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Started by Recusant, July 12, 2023, 03:58:12 AM

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Recusant

To me there is a question whether this is related to religiosity or to character traits that may be associated with being religious: An observed tendency for children (in the UK) of mothers who are religious to internalize problems, while children of atheist mothers externalize them.

"Children of highly religious mothers are more likely to internalize their problems, study finds" | PsyPost

QuoteA new longitudinal study of parents and children in the United Kingdom found that children whose mothers [are religious] were more likely to have internalizing problems, like feeling anxious or withdrawn, which can lead to disorders like depression. On the other hand, children whose mothers were atheists were more likely to have externalizing problems, such as being aggressive or defiant. The study was published in Psychological Medicine.

Mental health issues during childhood can be tough for both the child and the family. These issues can take two forms: internalizing and externalizing. Internalizing problems are when children struggle with their thoughts and feelings, often feeling anxious, sad, or withdrawn. Externalizing problems are when children's behavior becomes problematic, like being impulsive, aggressive, or defiant.

Factors that depend on parents, such as the socioeconomic status of the family or the mental health of parents can play an important role in maintaining children's mental health. Recent studies have also pointed to the religiosity of parents as a factor that contributes to mental health of children, but results in this regard have been inconsistent.

[Continues . . .]

The paper is open access:

"Examining the role of maternal religiosity in offspring mental health using latent class analysis in a UK prospective cohort study" | Psychological Medicine

QuoteAbstract:

Background
Previous research has examined the role of parental religious belief in offspring mental health, but has revealed inconsistent results, and suffered from a number of limitations. The aim of this study is to examine the prospective relationship between maternal religiosity and offspring mental health and psychosocial outcomes.

Methods
We used latent classes of religious belief (Highly religious, Moderately religious, Agnostic, Atheist) in mothers from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children from 1990, and examined their association with parent-reported mental health outcomes and self-reported psychosocial outcomes in their children at age 7–8 (n = 6079 for mental health outcomes and n = 5235 for psychosocial outcomes). We used inverse probability weighted multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for maternal mental health, adverse childhood experience, and socioeconomic variables.

Results
There was evidence for a greater risk of internalising problems among the offspring of the Highly religious and Moderately religious classes [e.g. for depression; OR 1.40. 95% CI (1.07–1.85), OR 1.48, 95% CI (1.17–1.87)], and greater risk of externalising problems in the offspring of the Atheist class [e.g. for ADHD; OR 1.41, 95% CI (1.08–1.85)], compared to the offspring of the Agnostic class.

Conclusions
These novel findings provide evidence associations between maternal religiosity and offspring mental health differ when examined using a person-centred approach, compared to the previously used variable-centred approaches. Our findings also suggest that differences may exist in the relationship between religious (non)belief and mental health variables when comparing the UK and US.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


MarcusA

I'd be depressed if I was a Christian too.
This user has been banned for spamming the forum.

Tank

So not overly conclusive but interesting none the less. One wonders if the correlation is possibly down to parenting style brought about by the personality of the parents? In that passive believers will tend to being religious and active sceptics will tend to be atheists. These behavioural traits may be leading to the internalizing/externalising of the children?
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Ecurb Noselrub

What other choice do you have besides internalizing or externalizing problems? They have to go somewhere. I guess the middle option would be to resolve the issue/solve the problem?

Tank

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 23, 2023, 12:36:15 PMWhat other choice do you have besides internalizing or externalizing problems? They have to go somewhere. I guess the middle option would be to resolve the issue/solve the problem?

If one solves a problem then it no longer needs to be internalised or externalised. I think the issue here is what people do with problems they can't/won't solve. And I'm not sure that correlation equals causation here. I suspect a particular mind set could lead to internalisation and following the crowd and another could lead to externalisation and being outspoken in a group.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Recusant

I agree, Tank. I think your hypothesis regarding this issue sounds reasonable. That both atheism and a tendency to externalize problems are traits exhibited by people with a particular approach to life. Correlated to some extent, but possibly not in a causal chain.

Indeed, likely only loosely correlated, as it would not be hard to find atheists who tend to internalize problems and religious who externalise them. I've known both.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Icarus

The Southern U.S. is overpopulated by religious folk who are annoyingly loud and aggressive. They organize rallies, carry signs with slogans, loudly insist that they are right, condemn to hell, and jail if possible, for those who do not conform to their beliefs or fail to support them in their evangelism.

Those people are extroverted beyond civility. 




Tank

Quote from: Icarus on August 10, 2023, 12:50:30 AMThe Southern U.S. is overpopulated by religious folk who are annoyingly loud and aggressive. They organize rallies, carry signs with slogans, loudly insist that they are right, condemn to hell, and jail if possible, for those who do not conform to their beliefs or fail to support them in their evangelism.

Those people are extroverted beyond civility. 

It's the nature of the religious meme they have been infected with. It drives them to spread the meme, Which makes it a very successful meme.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

MarcusA

This user has been banned for spamming the forum.

Prycejosh1987

I believe that God exists through the evidence of relationships, nature and in knowledge and personal growth. Christianity is a good faith to follow with practical examples of what is good to do and what is harmful to personal wellbeing. To love others is a Christian definition of reality. It eases the heart and focuses the mind on good impactful and sustainable relationships.

Recusant

Quote from: Prycejosh1987 on August 16, 2023, 09:14:41 PMI believe that God exists through the evidence of relationships, nature and in knowledge and personal growth. Christianity is a good faith to follow with practical examples of what is good to do and what is harmful to personal wellbeing. To love others is a Christian definition of reality. It eases the heart and focuses the mind on good impactful and sustainable relationships.

That is unadulterated preaching, Prycejosh1987.  The rules of this site specifically state that we don't entertain such empty blather. You have been advised. Further preaching will have you shaking the dust from your sandals.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Dark Lightning

I'm seeing the same drivel from PryceJosh elsewhere.

Recusant

Quote from: Dark Lightning on August 16, 2023, 11:31:11 PMI'm seeing the same drivel from PryceJosh elsewhere.

Yeah, the itinerant Christian online evangelists who like to preach to the atheists seldom confine their efforts to one site. He got a "hold up a frackin' minute" suspension for spamming (15 posts in about 20 minutes) and pending staff decision is likely to find the hatch dogged if he comes knocking again.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken