Regnerus, M. D. 2003. “Religion and Positive Adolescent Outcomes: A Review of Research and Theory.” Review of Religious Research 44(4): 394-413.
This article is a summary and analysis of recent literature about how religion may produce positive effects in adolescents, including “education, emotional and physical health, family well-being, volunteerism,” and even behaviors like wearing a seat belt, exercising, eating well, and sleeping. Many studies have been conducted on this topic, with vastly different methods and measurements, and the results suggest that either directly or indirectly, religion does play an important role in positive outcomes for adolescents. Although the focus here is not on college students precisely, the results are generally similar to those obtained with college student samples.
