Table 3.
Religion and Spirituality Measures by Religious Affiliation among Women in the SSSH
| Measures | Evan | Main Prot | Blck Prot | Cath | Jew | Budd | Hind | Musl | Sikh | Jain | TNAP | TNAP /Chri | Oth | None | Agn | Athe | χ2/F | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | 451 | 451 | 682 | 913 | 25 | 22 | 265 | 45 | 25 | 25 | 64 | 93 | 130 | 225 | 95 | 57 | ||
| Religious and Spiritual Self-Identification | ||||||||||||||||||
| Which statement best describes you? | ||||||||||||||||||
| …spiritual and religious | 69.16 | 78.56 | 70.38 | 71.85 | 44.00 | 45.45 | 62.64 | 71.11 | 88.00 | 62.96 | 43.75 | 75.27 | 53.28 | 10.05 | 6.54 | 1.75 | *** | - |
| …spiritual but not religious | 26.10 | 14.54 | 26.10 | 17.59 | 52.00 | 50.00 | 6.42 | 17.78 | 4.00 | 7.41 | 46.88 | 17.20 | 21.71 | 76.13 | 60.39 | 35.09 | *** | - |
| …religious but not spiritual | 3.56 | 5.25 | 2.79 | 7.92 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 24.53 | 8.89 | 8.00 | 22.22 | 4.69 | 3.23 | 16.36 | 3.11 | 8.53 | 7.02 | *** | - |
| …neither religious nor spiritual | 1.19 | 1.65 | 0.73 | 2.63 | 4.00 | 4.55 | 6.42 | 2.22 | 0.00 | 7.41 | 4.69 | 4.30 | 8.66 | 10.71 | 24.54 | 56.14 | *** | - |
| Considers self religious or spiritual, “Very” | 54.58 | 41.45 | 48.97 | 30.08 | 28.98 | 50.00 | 24.53 | 26.67 | 24.00 | 29.63 | 50.00 | 36.17 | 43.80 | 23.50 | 3.20 | 5.26 | *** | 1–4a |
| Beliefs | ||||||||||||||||||
| Believe in life after death, “Definitely true” | 80.79 | 68.26 | 68.14 | 65.49 | 24.84 | 54.55 | 44.32 | 66.67 | 36.00 | 59.26 | 60.66 | 59.57 | 59.36 | 33.20 | 7.47 | 1.75 | *** | 1–5b |
| Believe that God exists, “Definitely true” | 93.03 | 84.05 | 93.82 | 87.57 | 46.18 | 50.00 | 66.04 | 97.78 | 64.00 | 62.96 | 67.21 | 78.26 | 76.07 | 47.97 | 2.27 | 0.00 | *** | 1–5b |
| God’s spirit dwells in my body, “Definitely true”† | 77.24 | 56.07 | 79.15 | 61.45 | 32.29 | Lo N | 47.24 | 42.22 | 48.00 | 34.62 | 50.85 | 39.78 | 48.36 | 33.80 | 5.15 | . | *** | 1–5b |
| Religious/Spiritual Activity | ||||||||||||||||||
| Part of a religious congregation or community | 67.01 | 71.58 | 74.34 | 52.70 | 70.37 | 59.09 | 32.07 | 53.33 | 45.83 | 66.66 | 30.15 | 52.68 | 57.51 | 4.51 | 9.84 | 5.26 | *** | 0–1 |
| Religious attendance, “Once/week or more” | 55.34 | 46.77 | 50.59 | 38.93 | 17.20 | 27.28 | 25.66 | 53.33 | 32.00 | 18.52 | 20.63 | 23.65 | 31.64 | 2.19 | 3.20 | 3.51 | *** | 1–6c |
| Group prayer outside relig services, “Once/day or more” | 9.82 | 7.47 | 9.40 | 7.62 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 10.08 | 11.37 | 0.00 | 7.40 | 17.46 | 5.44 | 7.29 | 0.91 | 0.00 | 0.00 | *** | 1–7d |
| Pray alone, “Once/day or more” | 80.26 | 66.75 | 83.56 | 72.56 | 25.48 | 54.54 | 75.68 | 88.64 | 64.00 | 77.78 | 78.13 | 83.87 | 71.03 | 38.04 | 7.19 | 5.26 | *** | 1–7d |
