The document analyzes data from the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) from 1990, 2001, and 2008. It shows changes over time in religious identification among racial groups in the U.S. For Asian Americans specifically, Catholicism and Eastern religions have decreased as the percentage with no religion has increased from 16% to 27% between 1990 and 2007, especially among young adults and youth.

1. Asian American Young
Adults
© Timothy Tseng, Ph.D.
Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity (ISAAC)
University of San Francisco
Special thanks to Russell Jeung, Ph.D.
San Francisco State University

2. 2

3. 2

4. 2

5. isaacweb.org
2

6. Changing Immigration Patterns

8. American Religious Identification
Survey (ARIS) 2008

9. American Religious Identification
Survey (ARIS) 2008
• 15 Percent of Americans Have No Religion: Fewer Call
Themselves Christians; Nondenominational Identification
Increases (Washington Post, March 9, 2009)

10. ARIS 2008 3
American Religious Identification
Part I Survey (ARIS) 2008
National Statistics on Belonging, Belief and Behavior
• 15 Percent of Americans Have No Religion: Fewer Call
Themselves Christians; Nondenominational Identification
. Belonging
Increases (Washington Post, March 9, 2009)
Table 1.
Religious Self-Identification of the U.S. Adult Population 1990, 2001, 2008
1990 2001 2008
Estimated Estimated Estimated
% % %
Number of People Number of People Number of People
Catholic 46,004,000 26.2 50,873,000 24.5 57,199,000 25.1
Other Christian 105,221,000 60.0 108,641,000 52.2 116,203,000 50.9
Total Christians 151,225,000 86.2 159,514,000 76.7 173,402,000 76.0
Other Religions 5,853,000 3.3 7,740,000 3.7 8,796,000 3.9
Nones 14,331,000 8.2 29,481,000 14.2 34,169,000 15.0
DK/Refused 4,031,000 2.3 11,246,000 5.4 11,815,000 5.2
Total 175,440,000 100.0 207,983,000 100.0 228,182,000 100.0

11. findings reported in the earlier tables change over time as well as how they impact American society.
American Religious Identification
A. Racial Composition
Survey (ARIS) 2008
Table 10.
Composition of Racial and Ethnic Groups by Religious Tradition 1990, 2001, 2008
White Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic Hispanic Asian
1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008
Catholic 27 23 21 9 7 6 66 57 59 27 20 17
Baptist 15 15 15 50 46 45 7 5 3 9 4 3
Mainline Christian 21 22 17 12 10 7 4 3 1 11 6 6
Christian Generic 17 11 15 9 10 15 8 11 11 13 11 10
Pentecostal/ 3 3 3 6 7 7 3 4 3 2 1 0
Charismatic
Protestant 2 3 3 4 4 6 2 3 4 2 1 2
Denominations
Mormon/LDS 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0
Jewish 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
Eastern Religions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 22 21
Muslim 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 8 8
NRM & Other 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2
Religions
None 8 15 16 6 11 11 6 13 12 16 22 27
DK/Refused 2 4 4 1 2 2 1 3 5 4 5 5
Total % 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

12. findings reported in the earlier tables change over time as well as how they impact American society.
American Religious Identification
A. Racial Composition
Survey (ARIS) 2008
Table 10.
Composition of Racial and Ethnic Groups by Religious Tradition 1990, 2001, 2008
White Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic Hispanic Asian
1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008
Catholic 27 23 21 9 7 6 66 57 59 27 20 17
Baptist 15 15 15 50 46 45 7 5 3 9 4 3
Mainline Christian 21 22 17 12 10 7 4 3 1 11 6 6
Christian Generic 17 11 15 9 10 15 8 11 11 13 11 10
Pentecostal/ 3 3 3 6 7 7 3 4 3 2 1 0
Charismatic
Protestant 2 3 3 4 4 6 2 3 4 2 1 2
Denominations
Mormon/LDS 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0
Jewish 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
Eastern Religions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 22 21
Muslim 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 8 8
NRM & Other 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2
Religions
None 8 15 16 6 11 11 6 13 12 16 22 27
DK/Refused 2 4 4 1 2 2 1 3 5 4 5 5
Total % 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

