by parental educational attainment: 2002
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Slightly more than one-third of parents (36 percent) attended religious services at least once a week in 2002. This percentage represents a small decline from 1997, when 38 percent of parents attended religious services at least weekly.
Parental religious attendance differs according to the parent's educational attainment. In 2002, fewer than one-third of parents who had not completed high school (28 percent) reported attending religious services weekly, compared with 44 percent of those who had graduated from college. Poor families were less likely than nonpoor families to have a parent attending religious services weekly in 2002 (28 percent compared with 38 percent).
Married parents were more likely to attend services weekly than parents who were not married (40 percent compared with 26 percent).
Note: Parents include primary caregivers between the ages
of 18 and 64 for children under age 18; therefore, this indicator includes
data on one adult per household. In more than 95 percent of cases, this adult
is a biological, adoptive, or stepparent, and in 80 percent of cases this
adult is the mother.
Source: Child Trends' analyses of the National Survey of America's
Families, 2002.
| 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 37.7 | 37.5 | 36.3 |
| Age of Child(b) | |||
| 0-5 years | 34.2 | 33.9 | 32.8 |
| 6-11 years | 39.5 | 38.6 | 37.6 |
| 12-17 years | 39.6 | 39.9 | 38.7 |
| Marital Status(c) | |||
| Married | 41.1 | 41.3 | 40.0 |
| Not married | 27.8 | 26.5 | 26.4 |
| Family Structure(d) | |||
| Two parents | 40.5 | 40.6 | 39.3 |
| One parent | 30.1 | 28.7 | 27.7 |
| Other | 46.9 | 42.3 | 45.2 |
| Highest Level of Education(c) | |||
| Less than high school | 30.2 | 31.1 | 28.3 |
| High school diploma or GED | 35.0 | 32.7 | 32.1 |
| Some education after high school | 39.1 | 39.1 | 37.3 |
| College graduate | 43.6 | 44.9 | 43.7 |
| Poverty Status | |||
| Below poverty | 32.5 | 30.1 | 28.3 |
| At or above poverty | 38.9 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| Race and Hispanic Origin(c) | |||
| White, non-Hispanic | 35.6 | 35.7 | 35.2 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 45.7 | 45.8 | 44.7 |
| Hispanic | 40.0 | 38.6 | 34.4 |
| Other | 37.1 | 33.3 | 33.1 |
| a. Parents include primary caregivers
between the ages of 18 and 64 for children under age 18; therefore, this
indicator includes data on one adult per household. In more than 95 percent
of cases, this adult is a biological, adoptive, or step-parent, and in 80
percent of cases this adult is the mother. b. The age grouping is based on the age of one randomly selected child in each family. c. Of the parent whose religious attendance is reported d. Two-parent families include two biological/adoptive parents or stepfamilies. One-parent families include one biological or adoptive parent. Source: Child Trends' analyses of the National Survey of America's Families, 1997, 1999, and 2002. |
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Overall, in 2000, half of all adolescents participated in religious activities with their families (e.g., going to a worship service, praying, reading scripture). The frequency varies by the adolescent's race and Hispanic origin. Non-Hispanic black adolescents were considerably more likely to participate in religious activities with their families--weekly or more often (73 percent)--than were their peers of non-Hispanic white (45 percent), Hispanic (55 percent), or other racial or ethnic origin (48 percent). Hispanics were more likely to participate than non-Hispanic whites.
Source: Child Trends' analyses of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - 1997, Rounds 1 and 4.
| Percent | |
|---|---|
| Total | 50.9 |
| Race and Hispanic Origin(b) | |
| White, non-Hispanic | 45.5 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 72.6 |
| Hispanic | 54.8 |
| Other | 48.3 |
| Family Structure | |
| Two biological parents | 56.1 |
| Two parents (biological parent and other)(c) | 37.7 |
| One biological parent | 45.4 |
| Parent's Highest Level of Education(d) | |
| Less than high school degree | 53.8 |
| High school degree | 46.0 |
| Some college education | 49.8 |
| College graduate | 55.8 |
| a. These activities are included
in the wording of the survey item. b. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. c. This includes families with one biological parent and one nonbiological parent figure in the household. This resident nonbiological parent figure can be a step-parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, spouse or romantic partner of the biological parent, or a relative or other adult who is "like a parent" to the respondent. A greater share of biological parents are mothers and a greater share of other parents are fathers. d. In two-parent households, "parental education" refers to the highest level of education attained between the two residential parents/parent figures. Note: Analyses are based on a universe of adolescents, 12-14, who lived with a parent or guardian in 2000. Source: Child Trends' analyses of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - 1997, Rounds 1 and 4. |
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