Research on Catholic adolescents

We are delighted to inform you of our latest journal article publication.  Entitled, ‘Religious affect and personal happiness: Are there significant differences between Catholic adolescents in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland?’, the article is published in the Journal of Religious Education. The authors were Professor Leslie J. Francis (University of Warwick), Dr Gareth Byrne (Dublin City University), Dr Christopher Alan Lewis (Leeds Trinity University) and Dr Bernadette Sweetman (Dublin City University).

Related to the research recently published in Religion and Education: The Voices of Young People in Ireland, (click here for more details), this article focuses on the similarities and differences between adolescents in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in relation to the association between levels of religious affect (measured by the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Christianity) and personal affect (measured by the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire).

The participants in this study were 3,015 Catholic students in the Republic of Ireland attending fifth- and sixth-year classes and 1,624 Catholic students in Northern Ireland attending sixth-form classes, after taking into account individual differences in sex, age, and personality. It provides an insightful snapshot into the religious affect and personal happiness in the lives of our young people.

Consistent with the findings of previous research, the data demonstrate a significant positive association between religious affect and personal happiness: religious students are happier students. Catholic students in Northern Ireland hold a more positive attitude toward Christianity (higher levels of religious affect) than Catholic students in the Republic of Ireland. Nonetheless, there is no significant difference in levels of happiness (personal affect) between Catholic students in the two jurisdictions.

Reference:

Francis, L.J., Byrne, G., Lewis, C.A. and Sweetman, B. (2020). Religious affect and personal happiness: Are there significant differences between Catholic adolescents in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland? Journal of Religious Education (April, 2020): https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-020-00095-6