Religiosity and Positive Religious Coping as Predictors of Indonesian Muslim Adolescents' Externalizing Behavior and Loneliness

Loneliness and antisocial behavior were predicted from religiosity and positive religious coping in this 1-year longitudinal study of 564 16-year-old Indonesian Muslim adolescents. An externalizing behavior construct was formed from 3 variables (i.e., self-reported tobacco and alcohol use, self-reported problem behavior, and peer-rated aggression). Loneliness was self-reported. Externalizing behavior was significantly predicted by religiosity in concurrent analyses and marginally predicted by religiosity in the longitudinal analyses. In contrast, positive religious coping predicted loneliness both concurrently and longitudinally. These results are consistent with the view that Islam religiousness is multifaceted and that specific aspects of Islamic religiousness are differentially associated with youth adjustment.

Automated summary

This study found that religiosity and positive religious coping were related to loneliness and externalizing behavior in Indonesian Muslim adolescents. Religiosity significantly predicted externalizing behavior in concurrent analyses and marginally predicted it in longitudinal analyses. In contrast, positive religious coping predicted loneliness both concurrently and longitudinally.