13. findings reported in the earlier tables change over time as well as how they impact American society.
American Religious Identification
A. Racial Composition
Survey (ARIS) 2008
Table 10.
Composition of Racial and Ethnic Groups by Religious Tradition 1990, 2001, 2008
White Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic Hispanic Asian
1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008
Catholic 27 23 21 9 7 6 66 57 59 27 20 17
Baptist 15 15 15 50 46 45 7 5 3 9 4 3
Mainline Christian 21 22 17 12 10 7 4 3 1 11 6 6
Christian Generic 17 11 15 9 10 15 8 11 11 13 11 10
Pentecostal/ 3 3 3 6 7 7 3 4 3 2 1 0
Charismatic
Protestant 2 3 3 4 4 6 2 3 4 2 1 2
Denominations
Mormon/LDS 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0
Jewish 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
Eastern Religions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 22 21
Muslim 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 8 8
NRM & Other 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2
Religions
None 8 15 16 6 11 11 6 13 12 16 22 27
DK/Refused 2 4 4 1 2 2 1 3 5 4 5 5
Total % 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

14. findings reported in the earlier tables change over time as well as how they impact American society.
American Religious Identification
A. Racial Composition
Survey (ARIS) 2008
Table 10.
Composition of Racial and Ethnic Groups by Religious Tradition 1990, 2001, 2008
White Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic Hispanic Asian
1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008 1990 2001 2008
Catholic 27 23 21 9 7 6 66 57 59 27 20 17
Baptist 15 15 15 50 46 45 7 5 3 9 4 3
Mainline Christian 21 22 17 12 10 7 4 3 1 11 6 6
Christian Generic 17 11 15 9 10 15 8 11 11 13 11 10
Pentecostal/ 3 3 3 6 7 7 3 4 3 2 1 0
Charismatic
Protestant 2 3 3 4 4 6 2 3 4 2 1 2
Denominations
Mormon/LDS 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0
Jewish 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
Eastern Religions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 22 21
Muslim 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 8 8
NRM & Other 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2
Religions
None 8 15 16 6 11 11 6 13 12 16 22 27
DK/Refused 2 4 4 1 2 2 1 3 5 4 5 5
Total % 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

15. Religious Affiliation of Asian
Americans
40
30
All (2007)
Young Adults (age 21-45)
Youth (age 13-17)
20
10
0
nt
ic
st
u
lim
e
d
er
d
on
e
l
hi
ta
ho
in
us
th
us
dd
es
N
H
O
at
ef
M
Bu
ot
C
R
Pr
Source: Pew Forum U.S. Religious Affiliation Survey, 2007 (N=~700)
Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey 2000 ages 21-45 (N=460)
National Study of Religion and Youth, 2003-4 (N=45)

16. Changes in Asian American
Religious Affiliation (1990-2007)
40
30
Asian Americans (2007)
Asian Americans (2000)
20 Asian Americans (1990)
10
0
t
ic
t
du
lim
e
d
an
is
er
on
se
ol
dh
in
th
us
st
h
u
N
H
O
at
d
e
ef
M
Bu
ot
C
R
Pr
Sources: Pew Forum U.S. Religious Affiliation Survey, 2007 (N=~700)
Pilot Asian American Political Survey 2000-01 (N=1,218)
National Survey of Religious Identification 1990 (N=460)

17. Spiritual Vitality: Immigration as a
Theologizing Experience
Nand Shiv Durga Mandir
Montebello, CA

18. Spiritual Vitality: Immigration as a
Theologizing Experience
• Filipinos (94%) and Koreans
(87%) are highly religious.
Nand Shiv Durga Mandir
Montebello, CA

19. Spiritual Vitality: Immigration as a
Theologizing Experience
• Filipinos (94%) and Koreans
(87%) are highly religious.
• Koreans (87%) and Filipinos
(71%) have higher church
attendance rates than others.
Nand Shiv Durga Mandir
Montebello, CA

20. Spiritual Vitality: Immigration as a
Theologizing Experience
• Filipinos (94%) and Koreans
(87%) are highly religious.
• Koreans (87%) and Filipinos
(71%) have higher church
attendance rates than others.
• Asian Americans professing
“Asian” religions have almost
tripled since 1990.
Nand Shiv Durga Mandir
Montebello, CA

