Religious orientation and child abuse potential : underlying cognitive processes of religiosity

Despite religion being implicated in perpetuating child abuse, little research exists exploring this relationship. Conflicting findings in this literature may be accounted for by cognitive factors or differences in religious orientation. The following study investigated the relationship among religious orientation, social conformity, and child abuse potential. Individuals with an extrinsic orientation were predicted to display increased physical child abuse potential, mediated by social conformity. Two hundred and thirteen participants were solicited from various Christian churches in the Salt Lake City area and were assessed on their religious orientation (religion as an end/intrinsic and religion as a means/extrinsic), social conformity, and child abuse potential. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze results supporting that the relationship between religion as an end, or intrinsic religiousness, to child abuse potential was fully mediated via social conformity, whereas, religion as a means, or extrinsic religiousness, independently related to child abuse potential. This indicates that those who pursue religion for more external or superficial reasons, rather than for more internalized reasons, appear to be more at risk for perpetuating physical child abuse. Results also indicated that those who endorse a literal interpretation of the Bible compared to those who do not are more likely to have a higher child abuse potential.