youths. This paper provides a discussion of the role of religion in decreasing adolescent risk behaviour and increasing healthy lifestyle choices from a stress and coping perspective. Issues related to ethnicity and culture are presented. Research directions, therapeutic implications and practical suggestions for utilizing community resources are provided.