Assessing the impact of religious values on social bonds among African American adults: implications for social work practice

ABSTRACT Religious values have played a historic role in African American society. The impact of religious values on social bonds among African American adults is assessed in this study. The quantitative study investigates the strength of religious values and social bonds among a sample of African Americans employed at a public housing agency. Key variables were measured using religious values and individual bond scale. The purposive sample (N = 188) was equally African American male and female, ranging in age from 26–68 years (mean = 51.2). Data analysis included frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, reliability assessment, correlations, and t-test for independent samples. Women demonstrated stronger religious values and had more significant correlates between religious values and social bond variables. The study supports previous research about religious commitment in the Black community and suggests a connection between church commitment, social support, and social bonding with African Americans. Social work practitioners increasingly encourage the utilization and incorporation of religious values and social bonds to empower African American women, but the current study findings warrant caution about making the same assumptions when working with African American men versus women. Future research should explore the important differences that were discovered in the current study between men and women vis-a-vis religious values and social bonds.