Religious development in adolescence through the lens of the developmental psychology of religion: Educational implications

Preface to the Second Edition. From the Preface to the First Edition. 1. Religion in Psychological Perspective. The Prevalence and Scope of Religion. Religion in Action. Psychological Questions about Religion. What is Religion? Religion as Reconnection. Personal and Social Religion. Religious Function and Religious Content. The Variety of Religious Behaviors. How do Psychologists Handle the Problem of Defining Religion? Dimensions of Religious Commitment: Logical and Descriptive. Religious Belief (The Ideological Dimension). Religious Practice (The Ritualistic Dimension). Religious Feeling (The Experiential Dimension). Religious Knowledge (The Intellectual Dimension). Religious Effects (The Consequential Dimension). The Dimensions in Combination. Status and Utility of the Multidimensional Schema. Psychological Approaches to Religion. Complementary Viewpoints within Psychology. Where do we Look for the Processes Underlying Religiousness? Relevance of the Possible Bases of Religion. Is the Psychology of Religion Valid? Is Religion Unique? Implications of the Various Positions. Approach and Plan of the Book. Orientations. Limitations. Organization. 2. Historical and Theoretical Developments. The Early Period: An Impressive Start. Starbuck and the Either-Or Philosophy. James. The Middle Period: Factors Contributing to the Decline. Theoretical Interlude. Classical Theories and Their Questions. Some Stimuli to Current Research. The Contemporary Period: The Reemergence of the Field. Indicators of the Trend. Is Psychology of Religion Influencing General Psychology? Reasons for the Trend. 3. Research in the Psychology of Religion. Philosophy of Science for Psychology of Religion. Tensions Between Psychology and Religion. The Nature of Psychological Science. Multiple Accounts of Religious Behavior. Influence of the Post-Modernism Movement. The Role Psychology Can Fulfill. Methods of Researching Religion. Strategies and Methods. Measuring Religion. 4. Religious Development in Children. Psychological Research on Religious Development. The Nature of Childhood Religion. Perception, Language, and the Meaning of Symbols: Cognitive Mechanisms. Family, Social Context, and Personal Needs: Social Learning and Attachment Processes. Cognitive Factors in Moral Development. Piaget's 2 Stages of Moral Reasoning. Piaget's 3 Stages of Cognitive Development. Kohlberg's 6 Stages of Moral Judgment. Stages of Religious Development. Elkind's Stage Theory. Research on Religious Stages. Religious Stages in Prayer. Research Possibilities and Questions. 5. Religious Development Through the Lifespan: Adolescence and Adulthood. Religion in Adolescence. How Religious are Adolescents? Global Measures of Religiousness. Doubt. Secret Doubt and Hidden Observers. Models of Lifespan Religious Development. Development of Religious Judgment: The Double Helix Model. Stages of Faith Development. Sequence of Motives: Religion as Used, Lived, and a Quest. Are Stage Models Valid?: An Assessment. Psychological Processes Prompting Adolescent Religious Development. Paradox. Cognitive, Social, and Personal Factors. Religion and Spirituality in Adulthood and Old Age. How Religious are Adults and the Aged? Baseline Data on Religion and Spirituality. Age-Trajectory Data. Spirituality and Functional Religious Development. Research Possibilities and Questions. 6. Religious Conversion and Persuasion. Prevalence and Definition of Conversion. Popular Opinion. The Prevalence of Conversion. The Definition Issue. Conversion Processes. Sudden and Gradual Conversion. Conversion Process Models. Lofland and Stark's Step Model of Conversion. Motives are Important: Glock's Expansion of Sect-Church Theory. The Relief Effect and Group Processes. The Conversion-as-Creativity Analogy. A Systemic Stage Model. Choice and the Cause of Conversion. Psychological Issues in Conversion. Religion as Crutch. Role of Emotions. The Convertible-Type Issue. The Ripe-Age Issue. Conversion as Attitude Change. Some Current Issues Pertaining to Cults. What is Cultic? Snapping and Brainwashing. Research Possibilities and Questions. 7. Religion and Experience. Relations between Religion and Experience. Experience: The Bottom Line. Ordinary and Extraordinary Experience. Experiential Responses to Religion. Phenomenological Descriptions of Becoming Religious. Conversion, Values, and Purpose in Life. Religious and Mystical Experience. The Common Core Thesis and the Problem of Language. Theories of Religious Experience. What Facilitates Religious Experience? Research Possibilities and Questions. 8. Religious Orientation, Attitudes, and Behavior. Religion and Morally Relevant Attitudes. Living One's Religion vs. Using It. Religious Orientation and Prejudice. Religious Orientation and Subjective Experience. Tentative Conclusions about the Intrinsic-Extrinsic Constructs. Religion and Social Behavior. The Good Samaritan Experiment: Evidence for Situational Factors in Helping. The Rescuers: Evidence for Personal factors in Helping. Religion and Negative Behavior. Does Religion Predict Significant Moral Behavior? Re-Evaluating the I-E Research: Quest and Fundamentalism. Religion-as-Quest. Has I-E Outlived Its Usefulness? Authoritarianism and Fundamentalism. Research Possibilities and Questions. 9. Religion, Health, and Well-Being. Impressions of Religion and Psychopathology. Religious Material in Psychic Disturbance. Relativity of Mental Health. Religion and Normal Personality. Early Childhood Factors. Authoritarianism and Dogmatism. Suggestibility and Hypnotizability. Intelligence and Achievement. Summary. Religion, Mental and Physical Health, Abnormality, and Well-Being. Religion and Mental Health. Physical Health. Fear of Death. Spiritual Well-Being. Counseling. What Conclusions Can be Drawn? Research Possibilities and Questions. 10. Evaluation and New Directions. General Evaluation. Areas and Issues. Cross-Topic Themes. Directions for Development. References. Name Index. Subject Index.

