Ninth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

The purpose of this preliminary study was to examine the connection between religiosity and deviance, focusing on the phenomenon of risk behavior among Jewish orthodox national-religious youth at-risk. The study was conducted by using qualitative research methods, using interviews with 66 participants in six focus groups among teenagers and young people at-risk, normative youth and professionals social educators working among the adolescents and young adults within the national-religious sector. Analysis of the research findings exposes several main themes that touch upon the issue of religion as both a protecting and a risk factor for religious youths, beginning with the question of personal identity, and continue with the influence of social control and social labeling.