Presentation Type
Poster
Keywords
relational model, religiosity, friendship quality, friendship
Department
Psychology
Major
Psychology
Abstract
The study’s objective was to examine a possible relationship between religiosity and friendship quality through the relational model. We hypothesized that higher levels of religiosity would positively enhance friendship quality. Young adults (N = 118) from a small, Christian university participated in an online survey. We observed a main effect for religiosity of the participant and religiosity of the best friend in predicting greater support and depth as well as an interaction between the participants’ religiosity and best friend’s religiosity in predicting support. Specifically, for participants low in religiosity, having a friend with higher levels of religiosity was associated with support and depth, but for participants high in religiosity, having a friend with higher levels of religiosity was not associated with support or depth. Since friendships become instrumental in young adults’ development, it is important to evaluate religion as a possible factor that can positively impact those friendships. Given the results, campus counseling centers and therapists may be able to utilize students’ and clients’ religiosity to enrich their friendships.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso and Dr. Cindy Miller-Perrin
Funding Source or Research Program
Academic Year Undergraduate Research Initiative
Included in
The Relationship Between Religiosity and Friendship Quality
The study’s objective was to examine a possible relationship between religiosity and friendship quality through the relational model. We hypothesized that higher levels of religiosity would positively enhance friendship quality. Young adults (N = 118) from a small, Christian university participated in an online survey. We observed a main effect for religiosity of the participant and religiosity of the best friend in predicting greater support and depth as well as an interaction between the participants’ religiosity and best friend’s religiosity in predicting support. Specifically, for participants low in religiosity, having a friend with higher levels of religiosity was associated with support and depth, but for participants high in religiosity, having a friend with higher levels of religiosity was not associated with support or depth. Since friendships become instrumental in young adults’ development, it is important to evaluate religion as a possible factor that can positively impact those friendships. Given the results, campus counseling centers and therapists may be able to utilize students’ and clients’ religiosity to enrich their friendships.