Negative Experiences in Childhood & Atheism In Adults: Full Report

The following is the full report produced in February of 2021 based on data from
the 2021 Childhood Experience and Religious Affiliation Survey.
While the formatting differs the words from the most recent PDF version remains the same.
To request a PDF version you are welcome to email me at Iannewton8888@gmail.com.

NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES IN CHILDHOOD & ATHEISM IN ADULTS 1

Negative Experiences in Childhood and Atheism in Adults
Ian T. Newton
Amateur Researcher

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Contents

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Data Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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Abstract
Are negative experiences in childhood factors for why people become atheists? This paper notes the significant correlations between divorce, paternal abandonment, maternal abandonment, paternal death and maternal death when one is a minor and the likelihood one is an atheist or non-atheist as an adult. The results of the 2021 Childhood Experience and Religious Affiliation survey, was analyzed within gender, citizenship, generational, educational and raised-affiliation groupings. The death of one’s father or mother was found to most notably correlate with atheism in adults.

Introduction
It has been speculated that negative experiences in one’s childhood can create a proclivity towards Atheism. This paper details findings related to D.A.D (Divorce, Abandonment and Death of one’s parent) and significant correlations related to identifying as an atheist as an adult.

Methodology
Using data collected with the Childhood Experience and Religious Affiliation Survey (n=3079) I segregated respondents into two groups: Group A (n=870) was comprised of atheists, and Group B (n=2209) was comprised of non-atheists*. I further segregated these two groups between Males and Females, North Americans, Anglo-Europeans, and Australian-Others, Younger and Older, Less-so Educated and More-so Educated, Raised Protestant, Raised Catholic and Raised Atheist. I looked for correlations within the various segregations.

The data tables are available at the end of this paper.

*: This included those who identified as Jews, Buddhists, and “Others”

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Limitations

This study has the following limitations:
In the survey three age-related options were given; “Yes, before I turned 6”, “Yes, between ages 7 and 12”, “Yes, between ages 13 and 18” and “Yes, after I turned 18” this likely would have left respondents who had a D.A.D experience at age 6 in an uncertain predicament.
Only 97 respondents were physically abandoned by their mothers.
Only 55 respondents had lost their mother.

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Terminology
Anglo-Europeans: Respondents who were citizens of the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and/or another European country.
Atheist: Someone who identified as being an atheist when asked “Which of the following categories best describes your current belief/lack of belief?” In Q20 of CERAS.
Australasian-Others: Respondents who were citizens of Australia, New Zealand and/or another non-European country.
CERAS: The Childhood Experience and Religious Affiliation Survey.
Difference: The percentage gap between two variables. For example: Among males 4.80% of atheists, and 4.39% of non-atheists had parents who divorced after they turned 18, so the difference is 8.92% towards the atheists.
The difference is shown in rounded brackets/Parentheses with the percentage difference within it. For example: “Anglo-Europeans, who were abandoned between ages 7 and 12 were significantly more likely to be atheists (145.45%).”
Group A: Those who identified as atheist.
Group B: Those who did not identify as atheist.
Less-so educated: Those who obtained less than a bachelor’s degree.
Lost: A reference to the death of one’s father or mother.
Maternally Abandoned: Those who responded in the affirmative to Q17: “Did your mother physically abandon you, and not return?”
Minor: Those who responded in the affirmative as being younger than 6, between 7 and 12 or 13 to 18. More-so educated: Those who had a Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate Degree.
N=: The amount of people in the beforementioned group.
North American: Respondents who were citizens of Canada and/or the United States.
Older: Respondents who were of Generation X, Baby Boomers, or the Silent Generation.
Paternally Abandoned: Those who responded in the affirmative to Q15: “Did your father physically abandon you, and not return?”
Q: A question within the Childhood Experience and Religious Affiliation Survey.
Significant: A difference of 30% or greater between two groups of comparison. (I.e Male atheists and Male non-atheists.)
Teenage: Ages between 13 to 18.
Younger: Respondents who were of Generation Z or Millennials.

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Results
Divorce

For relevant data tables see Tables 1.1 to 1.12.

20.34% of atheists and 22.95% of non-atheists had parents who divorced before age 18.
The divorce of one’s parents as a minor was not found to be correlated with atheism, with one significant exception:
A nationalized group, Australasian-Others, was significantly more likely (40.84%) to be atheists if their parents divorced in their teenage years compared to Non-atheists.

