Individual-Level Trajectories of Religiosity During Adolescence and Their Implications for Purpose

Cohort-comparison studies have suggested that adolescent religiosity has been declining over recent decades; however, work is needed on individual differences in patterns of change in religiosity throughout adolescence. The current study seeks to evaluate religiosity trends for adolescents as they transition from 6th to 12th grade, using 7 annual waves of data, and whether these patterns of change were associated with later sense of purpose. Participants (n = 824; 50.7% female; 85.1% Caucasian) completed annual measures of religiosity from 6th to 12th grade and a measure of sense of purpose at age 21 as part of the Oregon Youth Substance Use Project. Findings from latent growth models suggest both a mean-level decline in religiosity and individual differences in patterns of change across time. Furthermore, the intercept and change in religiosity throughout adolescence positively predicted sense of purpose at age 21.