| Pray for others when praying alone, “Once/day or more” | 73.24 | 61.18 | 71.95 | 65.69 | 25.48 | 40.91 | 61.24 | 81.82 | 56.00 | 53.85 | 68.25 | 72.04 | 63.10 | 29.26 | 3.99 | 5.26 | *** | 1–7d |
| Read scriptures, “Once/day or more” | 42.08 | 24.67 | 43.47 | 13.38 | 9.31 | 13.64 | 29.07 | 50.00 | 29.17 | 34.61 | 9.37 | 11.83 | 30.55 | 7.30 | 0.00 | 0.00 | *** | 1–7d |
| Meditate, “Once/day or more” | 38.33 | 27.42 | 43.47 | 31.64 | 12.96 | 54.19 | 35.52 | 34.09 | 20.00 | 30.77 | 29.69 | 37.23 | 44.00 | 28.00 | 20.27 | 12.28 | *** | 1–7d |
| Practice yoga, “Once/day or more” | 2.44 | 2.68 | 1.76 | 2.92 | 0.00 | 36.37 | 25.09 | 4.65 | 12.00 | 25.92 | 4.69 | 0.00 | 9.21 | 6.50 | 6.40 | 3.51 | *** | 1–7d |
| Congregational Support‡ | ||||||||||||||||||
| Shown love by fellow congregants, “Very often” | 56.73 | 46.22 | 56.61 | 29.58 | Lo N | Lo N | 44.71 | 54.17 | Lo N | Lo N | 63.16 | 40.82 | 61.42 | Lo N | Lo N | Lo N | *** | 1–4e |
| Rel community critical of you, “Very often” or “Fairly often” | 5.27 | 6.41 | 4.54 | 8.90 | Lo N | Lo N | 8.24 | 20.83 | Lo N | Lo N | 31.58 | 20.41 | 9.27 | Lo N | Lo N | Lo N | *** | 1–4e |
| Religious community offers social services | 79.77 | 89.36 | 88.20 | 92.40 | Lo N | Lo N | 72.22 | 77.27 | Lo N | Lo N | 46.15 | 47.06 | 62.81 | Lo N | Lo N | Lo N | *** | 0–1 |
| Family has used social service offered by relig community | 47.69 | 41.54 | 48.23 | 30.92 | Lo N | Lo N | 39.47 | 36.84 | Lo N | Lo N | 66.67 | 64.10 | 33.95 | Lo N | Lo N | Lo N | *** | 0–1 |
| Relationship with God† | ||||||||||||||||||
| God gives strength to do things I could not, “Definitely” | 83.71 | 63.72 | 84.73 | 71.09 | 35.22 | Lo N | 57.48 | 81.82 | 56.00 | 61.54 | 55.93 | 51.61 | 63.44 | 30.95 | 2.74 | . | *** | 1–5b |
| God loves me unconditionally, “Definitely” | 86.82 | 72.79 | 88.25 | 72.29 | 23.27 | Lo N | 52.36 | 80.00 | 56.00 | 50.00 | 55.93 | 49.46 | 55.31 | 32.17 | 5.31 | . | *** | 1–5b |
| God has come through for me, “Definitely” | 82.70 | 62.17 | 89.87 | 67.09 | 36.81 | Lo N | 57.48 | 82.22 | 48.00 | 42.31 | 54.24 | 49.46 | 64.43 | 37.59 | 2.74 | . | *** | 1–5b |
| Relation with God behind approach to life, “Definitely” | 70.67 | 47.63 | 67.99 | 53.39 | 18.75 | Lo N | 44.49 | 68.89 | 40.00 | 53.85 | 47.46 | 47.31 | 61.23 | 25.55 | 0.17 | . | *** | 1–5b |
| Virtues | ||||||||||||||||||
| Before I forgive, must promise not to repeat, “Str agree” | 3.98 | 1.57 | 1.76 | 9.45 | 4.32 | 0.00 | 6.90 | 16.28 | 16.67 | 11.54 | 7.81 | 8.51 | 4.95 | 4.02 | 3.24 | 3.57 | *** | 1–4f |
| Hard to forgive self for things done wrong, “Str agree” | 7.83 | 8.86 | 6.01 | 11.81 | 4.14 | 4.55 | 11.49 | 9.30 | 8.00 | 7.69 | 10.94 | 10.64 | 8.47 | 8.06 | 2.16 | 7.02 | *** | 1–4f |
