Item Detail
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27495
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0
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0
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English
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The LDS returned missionary : religious activity and post-mission adjustment
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Provo, UT
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Brigham Young University
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190
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Ph.D. Dissertation
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This study examined the post-mission life of LDS returned missionaries. This was accomplished by (1) describing the current education, socioeconomic status, family life, and religiosity of returned missionaries, (2) comparing the religious behavior and marital status of returned missionaries now to those studied over twenty years ago by Madsen (1977), and (3) using structural equation modeling to assess the relationship that certain life course factors have on private religiosity in adulthood.
In spring of 1999, data were collected via a mail survey from a random sample of 4,883 returned missionaries (3,081 men and 1,802 women) from the United States. Standard mail survey procedures produced a response rate of 73 percent.
Results show that returned missionaries are doing relatively well in their educational attainments, socioeconomic status, and family life pursuits. Religiosity of returned missionaries is also strong as 87 percent of returned missionaries attend sacrament meeting almost every week, 48 percent read their scriptures at least a few times a week, 79 percent pray at least a few times a week, 87 percent hold a current temple recommend, 90 percent are full-tithe payers, and 97 percent keep the Word of Wisdom. Additionally, 39 percent hold family scripture study at least a few times a week, 73 percent have family prayer at least a few times a week, and 55 percent hold family home evening at least 2 or 3 times a month.
A twenty year comparison shows that returned missionaries today are lower in some private religious behaviors, yet higher in certain public religious behaviors than those studied twenty years ago. Finally, results from SEM analysis found that private religiosity during early post-mission is the most significant factor predicting private religiosity in adulthood for both men and women. Other direct influences found among men and women are pre-mission private religiosity and family religiosity, relationships with mission companions and the mission president, and abstaining from R-rated media during pre-mission and early post-mission. Precautions accompany these findings because of certain limitations of the study.