Developmental religious education is an educational activity shaped within the framework of developments in the fields of psychology and educational sciences. In our study, developments and theories in the field of psychology and pedagogy in the historical process are presented through the leading figures in this field. Studies in these areas have been adapted to religious development and religious education. In this context, in our study, the methodology, principles and problems of religious education studies, which are based on the data of studies in psychology and educational sciences, were examined. As a method, our study first examined the basic views of the people who developed theories in general development, and then the religious development and religious education theories developed on the basis of these. Our study is based on literature and document review. The primary sources related to the subject were examined and their effects on religious education were evaluated together with different field studies. As a result, it has been seen that religious education should be considered together with developmental theories and should be programmed within the framework of scientific criteria. It is clear that such a religious education activity will have positive contributions in many aspects. However, it should be noted that limiting the subject of religious development and education to purely scientific criteria is faced with the problem of neglecting important components of religious education such as spirituality and holiness.

We explore the possibility that a priori philosophical commitments continue to result in a narrowing of inquiry in moral psychology and education where theistic worldviews are concerned. Drawing from the theories of Edward L. Thorndike and John Dewey, we examine naturalistic philosophical commitments that influenced the study of moral psychology and moral education in the USA. We then address the question of whether these foundational naturalistic commitments can be rendered as compatible with theistic commitments, using both modernist and postmodern philosophical approaches that might be viewed as attempts at compatibility. Arguing that these attempts at compatibility fail, we draw from contemporary approaches to moral psychology and education in order to illustrate how naturalistic commitments might prevent these approaches from adequately addressing theistic understandings and experiences of morality.

