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Searching for comfort in religion

Insecurity and religious behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy

Bibliographic Data

ID12657952
AuthorsF Molteni (0000-0002-5738-6464, University of Milan), Riccardo Ladini (0000-0003-2900-3814, University of Milan, corresponding author), Ferruccio Biolcati (0000-0001-6514-2526, University of Milan), Antonio M Chiesi (0000-0002-6178-3761, University of Milan), Giulia M Dotti Sani (0000-0001-8616-3078, University of Milan), Simona Guglielmi (0000-0002-8751-8472, University of Milan), Marco Maraffi (0000-0002-1955-7429, University of Milan), Andrea Pedrazzani (0000-0003-1262-2686, University of Milan), Paolo Segatti (0000-0003-1505-2519, University of Milan), Cristiano Vezzoni (0000-0002-3344-5140, University of Milan)
Year2020
Volume23
Issuesup1
PagesS704-S720
Publication date2020-10-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Societies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-6696 • E-ISSN: 1469-8307
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14616696.2020.1836383
OpenAlexW3097147955
LanguageEN
Citations received72
References cited33

The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the lives of many is indisputable. Among the possible strategies to cope with the feeling of insecurity that comes with this, religion can play a significant role. Using first-hand data from the ResPOnsE COVID-19 rolling cross-section survey, this article shows that Italian people who reported a COVID-19 contagion in their family reported also higher religiosity both in terms of attendance at religious services (via web, radio and tv) and prayer during the pandemic. The result holds primarily for those who received religious socialization during their childhood, and this reinforces the role of family transmission as a way to shape religious beliefs and behaviours and to provide individuals with religious coping strategies. These findings suggest that under dramatic circumstances a short-term religious revival is possible, even in contexts where the process of secularization is ongoing

Attendance · Church attendance · Coping (psychology · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Feeling · Pandemic · Political science · Prayer · Religiosity · Religious identity · Religious organization · Secularization · Socialization · Sociology · Clinical Psychology · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Medicine · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Religious studies · Social Psychology

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Unique citing works72
Citations per year12
Citation span2020 - 2026 (7)
Citation velocitycurrent
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Citation typesNeutral: 70
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