Divorce was more often significantly negatively correlated with atheism, when the divorce occurred before age 6 with: Anglo-Europeans (73.71%) More-so Educated (30.10%) Those raised Catholic (65.70%) and those raised atheists (48.05%)

As well as Males, when the divorce occurred between ages 7 to 12 (41.33%) Those raised Catholic between ages 7 to 12 (31.02%). And those raised atheists if the divorce occurred between ages 13-18 (33.37%). Overall, divorce did not consistently correlate or negatively correlate with atheism throughout the analysis divisions.

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Paternal Abandonment

For relevant data tables see Tables 2.1 to 2.12.

8.04% of atheists and 10.00% of non-atheists had been paternally abandoned as a minor. Being abandoned by one’s father is correlated with atheism but also negatively correlated with atheism among other groups; in neither was it universal across the Anglosphere.

Among those abandoned between ages 7 and 12: Anglo-Europeans (145.45%) Australasian-Others (60.00%) and those raised Catholic (64.45%) were significantly more likely to be atheists.

Negative correlations between atheism and abandonment occurred with a considerable number of groups:
Males (36.77%), and Females (38.33%), Anglo-Europeans (73.15%), Older individuals (36.78%), less-so educated (38.35%), more-so educated (34.10%) and those raised atheists (152.91%) were significantly less likely to be atheists after having been abandoned by their fathers before age 6.

North Americans (59.33%), those raised Protestant (124.27%) and those raised atheists (152.91%) when the abandonment occurred between ages 7 and 12 were significantly less likely to be atheists.

Anglo-Europeans (65.08%), Younger (71.72%), More-So Educated (34.34%) and those raised atheists (115.63%) were significantly less likely to be atheists when they had been abandoned as teenagers. It appears that when a father abandons his child before they turn six, that child will be less likely to be an atheist, however should the father abandon them when they are between 7 and 12 they may be more likely to become atheists.

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Maternal Abandonment

For relevant data tables see Tables 3.1 to 3.12.

2.87% of atheists and 3.25% of non-atheists were maternally abandoned.
Being abandoned by one’s mother was sometimes correlated with atheism:
Anglo-Europeans (116.66%) and those raised Catholic (41.55%) were significantly more likely to be atheists if their mother had abandoned them before age 6.
Females were significantly more likely (56.14%) to be atheists if their mothers had abandoned them between ages 7 and 12.
Australasian-Others were significantly more likely (47.32%) to be atheists if their mothers had abandoned them between ages 13 and 18.

Usually, it was found to negatively correlate with atheism:

Australasian-Others (42.71%), Younger (106.32%), More-so Educated (30.55%), those raised Protestant (78.54%) and those raised atheist (60.93%) who were abandoned by their mothers before
age 6 were significantly less likely to be atheists.

Males (131.25%), Younger (35.95%) and those raised atheists (60.93%) who were abandoned by their mothers between 7 and 12 were significantly less likely to be atheists.

Females (51.02%), Older (51.93%), More-So Educated (39.47%) and those raised Catholic (65.21%), who were abandoned by their mothers between ages 13 and 18, were significantly less likely to be atheists.

Generally, rather than a mother abandoning her child leading to atheism, it is more common that people in the Anglosphere to continue to or begin to religiously affiliate.

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Paternal Death

For relevant data tables see Tables 4.1 to 4.12.

5.7% of atheists and 4.3% of non-atheists had lost their father as a minor.
No greater correlation was found with atheism, using D.A.D, than the death of one’s father as a minor.

Both Males (36.29%) and Females (45.37%), North Americans (31.37%), Anglo-Europeans (24.26%) and Australasians-Others (47.90%) Older individuals (57.47%), those raised Catholic (136.43%) and those raised atheist (N/A) who were lost their fathers before age 6, were significantly more likely to be atheists.

However, positive correlations change based on the age-range of when the death of the father occurred. Females (28.87%), Anglo-Europeans (76.38%), Older (8.04%), Less-so Educated (11.65%), and those raised Protestant (7.95%) whose father died between ages 7 and 12 were significantly more likely to be atheists.

Males (67.20%), North Americans (47.12%), Australasian-Others (73.68%), Younger (69.11%), Older (19.63%), Less-so Educated (104.27%), and those raised Catholic (10.81%) whose father died when they were between 13 and 18 were significantly more likely to be atheists.

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Rarely, there were negative correlations between paternal death and atheism in early childhood.
Only those who were More-so educated (84.71%) and those raised Protestant (N/A), were comparatively less likely to be atheists having lost their father before age 6.
However, losing one’s father in later childhood negatively correlated with atheism frequently:
Males (48.61%),
North Americans (24.00%), Australasian-Others (32.47%),
Younger (22.89%),
More-So Educated (71.29%),
Those raised Catholic (9.23%) and those raised atheists (115.63%) who lost their fathers between
ages 7 and 12 were significantly less likely to be atheists.