21. Spiritual Vitality: Immigration as a
Theologizing Experience
• Filipinos (94%) and Koreans
(87%) are highly religious.
• Koreans (87%) and Filipinos
(71%) have higher church
attendance rates than others.
• Asian Americans professing
“Asian” religions have almost
tripled since 1990.
• Asian Americans make up
88% of the Hindus, 32% of the
Buddhists, and 20% of
Muslims in the US.
Nand Shiv Durga Mandir
Montebello, CA

22. Spiritual Vitality: Immigration as a
Theologizing Experience
• Filipinos (94%) and Koreans
(87%) are highly religious.
• Koreans (87%) and Filipinos
(71%) have higher church
attendance rates than others.
• Asian Americans professing
“Asian” religions have almost
tripled since 1990.
• Asian Americans make up
88% of the Hindus, 32% of the
Buddhists, and 20% of
Muslims in the US.
Nand Shiv Durga Mandir
• Even among 21-45 year old
Montebello, CA
Asian Americans, 46% attend
services weekly compared to
36% of US total population

23. Religiously Unaffiliated Asian
Americans

24. Religiously Unaffiliated Asian
Americans
• Chinese (39%) and
Japanese (26%) affiliate
with religious groups
much less than other
ethnicities

25. Religiously Unaffiliated Asian
Americans
• Chinese (39%) and
Japanese (26%) affiliate
with religious groups
much less than other
ethnicities
• 23% of Asian Americans
overall are unaffiliated
with a religion

26. Religiously Unaffiliated Asian
Americans
• Chinese (39%) and
Japanese (26%) affiliate
with religious groups
much less than other
ethnicities
• 23% of Asian Americans
overall are unaffiliated
with a religion
• Asian Americans (11%)
are almost twice as
secular as other
Americans (6%)

27. Religiously Unaffiliated Asian
Americans
• Chinese (39%) and
Unaffiliated 16% of 23% of
Total Pop. Asian
Japanese (26%) affiliate
American
with religious groups
Pop.
much less than other
ethnicities
Atheist 2 3
• 23% of Asian Americans
overall are unaffiliated
Agnostic 2 4
with a religion
• Asian Americans (11%)
are almost twice as
Secular 6 11
secular as other
Americans (6%)
Religious 6 5
unaffiliated

28. Sources of Non-Affiliation
Los Angeles Chinatown Temple, 1938

29. Sources of Non-Affiliation
• Selective immigration:
44% of Asian Americans
are college graduates
Los Angeles Chinatown Temple, 1938

30. Sources of Non-Affiliation
• Selective immigration:
44% of Asian Americans
are college graduates
• Nature of Asian American
religiosity: inclusive,
spiritual practices (v.
exclusive, theological
tenets)
Los Angeles Chinatown Temple, 1938

31. Sources of Non-Affiliation
• Selective immigration:
44% of Asian Americans
are college graduates
• Nature of Asian American
religiosity: inclusive,
spiritual practices (v.
exclusive, theological
tenets)
• Continuing significance of
Asian ethical and moral
systems
Los Angeles Chinatown Temple, 1938

32. Religious Diversity and Community
Volunteerism Among Asian Americans*
Religious Affiliation of Percent participating in at
Asian Americans least one nonreligious
organization
Protestant Christian 69
Other Religion 65
Catholic 54
Nonreligious 45
Hindu 40
Buddhist 26
Total Sample 51
* Elaine Howard Ecklund and Jerry Park, Religious Diversity and Community Volunteerism Among Asian Americans.” Journal for the
Scientific Study of Religion, Volume 46, Number 2, June 2007, pp. 233-244

33. Political Ideology of Asian Americans by
Religious Affiliation*
Protestant Catholic Buddhist Hindu Muslim None All
Christian
Very Liberal
4 8 6 18 8 10 8
Somewhat
27 32 21 43 50 22 28
Liberal
Middle of
33 24 41 17 12 35 32
the Road
Somewhat
25 24 12 14 17 15 18
Conservative
Very
4 4 6 -- 8 3 4
Conservative
Not Sure
7 7 14 8 4 13 10
* Pei-te Lien, “Religion and Political Adaptation among Asian Americans,” in Tony Carnes and Fenggang Yang, eds.,
Asian American Religions: The Making and Remaking of Borders and Boundaries, (New York: New York University
Press, 2004)

34. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation

35. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation
• Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS).
Pei-te Lien and Tony Carnes, “The Religious Demography of Asian American Boundary Crossing”
from Asian American Religions (New York University Press, 2004)

36. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation
• Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS).
Pei-te Lien and Tony Carnes, “The Religious Demography of Asian American Boundary Crossing”
from Asian American Religions (New York University Press, 2004)
Chinese Filipino South Asian Vietnamese Korean Japanese
20% 18% 2% 13% 68% 37%
Christian
3% 68% 1% 20% 11% 6%
Catholic
19% 1% 1% 49% 5% 24%
Buddhist
- 4% 46% - - 1%
Hindu
- - 17% - - -
Muslim
1% 2% 13% 1% 3% 2%
Other
39% 3% 12% 14% 6% 26%
None
18% 3% 7% 1% 6% 4%
Refused
1% - 1% 3% 1% 1%
Not sure

37. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation
• Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS).
Pei-te Lien and Tony Carnes, “The Religious Demography of Asian American Boundary Crossing”
from Asian American Religions (New York University Press, 2004)
Chinese Filipino South Asian Vietnamese Korean Japanese
20% 18% 2% 13% 68% 37%
Christian
3% 68% 1% 20% 11% 6%
Catholic
19% 1% 1% 49% 5% 24%
Buddhist
- 4% 46% - - 1%
Hindu
- - 17% - - -
Muslim
1% 2% 13% 1% 3% 2%
Other
39% 3% 12% 14% 6% 26%
None
18% 3% 7% 1% 6% 4%
Refused
1% - 1% 3% 1% 1%
Not sure

38. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation
• Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS).
Pei-te Lien and Tony Carnes, “The Religious Demography of Asian American Boundary Crossing”
from Asian American Religions (New York University Press, 2004)
Chinese Filipino South Asian Vietnamese Korean Japanese
20% 18% 2% 13% 68% 37%
Christian
3% 68% 1% 20% 11% 6%
Catholic
19% 1% 1% 49% 5% 24%
Buddhist
- 4% 46% - - 1%
Hindu
- - 17% - - -
Muslim
1% 2% 13% 1% 3% 2%
Other
39% 3% 12% 14% 6% 26%
None
18% 3% 7% 1% 6% 4%
Refused
1% - 1% 3% 1% 1%
Not sure

39. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation
• Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS).
Pei-te Lien and Tony Carnes, “The Religious Demography of Asian American Boundary Crossing”
from Asian American Religions (New York University Press, 2004)
Chinese Filipino South Asian Vietnamese Korean Japanese
20% 18% 2% 13% 68% 37%
Christian
3% 68% 1% 20% 11% 6%
Catholic
19% 1% 1% 49% 5% 24%
Buddhist
- 4% 46% - - 1%
Hindu
- - 17% - - -
Muslim
1% 2% 13% 1% 3% 2%
Other
39% 3% 12% 14% 6% 26%
None
18% 3% 7% 1% 6% 4%
Refused
1% - 1% 3% 1% 1%
Not sure

40. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation
• Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS).
Pei-te Lien and Tony Carnes, “The Religious Demography of Asian American Boundary Crossing”
from Asian American Religions (New York University Press, 2004)
Chinese Filipino South Asian Vietnamese Korean Japanese
20% 18% 2% 13% 68% 37%
Christian
3% 68% 1% 20% 11% 6%
Catholic
19% 1% 1% 49% 5% 24%
Buddhist
- 4% 46% - - 1%
Hindu
- - 17% - - -
Muslim
1% 2% 13% 1% 3% 2%
Other
39% 3% 12% 14% 6% 26%
None
18% 3% 7% 1% 6% 4%
Refused
1% - 1% 3% 1% 1%
Not sure

41. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation
• Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS).
Pei-te Lien and Tony Carnes, “The Religious Demography of Asian American Boundary Crossing”
from Asian American Religions (New York University Press, 2004)
Chinese Filipino South Asian Vietnamese Korean Japanese
20% 18% 2% 13% 68% 37%
Christian
3% 68% 1% 20% 11% 6%
Catholic
19% 1% 1% 49% 5% 24%
Buddhist
- 4% 46% - - 1%
Hindu
- - 17% - - -
Muslim
1% 2% 13% 1% 3% 2%
Other
39% 3% 12% 14% 6% 26%
None
18% 3% 7% 1% 6% 4%
Refused
1% - 1% 3% 1% 1%
Not sure

42. Ethnic Asian American
Religious Affiliation
• Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS).
Pei-te Lien and Tony Carnes, “The Religious Demography of Asian American Boundary Crossing”
from Asian American Religions (New York University Press, 2004)
Chinese Filipino South Asian Vietnamese Korean Japanese
20% 18% 2% 13% 68% 37%
Christian
3% 68% 1% 20% 11% 6%
Catholic
19% 1% 1% 49% 5% 24%
Buddhist
- 4% 46% - - 1%
Hindu
- - 17% - - -
Muslim
1% 2% 13% 1% 3% 2%
Other
39% 3% 12% 14% 6% 26%
None
18% 3% 7% 1% 6% 4%
Refused
1% - 1% 3% 1% 1%
Not sure

43. 2nd Generation Asian American
Religion and Ethnic Identity*
* See Khyati Joshi, New Roots in America’s Sacred Ground, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006

44. 2nd Generation Asian American
Religion and Ethnic Identity*
• The Model Model Minority
* See Khyati Joshi, New Roots in America’s Sacred Ground, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006

45. 2nd Generation Asian American
Religion and Ethnic Identity*
• The Model Model Minority
• Religion as a primordial
source of identity—home
faith as real Indian-ness
* See Khyati Joshi, New Roots in America’s Sacred Ground, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006

46. 2nd Generation Asian American
Religion and Ethnic Identity*
• The Model Model Minority
• Religion as a primordial
source of identity—home
faith as real Indian-ness
• Ethno-religious
communities as a third
space for extended family
* See Khyati Joshi, New Roots in America’s Sacred Ground, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006

47. 2nd Generation Asian American
Religion and Ethnic Identity*
• The Model Model Minority
• Religion as a primordial
source of identity—home
faith as real Indian-ness
• Ethno-religious
communities as a third
space for extended family
• Ethno-religious
communities as
preservers and
transmitters of culture
* See Khyati Joshi, New Roots in America’s Sacred Ground, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006

48. 2nd Generation Asian American
Religion and Ethnic Identity*
• The Model Model Minority
• Religion as a primordial
source of identity—home
faith as real Indian-ness
• Ethno-religious
communities as a third
space for extended family
• Ethno-religious
communities as
preservers and
transmitters of culture
• Desire for authentic,
other-worldly spirituality
* See Khyati Joshi, New Roots in America’s Sacred Ground, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006

49. Consuming Citizenship
15

50. Consuming Citizenship
• Lisa Sun-Hee Park, Consuming Citizenship: Children of
Asian Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Stanford University
Press, 2005)
15

51. Consuming Citizenship
• Lisa Sun-Hee Park, Consuming Citizenship: Children of
Asian Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Stanford University
Press, 2005)
• Why do “second generation Asian Americans feel
compelled to remind others of their legitimate existence
in the United States.”
15

52. Consuming Citizenship
• Lisa Sun-Hee Park, Consuming Citizenship: Children of
Asian Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Stanford University
Press, 2005)
• Why do “second generation Asian Americans feel
compelled to remind others of their legitimate existence
in the United States.”
• How they “exert social citizenship through consumption.”
15

53. Consuming Citizenship
• Lisa Sun-Hee Park, Consuming Citizenship: Children of
Asian Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Stanford University
Press, 2005)
• Why do “second generation Asian Americans feel
compelled to remind others of their legitimate existence
in the United States.”
• How they “exert social citizenship through consumption.”
• Tim: what are their attitudes towards “foreigners”?
15

54. Consuming Citizenship
• Lisa Sun-Hee Park, Consuming Citizenship: Children of
Asian Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Stanford University
Press, 2005)
• Why do “second generation Asian Americans feel
compelled to remind others of their legitimate existence
in the United States.”
• How they “exert social citizenship through consumption.”
• Tim: what are their attitudes towards “foreigners”?
• Tim: does immigrant church need to look more “middle-
class” and “multi-cultural American”?
15

