Parent-Child Dynamics and Emerging Adult Religiosity: Attachment, Parental Beliefs, and Faith Support

Kathleen C. Leonard, Kaye V. Cook, Chris J. Boyatzis, Cynthia Neal Kimball, and Kelly S. Flanagan

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality · 2013 · Volume 5, Issue 1 · Pages 5–14

This study examines how parent-child attachment, perceived similarity to parents’ religious beliefs, and parental faith support relate to religiosity during emerging adulthood.

Transmission and Transaction: Predicting Adolescents’ Internalization of Parental Religious Values

Douglas L. Flor and Nancy Flanagan Knapp

Journal of Family Psychology · 2001 · Volume 15, Issue 4 · Pages 627–645

This study examines how parental religious behavior, parental expectations, and conversations about faith influence adolescents’ internalization of religious values.

Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation

Christian Smith and Amy Adamczyk

Oxford University Press · 2021

Drawing from interviews with religious parents and nationally representative surveys, this book examines how parents transmit religious beliefs, practices, and identities to their children.

Beyond Presence

How Fathers Shape Emotional Regulation and Resilience in Children

MindfulSpark

Parenting Psychology · September 23, 2025

This article examines how fathers influence children’s emotional regulation, resilience, attachment, and social development through emotional modeling, responsive play, secure relationships, empathy, and calm engagement during stressful moments.