Only a few groups were significantly less likely to be an atheist if their fathers had died as teenagers. The More-so educated (34.34%) and those raised Protestant (59.54%) having lost their father between 13 and 18 were significantly less likely to be atheists.

Losing one’s father either as a young child or as a teenager can then be said to correlate with atheism.

It is also appeared that someone being more-so educated (having a Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate degree) is less likely to be an atheist after their father passes away.

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Maternal Death

For relevant data tables see Tables 5.1 to 5.12.

2.18% of atheists and 1.62% of non-atheists had lost their mother as a minor. The correlations between the death of one’s mother and atheism differ significantly from those where the father had passed away.

Males (66.66%), North Americans (10.71%), Anglo-Europeans (61.53%), Younger (58.40%) and those Lower Educated (48.34%) who lost their mother between ages 7 and 12 were significantly more likely to be atheists.

Females (107.69%), North Americans (56.52%), Australian-Others (83.72%), Younger (26.35%), Older (60.19%), Less-so Educated (15.38%), Higher-Educated (100%), and those Raised Catholic (154.28%) whose mothers passed away between ages 13 and 18 were significantly more likely to be atheists.

The death of one’s mother at a younger age also correlates negatively with atheism.

Males (60.31%), Younger (40.86%), and the More-so educated (68.85%) who lost their mothers
before age 6 were significantly less likely to be atheists.

The More-so educated (49.05%), and those raised Catholic (48.78%) who lost their mothers between
7 and 12 were significantly less likely to be atheists.

No group was significantly less likely to be an atheist after having lost their mother as a teenager. Generally, losing one’s mother as a teenager positively correlates with atheism.

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Conclusion

As an explanatory device to explain why people become atheists in the Anglosphere, D.A.D is mostly weak and non-general. Whether or not one’s parents divorced, or if he or she was permanently abandoned as a a minor appears to have very little to due with if whether or not he or she becomes an atheist. Rather, it is the death of a parent as a minor that can be most reliability correlated with someone becoming an atheist. This, I suggest should be included in any study to determine causal factors of atheism.

I am not claiming that the death of the father is a very common among atheists; only 5.74% of atheists had lost their father as a minor, and this percentage is lower among those atheists whose mother died: 2.18%. Still, it is more common for those who lost a parent growing up to be an atheist. Regarding the death of a father, because it is correlated with atheism when it occurs before age 6 and as a teenager but is reduced when it occurs as an older child, an issue exists.

One explanation is that cognitively, it is difficult for a person to believe in God’s existence when something so painful is seen to have come about so young. If the father had abandoned them; one could think “My father was bad, therefore he abandoned me.” However, in the case that the father dies there may a sense of unusual tragedy about the matter; “How, when I was so young and in need of a father could he gave died, and the Good God be existent?” However, if it is explained by rationalization; why then, does atheism not reliability come about when the father’s death occur between 7 and 12? Views may differ culturally between losing a dad at 3 and 18; but do they differ between how one views God’s existence between a 3-year old losing their father and a 10-year old having the same lose?

Another explanation is that, developmentally, the felt tragedy of the death of a father changes the mind in some way to the effect that adherence to a religious belief system less likely. One question I have with this suggestion is “why it would not have been the case, among those permanently physically abandoned by their fathers as well?” (The abandonment by a father was negatively correlated with atheism, especially if the abandonment took place before age six.)

I strongly suggest, based on the data of CERAS, that it is not the absence of the father in the teenage years that creates proclivity, but rather the tragedy of his death. The death of the father when one is a teenager is more reliability linked to atheism than the death of a mother among males.

Males did not appear more likely to be atheists after having lost their mothers as teenagers, while Females did. However, the number of people who had lost their mothers as teenagers was quite low: 24.

A study wherein 200 respondents had mother’s who passed away, 200 had a father who passed away and 200 where neither the father nor mother had passed away before age 18 may aid our understanding as to how the death of a father or mother, being a son or being a daughter relates to belief
in God’s existence.

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Data Tables

Group A contains those who identified as atheist at the time of the survey.
Group B contains those who did not identify as atheist at the time of the survey.
(Group B includes Jews, Buddhists and “Others”.)
Bolded numbers indicate the highest percentage horizontally (excluding the responses of “No” and
“I’m not sure”) where the difference is 30% or higher between the two.

Divorce