55. Consuming Citizenship
• Lisa Sun-Hee Park, Consuming Citizenship: Children of
Asian Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Stanford University
Press, 2005)
• Why do “second generation Asian Americans feel
compelled to remind others of their legitimate existence
in the United States.”
• How they “exert social citizenship through consumption.”
• Tim: what are their attitudes towards “foreigners”?
• Tim: does immigrant church need to look more “middle-
class” and “multi-cultural American”?
• Tim: can they critique social system?
15

56. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
16

57. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
• Richard Petts and Anne Joliffe, quot;Race and Adolescent
Depression: The impact of race and genderquot; Review of
Religious Research (June 2008)
16

58. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
• Richard Petts and Anne Joliffe, quot;Race and Adolescent
Depression: The impact of race and genderquot; Review of
Religious Research (June 2008)
• quot;Most research has shown that religious participation ...
is good and can be very helpful for battling depression.
But our research has shown that this relationship does
not hold true in all instancesquot; Richard Petts
16

59. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
• Richard Petts and Anne Joliffe, quot;Race and Adolescent
Depression: The impact of race and genderquot; Review of
Religious Research (June 2008)
• quot;Most research has shown that religious participation ...
is good and can be very helpful for battling depression.
But our research has shown that this relationship does
not hold true in all instancesquot; Richard Petts
• Asian American adolescents who never attended church
reported 4 % fewer symptoms of depression in the
preceding week than did their African-American peers.
16

60. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
• Richard Petts and Anne Joliffe, quot;Race and Adolescent
Depression: The impact of race and genderquot; Review of
Religious Research (June 2008)
• quot;Most research has shown that religious participation ...
is good and can be very helpful for battling depression.
But our research has shown that this relationship does
not hold true in all instancesquot; Richard Petts
• Asian American adolescents who never attended church
reported 4 % fewer symptoms of depression in the
preceding week than did their African-American peers.
• Asian American youth who attended church at least once
a week reported 20 to 27% more symptoms of
depression than their white and African-American peers
who attended at the same level. 16

61. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
17

62. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
• In stark contrast to white and African-American
adolescents, Asian-American adolescents who never
attended services and Latinos attending at intermediate
levels were the least likely to be depressed within their
groups.
17

63. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
• In stark contrast to white and African-American
adolescents, Asian-American adolescents who never
attended services and Latinos attending at intermediate
levels were the least likely to be depressed within their
groups.
• quot;Asian and Latino youth who are highly involved in a
culturally distinct church may have a more difficult time
balancing the beliefs of their family and their traditional
culture with mainstream society. Their religious institution
is telling them what should be important in their lives and
how to behave, and mainstream society is saying
something else.quot; [especially among girls] - Richard Petts
17

64. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
18

65. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
• quot;religious participation is positively related to depression for
Asian adolescents (b = .596, p < .05), suggesting that
Asians who attend religious services more frequently may
experience cultural tension between traditional Asian culture
and mainstream American culture, resulting in higher
depression.quot; Petts and Joliffe, p. 14
18

66. Active Asian American Christian Teens
more depressed?
• quot;religious participation is positively related to depression for
Asian adolescents (b = .596, p < .05), suggesting that
Asians who attend religious services more frequently may
experience cultural tension between traditional Asian culture
and mainstream American culture, resulting in higher
depression.quot; Petts and Joliffe, p. 14
• quot;Many Asian groups adhere to cultural principles that stress
the importance of loyalty, hierarchy, and familial obligation
[...]. These traditional attitudes often conflict with those of
mainstream American society, which can create tension for
Asian adolescents and lead to lower well-being [...]. If Asian
youth attend religious services that reflect the traditionalism
of their culture, then religiosity may add to the cultural
tension, resulting in greater depression among Asians.quot;
18
Petts and Joliffe, p. 7.