Gelişimsel çalışmalar özellikle geçen yüzyılın ikinci yarısından itibaren eğitim ve psikoloji çalışmalarına yön vermiştir. Bu çalışmaların temeli bireyin yaşam döngüsünün farklı dönemlerinde belirli, birbirini takip eden değişmez aşamaların varlığı varsayımına dayanmaktadır. Buna göre her birey bu aşamalardan aynı sırayla geçmekte, bireysel farklılıklar olmakla birlikte söz konusu aşamalar yapısal olarak benzerlik arz etmektedir. Özellikle Piaget’nin yarı klinik yönteme dayanan araştırmaları bu alandaki çalışmaların çerçevesini önemli ölçüde belirlemiştir. Piaget’nin varsayımlarının bir kısmı bugün tartışılsa da onun getirmiş olduğu anlayış bu alandaki önemini korumaya devam etmektedir. Gelişimsel çalışmalar eğitim ve psikoloji alanındaki etkisine paralel olarak dinî gelişim alanında da benimsenen ve uygulanan bir temel oluşturmuştur. Dini gelişim alanındaki en önemli çalışmalar yirminci yüzyılın ikinci yarısında özellikle Ronald Goldman, David Elkind, James Fowler ve Fritz Oser tarafından yapılmıştır. Bu araştırmacılar çalışmalarını esas olarak Piagetçi bir çerçeveye dayalı olarak şekillendirmiştir. Bu araştırmalar içerisinde özellikle Elkind’in çalışmaları Piagetçi anlayışı hem yöntem hem de yaklaşım olarak en iyi yansıtan örnekleri içermektedir. Elkind çocukluktan gençliğe kadarki yaşam sürecindeki bireyin dini düşünce ve anlayışını şekillendiren unsurları detaylı olarak ele almıştır. Bu araştırmalarda en fazla üzerinde durduğu kavramların başında dua ve dini deneyimler gelmektedir. Elkind çalışmalarında kullanmış olduğu yarı klinik yöntem ile Piagetçi çizgiye daha da yaklaşmıştır. Bu yöntemi farklı dini aidiyetlere sahip (Protestan, Katolik, Yahudi) bireylere uygulayarak aynı zamanda karşılaştırmalı bazı veriler elde etmiş olan Elkind, teolojik önyargılardan uzak bir araştırma anlayışı ortaya koymuştur. Bütün bu çalışmalarında Elkind, yaşa bağlı bazı benzerlikler bulmuş ve bunları belli dönemlere ayırmıştır. Her bir aşamanın bir arayışa denk geldiği dört dini gelişim aşaması bulmuştur: korunma/himaye arayışı, temsil arayışı, ilişki arayışı ve anlam (idrak) arayışı. Elkind’in en önemli odak noktalarından biri de ergen dinî gelişim alanıdır. Ergenlik dönemi dinî gelişimini anlam arayışı ile ifade eden Elkind, insanların bütüncül anlam arayışına meydan okuyan durumlar söz konusu olduğunda ona yardım eden dinlerin, bu konuda insanlara bazı çözümler sunduğunu belirtmektedir. Dinî gelişim alanından bağımsız olarak ele aldığı ergen benmerkezciliği çalışmaları zamanla dini gelişim konusunda da belli bir anlayışa doğru gelişim göstermiştir. O ergen gelişim çizgilerinin benzerlerini dinî gelişim alanına da uyarlamıştır. Dini gelişim alanında önemli çalışmaları olan David Elkind, dini gelişimin özellikle ergenlik dönemini detaylı olarak ele almıştır. Ergenlik dönemi Piaget’nin soyut işlemler dönemine denk gelmektedir. Elkind’e göre soyut düşünme kapasitesinin gelişimiyle birlikte ergenlik dönemi dini gelişiminde ortaya çıkan en önemli ihtiyaç anlam arayışıdır. Ergenlik dönemi hayatın her alanında olduğu gibi din alanında da bir anlam arayışına işaret eder. Elkind’in çalışmalarında dini gelişim, kendine has karakterine rağmen gelişimin diğer alanlarıyla benzerlik arz etmektedir. Elkind’in, çeşitli deneysel çalışmalarla desteklenen araştırma anlayışı, ergenlik dönemi dini gelişimini doğru anlamak ve din eğitimi uygulamalarına ilham vermek açısından önemli veriler sağlamaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı Elkind’in dini gelişim alanına yaptığı katkıyı, birinci elden kaynaklardan yararlanarak ortaya koymaktır. Dini gelişim alanında yapılan diğer çalışmalara da kısaca değinilecektir. Çalışma literatür tarama yöntemiyle gerçekleştirilmiştir.

