THE ADVANTAGES OF FAITH & TRADITIONAL VALUES FOR CHILDREN

1. THE ADVANTAGES OF FAITH & TRADITIONAL VALUES FOR CHILDREN By William Jeynes, Ph.D.

2. “Common Sense is not so common.” -Voltaire

3. HIGHLIGHTS OF META-ANALYSIS METHODS • Searched every major database • 252 studies • These studies has a total sample size of over 1.2 million subjects • Quality of Study Rating

4. THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTAL FAMILY STRUCTURE

5. Effect Sizes Without Sophisticated Controls All Types of Remarried Families -.28** Divorced Remarried Families -.25** Divorced Families -.30** *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001, ****p<.0001 Effect Sizes With Sophisticated Controls -.23** -.29** -.19* A META-ANALYSIS ON THE EFFECTS OF DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE ON ACADEMIIC ACHIEVEMENT

6. REGRESSION COEFFICIENTS WITHOUT CONTROLS FOR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS MARIJUANA CONSUMPTION .29**** COCAINE CONSUMPTION .15**** UNMARRIED PREGNANT TEEN .09* ATTITUDE ABOUT UNMARRIED PREGNANCY .18**** *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001, ****p<.0001 REGRESSION COEFFICIENTS WITH CONTROLS FOR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS .29**** .16**** .08* .18**** EFFECTS OF DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE ON ILLEGAL DRUG CONSUMPTION & SEXUAL ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORNELS DATA SET N=24,599

7. Under the Influence of Marijuana Math Achievement -.33**** Reading Achievement -.28**** Science Achievement -.31**** Social Studies Achievement -.28**** *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001, ****p<.0001 Under the Influence of Cocaine -.59**** -.71**** -.65**** -.71**** RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BEING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MARIJUANA & COCAINE & ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTNELS DATA SET N=24,599

8. META-ANALYSES FOR SEVEN MAIN FAMILY STRUCTURES FOR STANDARDIZED & NON-STANDARDIZD ACHIEVEMENT MEASURES • STANDADIZED MEASURES FOR CHILDREN FROM VARIOUS FAMILY STRUCTURES VERSUS CHILDREN FROM INTACT FAMILIES • Divorced Single -5.8%** • Divorced Remarried -6.7%** • Widowed Single -5.9%** • Widowed Remarried -12.4%** • Never Married Single -15.8%** • Cohabitation -11.5%** • Separated -11.2%* *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001, ****p<.0001 • NON-STANDADIZED MEASURES FOR CHILDREN FROM VARIOUS FAMILY STRUCTURES VERSUS CHILDREN FROM INTACT FAMILIES • -5.1%** • -5.9%** • -5.6%** • -11.8%** • -15.3%** • -11.2%** • -11.1%*

9. THE ROLE & KEY MANIFESTATIONS OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

10. A Meta Analysis on the Effects of Various Components of Parental Involvement (excluding Sophisticated Controls, e.g., for SES) Secondary School Level .88**** 32* 40* .14 NA .36* Elementary School Level Expectations .58* Communication .24**** Parental Style .35** Attendance/Participation .21* Reading .42**** PROGRAMS .31* *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001, ****p<.0001

11. PRIVATE RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS & THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

12. Effects for Attending Religious Schools versus Public Schools (in percentage score advantages) on the Academic Achievement of Twelfth Grade Youth by Race using the NELS Data Set African American & Latino Students Reading +8.2% Math +8.3% Social Studies +8.3% Science +6.0% Test Composite +8.3% Left Back +5.1% Basic Core +8.3% White Students +6.0% +6.0% +5.8% +4.2% +6.0% +3.7% +6.5%

13. Effects for Attending Religious Schools versus Public Schools (in percentage score advantages) on the Academic Achievement of Twelfth Grade Youth by Socioeconomic (SES) Quartile using the NELS Data Set Lowest SES Quartile 2nd Lowest Reading +7.6% +6.8% Math +7.0% +6.2% Social Studies +6.8% +5.8% Science +5.4% +4.0% Test Composite +7.8% +6.6% Left Back +5.8% +5.0% Basic Core +8.2% +6.6% 2nd Highest Highest Quartile Quartile +5.8% +5.2% +5.6% +5.0% +5.2% +4.6% +3.4% +3.2% +5.4% +4.8% +4.4% +3.8% +5.8% +5.2%

14. ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO DRAW FROM SOURCES OF STRENGTH, INCLUDING THEIR FAITH

15. Differences in Achievement When Highly Religious African American & Latino Students from Intact Families are Compared with White Students (without controlling for SES) Math -0.8% Reading -1.5% Science -3.6% Social Studies -1.5% Test Composite -1.3% Left Back +1.1% Basic Core +5.6% Differences in Achievement When Highly Religious African American & Latino Students from Intact Families are Compared with White Students (controlling for SES) Math +0.4% Reading -0.4% Science -2.4% Social Studies .00 Test Composite .00 Left Back +2.0% Basic Core +6.2% RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT & FAMILY STRUCTURE: THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP VANISHESFINDINGS FROM NELS 1992 STUDY (in standard deviation units) N =20,706

16. REGRESSION COEFFICIENTS FOR RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT WITHOUT CONTROLS FOR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS MATH ACHIEVEMENT .20**** READING ACHIEVEMENT .18**** SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT .14**** SOCIAL STUDIES ACH. .17**** *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001, ****p<.0001 REGRESSION COEFFICIENTS FOR RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT WITH CONTROLS FOR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS .12** .11** .05 .09* META-ANALYSISCHILDREN OF FAITH IN NON-INTACT FAMILY STRUCTURES

17. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONAL RE:OGIOUS FAITH & VAIOU MEASURES OF SUBSTANCE USE & ABUSENELDATA, N= 20, 70 REGRESSION COEFFICIENTS WITHOUT CONROLS FOR SES REGRESSION COEFFICIENTS WITH CONTROLS FOR SES -.44**** -.36**** -.13**** ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION -.46**** MARIJUANA CONSUMPTION -.39**** COCAINE CONSUMPTION -.13*** *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001, ****p<.0001

18. “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.” -Horace Mann

19. Contact Information: whjharvard@post.harvard.edu