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

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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.