This paper focuses on the relationship between religious education and paranormal beliefs. In addition, the level of reaching the general goals of the religious lesson and the paranormal belief levels of high school students is examined in the research. From the beginning of humanity to the present, many different forms of belief have emerged. Some of these beliefs are religious beliefs. Others, although not fully expressed as religious beliefs, cannot be considered apart from religion. It is important to examine the relationship between these beliefs, which are defined as paranormal beliefs, and religious education. This study, which was carried out in 2021 with the quantitative research method, was applied in Şanlıurfa. In this study, the Paranormal belief scale developed by Tobacyk and the Scale of the level of achievement of general purposes of religious lessons developed by Çakmak and Ay were used. 444 students participated in the study. According to the results of the research, it was determined that the religious paranormal beliefs of the students were high, and the non-religious paranormal beliefs were low. It has been observed that there is a positive relationship between religious education and students' religious paranormal beliefs. Accordingly, it is possible to say that the religious paranormal belief levels of students receiving religious education have also increased. Considering the students' interest in paranormal phenomena, these subjects can be included more in religious education programs. In this way, it can be ensured that students obtain more accurate information about irrational and unrealistic beliefs.

This study investigates the hidden influences and catalysts of Religious and Moral Education (RME) within co-curricular activities in Ghanaian basic schools. The importance of RME in Ghana’s educational system is undeniable, yet the issues of immoral behaviour among students persist, raising concerns about the efficacy of current educational methods. While formal classroom instruction is crucial, the impact of co-curricular activities on moral and religious development is less understood. This study uses a descriptive survey design to explore the practical factors that influence RME through co-curricular activities. Data were collected from 104 participants, including parents, teachers, and students from the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality. Findings indicate that co-curricular activities, such as community service, sports, debates, and cultural events, are essential for moral and religious growth. The study highlights the benefits of co-curricular activities, including the development of empathy, tolerance, leadership skills, and ethical decision-making. Despite these benefits, challenges such as limited resources, inadequate logistic support, and stakeholder disinterest hinder effective implementation. Parents feel excluded and desire more involvement and communication from schools. Teachers emphasize the value of these activities for reinforcing social and cultural values. The study concludes that integrating co-curricular activities into the curriculum is essential for fostering moral and religious development. These insights aim to guide policymakers and educators in improving RME programmes in Ghanaian basic schools, holistic growth of students. This study contributes to scholarship by highlighting the significant role of co-curricular activities in moral and religious education and suggesting practical improvements for educational policy and practice. Keywords: Co-curricular, Ghanaian Basic Schools, Religious and Moral Education, Holistic Growth, Students, Moral and Ethical Values

The purpose of this study is to find out the social and religious development in early and middle adolescence. Socio-moral development in adolescents along with the physical and psychological development of adolescents, there are several aspects, namely the growth of mind and mentality, this is characterised by the existence of good-bad values, right-wrong, morals, and rules that must be obeyed in adolescents towards religious teachings. This research is a type of library research. Researchers utilised magazines and websites related to the title studied in addition to books. A qualitative approach based on observable events and scientific reasoning was also used by the researcher. The results of the research on social, moral and religious attitudes at NU Darut Muttaqin Junior High School are not too bad because it is in a boarding school environment but basically the junior high school phase tries to demand efforts to leave childish attitudes and behaviour, as well as efforts to achieve the ability to behave and behave maturely. So that it takes a direction and upbringing both spiritually religious, social and moral in order to get through these transitional periods well physically and psychologically so that they can overcome and apply these changes in everyday life.

