Attitudes and Problems Perceived in Adventist Mission Schools of Hong Kong
Method: The subjects of this study were 165 current students from Form/Middle One to Five and 199 alumni who had left the Adventist secondary schools, not more than 5 years previously. The survey instrument utilized was the Youth Perceptual Inventory developed by Dudley (1977), modified by Laurent (1986), then further modified and translated into the Chinese language, and validated.
Results: An investigation of the alienation scores indicated that 7% of the Adventist population might be considered to have negative attitudes toward religion. The variables that elicited the most negative attitudes concerned uninteresting sermons, unhappiness while attending an Adventist school or church, restrictive church standards, not feeling accepted at church, and unenjoyable church youth activities.
Eight of the 13 highest correlations dealt with church influences; school-influence variables ranked second. The influence of media and peers ranked 12th and 15th, respectively. Home-influence variables ranked no higher than 17th.
The best predictors for alienation in descending order were: lack of church involvement, lack of personal interest of teachers, authoritarianism in pastors, unbelief in Adventist doctrines, lack of personal interest of pastors, negative media influence, lack of religious sincerity of teachers, and family disharmony.
Conclusion: It is important that parents, teachers, and religious leaders endeavor to manifest and communicate qualities associated with positive religious attitudes."
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