A new Stanford study has revealed that teenagers who observe and practice their religious beliefs consistently do well in school and earn good grades compared to those who have little engagement with their faith.
Dr. Ilana M. Horwitz of the Stanford Graduate School of Education looked into the grade point averages (GPAs) from data that the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) gathered from public school students. Comprising 2,491 teens, students and their parents were asked about their personal and study habits, family activities and engagements, as well as their religious practices.
The academic grouped the students into five types of religious adherence as Abiders, Adapters, Assenters, Avoiders and Atheists. Horwitz learned that the most religious students, the Abiders, earned the highest GPAs of at least 3.22. On the other hand, Avoiders, or those who believe in God but have far fewer religious involvements, had an average 2.93 GPA.
The academic also learned that religiosity still played a big influence in the students' grades regardless of gender, race, class, income and religious denomination. Horowitz considered qualities like conscientiousness and cooperation, which the Abiders cultivate from their religious practices, as two contributing factors to their better grades.
"Both practices -- church attendance and doing well in school -- require commitment, diligence, and routine," Horwitz underscored in her paper. "The ritual practice of rising and going to church or mass, and so forth -- whether compelled by one's own faith or one's parents' demands -- commits a youth to a practice and routine, a skill that translates into tools needed for academic success."
Horowitz, however, pointed out that her study is about religious association and not causation. She emphasized the role of parents in molding their children's religious preferences, thus also molding values like conscientiousness.
"During adolescence, religion isn't really a choice," the expert said. "Parents are largely choosing their children's religious preferences, so it's unlikely that conscientious kids are opting into religion."
Horowitz will also conduct further studies to see if Abiders continue their academic achievements in higher education.