67. Review of Religious Research
19

68. Review of Religious Research
• At higher levels of participation, Asian-American and
Latino adolescents had a harder time juggling which set
of ideals to adopt because they were more involved and
committed to their religion.
19

69. Review of Religious Research
• At higher levels of participation, Asian-American and
Latino adolescents had a harder time juggling which set
of ideals to adopt because they were more involved and
committed to their religion.
• Meanwhile, Asian-American adolescents who had lower
levels of involvement in church were able to focus more
on life without worrying about conflicting ideals, resulting
in lower depression. At lower levels of involvement,
adolescents still gained the social support of their
religious community while also feeling in touch with
mainstream society, Petts said.s
19

70. Review of Religious Research
20

71. Review of Religious Research
• But Latino teens who never attended church reported
high levels of depression as well, reporting 26 to 28 %
higher rate of depression symptoms than did white and
African-American American youth.
20

72. Review of Religious Research
• But Latino teens who never attended church reported
high levels of depression as well, reporting 26 to 28 %
higher rate of depression symptoms than did white and
African-American American youth.
• Religion is often an important part of social support for
these adolescents and no involvement in their religion
may leave these teens without a sense of connection to
their community and culture, he said.
20

73. Review of Religious Research
• But Latino teens who never attended church reported
high levels of depression as well, reporting 26 to 28 %
higher rate of depression symptoms than did white and
African-American American youth.
• Religion is often an important part of social support for
these adolescents and no involvement in their religion
may leave these teens without a sense of connection to
their community and culture, he said.
• quot;Participating to a certain extent may enable these youth
to balance their lives better. They have a connection with
a religious community and all the benefits it offers, but
they are not so immersed that they're out of touch with
mainstream society. So they're sort of getting the best of
both worlds,quot; Petts said. 20

74. Review of Religious Research
21

75. Review of Religious Research
• Sources:
21

76. Review of Religious Research
• Sources:
• Richard Petts and Anne Joliffe, quot;Race and Adolescent
Depression: The impact of race and genderquot; Review of
Religious Research (June 2008) http://
www.allacademic.com//meta/
p_mla_apa_research_citation/0/9/6/9/4/pages96940/
p96940-1.php
21

77. Review of Religious Research
• Sources:
• Richard Petts and Anne Joliffe, quot;Race and Adolescent
Depression: The impact of race and genderquot; Review of
Religious Research (June 2008) http://
www.allacademic.com//meta/
p_mla_apa_research_citation/0/9/6/9/4/pages96940/
p96940-1.php
• Ohio State University (2008, September 4). Participating
In Religion May Make Adolescents From Certain Races
More Depressed. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
2008/09/080903134209.htm
21

78. In Sum....
22

79. In Sum....
• There are certain trends in American society that make it
challenging for Asian American young adults to maintain
commitment to an ethnic congregation.
22

80. In Sum....
• There are certain trends in American society that make it
challenging for Asian American young adults to maintain
commitment to an ethnic congregation.
• There are different cultural expectations in each ethnic
community that either encourage or discourage Asian
American young adults in their commitments to an ethnic
congregation.
22

81. In Sum....
• There are certain trends in American society that make it
challenging for Asian American young adults to maintain
commitment to an ethnic congregation.
• There are different cultural expectations in each ethnic
community that either encourage or discourage Asian
American young adults in their commitments to an ethnic
congregation.
• There may be a mismatch between traditional theology
and the cultural contexts of Asian American young
adults.
22

82. In Sum....
• There are certain trends in American society that make it
challenging for Asian American young adults to maintain
commitment to an ethnic congregation.
• There are different cultural expectations in each ethnic
community that either encourage or discourage Asian
American young adults in their commitments to an ethnic
congregation.
• There may be a mismatch between traditional theology
and the cultural contexts of Asian American young
adults.
• There may be a lack of spiritual practice that helps
young adults. Most spiritualities are for teenagers.
22

83. Now for the...

84. Now for the...

85. Now for the...
• Watch for Asian
Pacific American
Religion Research
Initiative conference
aka APARRI
(Claremont
McKenna College in
Claremont, August
6-8, 2009)

86. Now for the...
• Watch for Asian
Pacific American
Religion Research
Initiative conference
aka APARRI
(Claremont
McKenna College in
Claremont, August
6-8, 2009)
• Contact Tim at:
timtseng@isaacweb.org