Date of Award:

5-2024

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Committee Chair(s)

Elizabeth B. Fauth

Committee

Elizabeth B. Fauth

Committee

Travis Dorsch

Committee

Aryn Dotterer

Committee

Spencer Bradshaw

Committee

Loren Marks

Abstract

The number of nonreligious Americans has steadily increased in recent years, and researchers predict that this growth will continue. Despite this growth, limited research has explored the experiences of nonreligious parents and how religious differences impact their family relationships. As such, through a qualitative analysis of 33 interviews with nonreligious couples (N=66 individuals), the current study addresses how nonreligious adults perceive the influence of religious differences on their relationships with their family of origin (i.e., parents, siblings, and extended family members) and how these religious differences impact the intergenerational relationships between nonreligious parent's family of origin and their children. Additionally, how nonreligious parents approach the (non)religious socialization of their children is addressed. Results highlight the complexity of religious differences in family relationships and include a strengths-based approach which highlights protective factors that can help maintain and strengthen relationships amidst religious differences.

Checksum

a148d70b3b9da91b35d667657c57a6d0

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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