Christian Commitment and Personal Well Being: Exploring the Connection Between Religious Affect and Global Happiness Among Young Churchgoers in Australia |
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| Authors: | Leslie J Francis Gemma Penny |
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| Institution: | 1. Warwick Religions &2. Education Research Unit, The University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom |
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| Abstract: | Drawing on data from the 2011 Australian National Church Life Survey, this study was designed to assess the connection between religious affect (as a measure of Christian commitment) and global happiness (as a measure of personal well being) among a sample of 6,194 young churchgoers in Australia between the ages of 8 and 14 years, attending a range of denominations, including Catholic, Anglican, Uniting, Pentecostal, and other Protestant churches. Employing the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Christianity and the Powell Index of Global Happiness, the data demonstrate a significant positive correlation between religious affect and global happiness, after controlling for individual differences in sex and age. |
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| Keywords: | Churchgoing happiness positive psychology psychology of religion tweenagers |
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