A new report titled Latter-day Saint Trends in the United States explores the current state of religious life, well-being, and retention within the faith. The study uses national surveys and longitudinal youth data to compare Latter-day Saint religious engagement against broader trends in the United States.
The report highlights that Latter-day Saints rank at or near the top of several categories for religious activity in America, including monthly attendance, prayer, and scripture reading. Additionally, Latter-day Saint parents are noted as being especially likely to engage in praying or reading scripture with their children.
Regarding well-being, the data suggests that Latter-saints report high levels of spiritual peace, happiness, and family well-being. The findings indicate that religious participation is connected to members' inner sense of meaning and peace.
In terms of retention, the study found that Latter-day Saints have the highest active-retention rate among the religious groups studied. However, the report also notes that retention has declined compared to previous decades, reflecting broader shifts in the United States.
The research provides insight into those who have deidentified from the Church, noting that this group is not uniform. Many former Latter-day Saints continue to value religion or spirituality and maintain warm feelings toward Latter-day Saints. Specifically, two in three deidentified respondents leave open the possibility of recommitting to a congregation at some point, and 54% of deidentified respondents fall into groups that still value religion or spirituality.
For youth retention, the report identifies that feeling God's presence in daily life and navigating social and political concerns are important factors.
The study was conducted by W. Justin Dyer, Jenet Jacob Erickson, Sam A. Hardy, Barbara Morgan Gardner, and David C. Dollahite. The researchers conclude that while cultural shifts present challenges, Latter-day Saints remain resilient with high levels of engagement and faith transmission.
