THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF ATHEIST AND IRRELIGIOUS YOUTH LIVING WITHIN RELIGIOUS ...

168 Pages·2017·0.56 MB·English

THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF ATHEIST AND IRRELIGIOUS YOUTH LIVING WITHIN
RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLDS
by
ANTHONY WAYNE HANSEN
(Under the Direction of Anneliese A. Singh)
ABSTRACT
In the U.S., the population of people who identify as atheist or irreligious is growing
(Brewster et al., 2014; Zuckerman, 2010, 2011; Kosmin & Keysar, 2008; Zuckerman, 2007).
Recent studies show that atheism and irreligious people are viewed in a negative light with many
persons in the US; as antipathy toward atheists is greater when compared to other religious
groups, racial and ethnic groups, or (LGBTQ) people (Cragun et al., 2012). Hunsberger and
Altemeyer (2006) found that conflict within family structures over a family member’s lack of
belief caused feelings of ostracism and discrimination from other religious family members.
Moreover, adolescents report poorer parental relationships when parents are more religious than
the youth (Kim-Spoon, Longo, & McCullogough, 2012).
Research on atheism remains poor within social science scholarship, psychology, and
within counseling psychology specifically. Yet it is apparent that non-belief is quickly becoming
a valid issue of diversity within psychology and counseling psychology as a profession (Brewster
et al., 2014; D’Andrea & Sprenger, 2007). Counseling psychology has traditionally been at the
forefront of social justice issues and cultural competencies within APA, yet the lack of attention
to atheism as a diversity issue is problematic (Brewster et al., 2014).
The current study sought to explore and understand the experiences of self-identified
atheist/irreligious youth who live with their religious parents or are dependent on parents for
financial support. A qualitative methodology known as psychological phenomenology, centered
in social constructivist theory (Gergen, 1985; Creswell, 2012) and guided by the minority stress
model (Meyer, 2003), served as the theoretical foundation into the exploration of the lived
experiences of atheist and irreligious youth living within religious households.
Results of this study included the identification of three major themes (minority stress,
outcomes, support) that represent the varied experiences of atheist/irreligious identifying youth
in this study. Additionally, each theme contains one or more subthemes, and a total of seven
subthemes were identified. The themes identified through this study have implications for
clinical practice, for advocacy, and for continued research centered on the under measured
population of atheists in the U.S.

INDEX WORDS: Atheism, Nones, Atheist Youth, Familial Religious Differences, Minority
Stress, Phenomenology
THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF ATHEIST AND IRRELIGIOUS YOUTH LIVING WITHIN
RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLDS

by

ANTHONY WAYNE HANSEN
B.A., University of Georgia, 2009
M.Ed., University of Georgia, 2012

A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

ATHENS, GEORGIA
2017
© 2017
Anthony Wayne Hansen
All Rights Reserved
THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF ATHEIST AND IRRELIGIOUS YOUTH LIVING WITHIN
RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLDS

by

ANTHONY WAYNE HANSEN

Major Professor: Anneliese Singh
Committee: Edward Delgado-Romero
Bernadette Heckman

Electronic Version Approved:

Suzanne Barbour
Dean of the Graduate School
The University of Georgia
August 2017
iv

DEDICATION
To my wife, Chandra Danielle Hansen, for being steadfast in your devotion to our
family and for being the ultimate supportive backbone in all that we accomplish together.
I truly cannot fathom how I could have done any of this without your love, support, and
encouragement.
To my children, for giving me life. You help me to see the world in new and
exciting ways, and I am the best of me when I get to be with you. I will love you for all
of my days, and I am eternally fortunate to be your father.
This document is also dedicated to all secular, humanist, atheist, agnostic,
freethinking, pastafarian, and all other religious “nones” out there who live in the world
and feel the struggle to live in and/or proclaim their identity proudly and without shame.
This is for you. Your views and feelings are important, and you are not alone.
Lastly, to Dennis Tettlebach, for believing in me when I was unsure and caring
enough to take the time to speak to me with words of kindness and encouragement. You
truly changed my life.
v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It is hard to know where to begin to acknowledge all of the persons in my life
who have influenced me along this seemingly ever-long journey to becoming a
psychologist. I am grateful for each and every one of you, and it saddens me to know
that some of you might not ever fully know how much you have meant to me during this
process.
To my advisors, Dr. Singh and Dr. Delgado-Romero… thank you. Thank you for
seeing in me what I was not able to see, for believing in me as I stumbled and grumbled,
and for being examples of living inspiration. Both of you are living proof that you can be
successful, compassionate, and widely respected leaders in the field of Counseling
Psychology while standing firm in issues of social justice. Thank you for challenging me
to be more, to do more, and to also take a step back and remember to take care of myself.
I cannot believe how fortunate I am to have two advisors who inspire me to be greater
every single day. I mean it when I say I could not be here today without you, and I will
forever feel indebted to both of you.
I am thankful for the entire faculty and classmates in the Professional Counseling
and Counseling Psychology cohorts in my life. Each of you played a pivotal role in
allowing me to challenge myself and grow into my professional identity today. In
particular, I would like to acknowledge Dr. Calhoun, Dr. Campbell, and Dr. Spears, for
your professional guidance and personal support, and to Brendan Carr, Steve Fogleman,
and Neha Khorana for your close friendship.
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To the research faculty around the United States who took the time to consult with
me about the state of research on atheism, thank you. To Dr. Brewster, Dr. Hammer, Dr.
Cragun, and Dr. Smith, you inspired me to pursue this area of research with an honest
enthusiasm. It is because of your previous work that was able to present this topic as an
area of research in dire need to be explored. I hope that this work can be added alongside
yours and help to shine a deserving light on this underexplored population. It has been an
honor to work alongside you.
I am grateful to the participants in this study. Thank you for being eager to share
your experiences; I am humbled by your willing eagerness to be a part of this lengthy
research process, and I cannot wait to share this document with you. This entire
document is as much a reflection of you as it is of me, and I am continually inspired by
your stories. Thank you.
Finally, to my family. To my mother, Christel Hansen, for your love and for
being a living model of resilience. To my father, Jerry Hansen, for teaching me about the
world and for teaching me how to be a man who is empathetic, emotional, and kind to
others. To my brother, Tim Hansen, for being a big brother whom I looked up to
continuously. You may not know, but witnessing your graduation from Georgia Tech
was a pivotal moment for me, and inspired me to be more…to dare to be greater. I think
in some way I have always sought out my big brother’s approval, and I still look up to
you to this day. To my wife, partner, and best friend, Chandra Hansen, for being more
than I ever thought I wanted in a partner. Thank you for your sacrifices and thank you
for your love and continuous support. You make me strive to be better, and your
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presence next to me is the most gracious gift that life has given me. I am eternally
thankful for you and your love.
viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................v
LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................x
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... xi
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1
Background and Context of Study ...............................................................2
Purpose .........................................................................................................8
The Researcher ...........................................................................................10
Definitions and Operational Terms ............................................................13
Significance of the Study ...........................................................................17
2 REVIEW OF RELATED RESEARCH ...........................................................19
Religion, Spirituality, Atheism, and Identity .............................................19
Atheism and Irreligion ...............................................................................20
Atheist and Irreligious People in the United States ...................................23
National Attitudes toward Atheists ............................................................26
Atheism, Irreligion, and Mental Health .....................................................33
Atheism, Irreligion, and Counseling Psychology ......................................36
Current Study .............................................................................................41
3 METHODS AND PROCEDURES .................................................................43