Causal relationships between religion factors influencing ethical behavior among youth in the three southern border provinces of Thailand

• Published in: Children and youth services review Vol. 108; p. 104641
• Main Author: Laeheem, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2020; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Behavior; Borders; Causal relationships; Causality; Ethical behavior; Ethical conduct; Ethics; Goodness of fit; Morality; Participation; Polls & surveys; Provinces; Religion; Religion factors; Structural equation modeling; Youth; Youth; Ethical behavior; Causal relationships; Religion factors
• ISSN: 0190-7409; 1873-7765
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104641

•Ethical behavior was directly and indirectly influenced by religion upbringing.•The study of religion had directly and indirectly influence on ethical behavior.•Ethical behavior was directly influenced by the practice of religion.•The participation in religion activities had directly influence on ethical behavior. The objective of this survey research was to investigate causal relationships between religion factors influencing ethical behavior among youth in the three southern border provinces. The study was conducted with 2160 subjects and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The study found that causal relationships influencing ethical behavior among youth in the three southern border provinces is consistent with empirical data (the relative chi-square value (χ2/df) = 1.018, p-value = 0.439, the goodness of fit indicators (GFI) = 1.00. and RMSEA = 0.003). Ethical behavior was directly and indirectly influenced by religion upbringing, and the study of religion, of which the total positive influence sizes were 0.88 and 0.19, respectively. Moreover, Ethical behavior was directly influenced by the practice of religion and participation in religion activities with the total positive influence sizes of 0.30 and 0.23, respectively.