| I have forgiven those who hurt me, “Strongly agree” | 35.80 | 20.16 | 30.65 | 28.81 | 12.96 | 27.27 | 31.80 | 32.56 | 36.00 | 46.15 | 30.65 | 33.70 | 35.74 | 26.03 | 12.96 | 16.07 | *** | 1–4f |
| Others not forgiven me for what I’ve done, “Str agree” | 5.38 | 3.63 | 6.32 | 9.01 | 0.00 | 13.64 | 3.89 | 2.27 | 8.00 | 0.00 | 11.29 | 8.60 | 10.05 | 5.48 | 2.16 | 1.75 | *** | 1–4f |
| Gratitude scale | 4.89 | 4.88 | 4.93 | 4.85 | 4.79 | 4.88 | 4.74 | 4.86 | 4.76 | 4.81 | 4.69 | 4.77 | 4.83 | 4.75 | 4.72 | 4.62 | *** | 1–5g |
| Religious Coping† | ||||||||||||||||||
| R or S involved in dealing with stress, “Very much” | 74.11 | 60.00 | 81.35 | 61.07 | 37.50 | Lo N | 47.13 | 74.42 | 50.00 | 46.15 | 56.90 | 48.35 | 60.66 | 42.11 | 18.99 | . | *** | 1–4h |
| Positive religious coping subscale | 3.37 | 2.97 | 3.30 | 3.18 | 2.14 | Lo N | 2.84 | 3.42 | 2.80 | 2.87 | 2.98 | 3.03 | 2.94 | 2.27 | 1.29 | . | *** | 1–4i |
| Negative religious coping subscale | 1.50 | 1.33 | 1.47 | 1.54 | 1.41 | Lo N | 1.46 | 1.50 | 1.52 | 1.47 | 1.78 | 1.72 | 1.43 | 1.21 | 1.15 | . | *** | 1–4i |
| Religious and spiritual struggles scale | 1.35 | 1.34 | 1.33 | 1.44 | 1.47 | Lo N | 1.35 | 1.17 | 1.32 | 1.26 | 1.53 | 1.55 | 1.28 | 1.31 | 1.52 | . | * | 1–4i |
| Religious and spiritual hope scale | 3.65 | 3.27 | 3.65 | 3.41 | 2.39 | Lo N | 2.97 | 3.61 | 2.93 | 3.12 | 2.98 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.43 | 1.30 | . | *** | 1–4i |
| Spiritual Experiences | ||||||||||||||||||
| Non-theistic daily spiritual experience subscale | 3.78 | 3.74 | 3.89 | 3.61 | 3.71 | 4.02 | 3.66 | 4.02 | 3.56 | 3.62 | 3.80 | 3.64 | 3.77 | 3.71 | 3.52 | 3.50 | *** | 1–5j |
| Theistic daily spiritual experience subscale† | 4.66 | 4.43 | 4.67 | 4.51 | 3.35 | Lo N | 4.15 | 4.48 | 4.04 | 3.67 | 4.22 | 4.11 | 4.24 | 3.47 | 1.93 | . | *** | 1–5j |
Notes: Individual items reported as percentages; scales reported as means. All significance tests control for age.
Lo N indicated for cell count<20
‡
Congregational participants only
†
Not asked of atheists
a
1=Not at all, 2=Slightly, 3=Moderately, 4=Very
b
1=Definitely not true, 2=Tends not to be true, 3=Unsure, 4=Tends to be true, 5=Definitely true
c
1=Never, 2=Rarely, 3=Once/month, 4=2–3/month, 5=Once/week, 6=Several times/week
d
1=Never, 2=Several times/year, 3=Several times/month, 4=Once/week, 5=More than once/week, 6=Once/day, 7=Several times/day
e
1=Never, 2=Once/while, 3=Fairly often, 4=Very often
f
1=Strongly disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly agree
g
1=Strongly disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree, 5=Strongly agree
h
1=Not at all, 2=Not very much, 3=Somewhat, 4=Very much
i
1=Not at all, 2=Somewhat, 3=Quite a bit, 4=A great deal
j
1=Never, 2=Once in a while, 3=Some days, 4=Every day, 5=Many times a day