Social Attachment to the Seventh-day Adventist Church among Young Adults

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1996

Abstract

As part of a ten-year longitudinal study on youth retention in the church, 755 young adults with Seventh-day Adventist backgrounds were surveyed to explore factors that relate to social attachment to the religious community. The sample was distributed throughout the United States and Canada. A reliable Social Attachment Scale was constructed from six items measuring commitment to Jesus, religious faith, the local congregation, and the denomination as well as frequency of attendance at worship services. Attachment was found to be predicted by perceptions of the religious education program in the church, personal involvement in congregational activity, lack of conflict in church areas, and remembrances of childhood experiences with local church leaders. The first two areas proved to be the most important as demonstrated by multiple regression analysis.

Journal Title

Review of Religious Research

Volume

38

Issue

1

First Page

38

Last Page

49

DOI

10.2307/3512539

First Department

Christian Ministry

Link to Full Text

@ the James White Library

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