This paper aims to discuss the possibility of Juxtaposition of critical thinking and religious experience, as an approach for religious education, and introduce its educational outcomes. A deductive research method has been used to theoretically discuss the possibility of combination of these two concepts in religious education and its results. Religious education of Iranian educational system suffers from some deficiencies which have affected religious and spiritual development of the learners. Some of the major problems identified in the current study are: fallaciously assuming knowledge about religion as religious belief, neglecting critical thinking, intuition and interaction in the process of teaching, applying behavioral approaches to religious education and using quantitative methods of evaluation. The existing approaches have failed to establish religious identity in learners; moreover it has also led to some sort of disinterest among students when it comes to religion and religious education. It is expected that the juxtaposition of critical thinking and religious experience can turn the process of religious education into a dialectical pursuit of truth for learners, within which there is no contradiction between reasoning and religious education. This juxtaposition can lead to meaningful, interactive, research-based and active learning. It can also help students achieve religious identity, religious tolerance, self-actualization, immunity against indoctrination, destructive propaganda and even psychedelics.

The question how (denominational) schools for secondary education influence the religious identity development of adolescents is central in this article. Quantitative empirical research focusing on the religious commitments and explorations (as indicators of religious identity development) of adolescents and on the relationship between these indicators and several contextual variables was carried out. The results show that many factors have an effect on pupils’ religious identity and that this effect is different with regard to exploration and commitment. All in all there seems to be only a small relationship between the way the field of religious education is shaped in secondary education and the (actual) religious explorations and commitments of pupils. There is a much more direct relationship between pupils’ religious explorations and commitments and their religious background, world view orientations and value orientations. However, pupils’ perceptions of religious education at school also play a role.

Today, homogeneous family structures are increasingly being replaced by heterogeneous family structures formed by individuals from different beliefs, understandings, or cultures. One of such heterogeneous marriages in Turkey is Alevi - Sunni marriages, which are more common with the urbanization process. Although it is possible to say that Alevis and Sunnis who have married share common beliefs in many respects, it is also a fact that they have some religious understanding and cultural differences. It is necessary to investigate the effects of these differences on the religious development and education of the children born from these marriages. In this study, which was prepared as a master’s thesis at the Social Sciences Institute of Ondokuz Mayıs University in 2013, parental views on children’s religious education in such marriages were examined. The research aims to examine the views/attitudes of parents regarding the religious education of children born in such marriages. The research was structured in the phenomenology pattern, which is one of the qualitative research methods. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 32 spouses from 21 families residing in Malatya who had this type of marriage. The content analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. Some of the important results of the research are as follows: While some of the interviewed couples consider religious education necessary with a holistic approach, emphasizing the belief, worship, and moral aspects of religion, others consider religious education necessary by considering only the moral dimension of religion. The majority of the interviewed spouses want their children to receive religious education so that they have the right knowledge about religion. Parents or experts are usually specified as to who should provide religious education. It is understood that the interviewed spouses did not talk to each other about the religious education of their children before they got married. The majority of the interviewed spouses consider themselves sufficient to answer questions about the religion their children lead. In the majority of the family environment of interviewed spouses, religious activities such as visiting to mosque or cemevi, attending to any religious rituals, and promoting reading religious books are not enough. It is understood that there is no any denominational pressure on children, and the wishes of the child to acquire religious knowledge are not turned down in the majority of family environments. Since children who grow up in such families may be directly or indirectly affected by different sectarian cultures, it would be beneficial to provide support to the candidates who will get married before marriage and their immediate environment to raise awareness about this situation.

What does “spirituality” look like in a child? Does religion make a genuine difference in the lives of children and youth? How do we measure spiritual and religious development in children and adolescents? How can we characterize religious and spiritual development in its processes, sequences, and stages? These are a few daunting challenges facing our field, and I will address them here (to varying degrees of thoroughness). I first examine the historical neglect and recent attention regarding spirituality and religion and childhood and adolescence. Second, I explore definitional challenges inherent in this field. I then offer a selective review of very recent research literature that illuminates key issues in three emphases in the field: children’s religious concepts, social dynamics that influence religiosity and spirituality, and religion’s role in adolescent wellbeing and thriving. In addition, I problematize some assumptions about religious and spiritual development by challenging their implicit foundations derived from developmental theory.

Approximately 50% of patients do not adhere to medical therapy. Religious and spiritual factors may play an important role in determining medication compliance in mental illness. The aim of this paper is to review published evidence documenting a relationship between religion/spirituality (R/S) and treatment adherence in mental illness, in particular in schizophrenia, depression and substance abuse. This review summarizes, categorizes and defines the role of religious beliefs as a factor improving medication compliance in mental illness. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies were eligible for the review if they were published in December 2015 or earlier, analyzed the effects of religious beliefs or spirituality on medication compliance, or adherence to other therapeutic interventions in mental illness. The vast majority of published studies analyzed the effects of religion on medication compliance in schizophrenia and addiction. In schizophrenia patients, religious beliefs turned out to be a predictor of worse treatment adherence. However, spiritual orientation was shown to play an important role in the recovery from addiction, and to improve adherence in patients with this condition. Furthermore, better treatment adherence was observed in more religious patients diagnosed with depression. While religious beliefs and spirituality may represent an important source of hope and meaning, they often interfere with treatment adherence. Therefore, psychiatrists should consider religious and spiritual beliefs of their patients, and verify if and to what extent they improve their medication compliance.

Using a sample of 407 families living in rural areas of North Central Iowa, this study examines religious transmission between same-sex and cross-sex parent-child groups. The analyses focus on the mechanisms through which adolescents' perceptions of parental acceptance moderate the transmission of religious beliefs and practices. Results show that both fathers and mothers played important roles in transmitting religious beliefs and practices to their sons and daughters. Mothers' influence was stronger than fathers' when the adolescents perceived the parent as accepting. This effect was especially strong for sons. During the past two decades, evidence has accumulated showing that religion is significant in adolescent development. The family is the primary agent of religious socialization (Hyde, 1990), and virtually all research has identified parents as the most important source of religious influence (Aldous, 1983; Ozorak, 1989). The research literature indicates that intergenerational transmission of religious beliefs and practices occurs through modeling of parents' behaviors and beliefs (Cornwall, 1988; Dudley & Dudley, 1986; Willits & Crider, 1989) and reinforcing supportive parent-child relationships (Hunsberger, 1983; Kirkpatrick & Shaver, 1990). RELIGIOUS TRANSMISSION Social learning theory holds that much of what a child learns is based on day-to-day observation of attitudes and behavior performed by significant others who serve as role models. In their research on imitation and modeling processes, Bandura and his associates (Bandura & Kupers, 1964; Bandura & McDonald, 1963; Bandura, Ross, & Ross, 1961) identified parental models central to the development of children's personalities. Regular association and interaction with parents repeatedly give children opportunities to observe and imitate their parents in many day-to-day activities. Such observational learning may lead children to share their parents' values, attitudes, and behaviors. Grusec and Kuczynski (1997) argued that parents are the most crucial influence on children's acquisition of values because of their unique position in the lives of their children. Childrearing puts parents in the strongest position to develop positive relationships with their children and to monitor and understand their children. Religiosity or religiousness refers to the importance of religion in a person's life. It has multiple dimensions, including beliefs and practices (Glock & Stark, 1965; Weigert & Thomas, 1969), which represent attitudes and behaviors in social learning theory. In his framework for intergenerational learning, Cornwall (1988) explained that religiosity is a behavior that a person learns from those around him or her. Because parents' religious beliefs and practices are learned in the home, continuity in religiousness is expected between parents and children. Research consistently has shown that parental religiosity is an important predictor of adolescent religious beliefs and practices. For example, parental church attendance is strongly associated with adolescent church attendance and religious beliefs (Cox, 1967; Suziedelis & Potvin, 1981), and parents' religious practices are positively related to all aspects of religiousness in early and middle adolescence (Ozorak, 1989). Parker and Gaier (1980) reported that parents' participation in religious activities accounted for more than 60% of the variance in the religious beliefs and practices of their high school children. In accordance with Turner's (1964) idea of parents' dominant role in transmitting religious values and attitudes, de Vaus (1983) found that parents played a more important role than peers in adolescent development of religious values and beliefs. In a study of agreement with religious values between fathers and mothers and youth, Dudley and Dudley (1986) found that youths' religious values resembled their parents' religious values. …

This book aims to substantiate the fact that religion still plays a key role in our contemporary society and that it is important to retain SRE/SRI in government schools. SRE provides a number of key benefits. These include firstly values education within the framework of belief in God or a higher spiritual being, which has been shown to be a powerful factor in empowering student decisions, fostering their ability to act and assigning student responsibility. Secondly, religious belief has been shown to strengthen students’ sense of identity and belonging and to have important psychological benefits for students’ mental health and wellbeing. Thirdly, retaining the rich mix of the different faith communities strengthens Australia’s multicultural fabric. Finally, SRE/RI classes provide safe places for students to explore the deeper questions of their religion and identity. At the same time, this study argues that SRE/RI pedagogy needs to be brought into the twenty-first century, ensuring best practice drawing on constructivist, reflected, critical pedagogy to achieve the core competencies of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). This is needed to meaningfully engage the next generation. To achieve this goal, SRE/RI providers, with government support and assistance, need ongoing professional development and more effective transparency, accountability and supervision. As well, for effective multicultural education, a combination of Special Religious Education (SRE) with General Religious Education (GRE) is needed, so that children can, on the one hand, explore their own religious identity, and on the other hand learn about and interact with children of different religious faiths. This book argues that adopting these best practice approaches will meet the criticisms expressed about SRE/RI pedagogy to ensure a robust SRE/RI curriculum which is suitably equipped to develop students in contemporary Australian society. A strengthened SRE/RI program will enrich Australian society and improve students’ mental health and wellbeing, assisting to equip them to be confident, functioning adults in the rapidly changing contemporary world.

Research objectives and problem(s): This article aims to identify practical approaches to religious and pro-social (moral) education within the pedagogical framework developed in Rome during the 1950s by Sofia Cavalletti, known as the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). The central research question guiding this study is: How does the CGS program support the religious education and pro-social development of preschool children in the context of the cognitive-developmental concept of integral religious development? Research methods: To address these questions, we employed a method of document content analysis. The religious education content and its delivery methods were examined through an analysis of the CGS curriculum and methodological guides for children aged three to six years. Process of argumentation: The article consists of an introduction and justification for the choice of topic, a presentation of methodological assumptions, an analysis of the literature to present the research context, research results in accordance with the research problem, conclusions and discussion. Research findings and their impact on the development of educational sciences: A psychological and pedagogical analysis of the CGS program, viewed through the lens of holistic child development, suggests that it effectively integrates (a) the individual characteristics of the child, including age, psychological traits, religious socialization, and prior knowledge based on physical and psychological experiences; (b) the characteristics and role of the adults introducing the child to the faith, particularly the nature and quality of the relationship with the child; and (c) the content and delivery of religious knowledge. Conclusions and/or recommendations: Formal catechesis is important in supporting the religious development of preschool children as it complements the foundational experiences gained within the family. It considers the development of the child’s religious awareness according to their unique religious disposition and their ways of understanding and perceiving reality. Cavalletti’s content arrangement is kerygmatic, and fosters a relationship with a personal God, which forms the basis for pro-social (moral) development in subsequent stages of religious education.