POSITIVE ATTITUDES ARE an important prerequisite for learning. Where pupils identify either with Christianity or Islam, parental divorce has a significant impact on attitudes toward these faiths. In the case of Christian-identifying pupils, attitude to Christianity becomes more negative. In the case of Muslim-identifying pupils, attitude to Islam becomes more negative. These effects are statistically distinct from the effects of bereavement, which appears to have no detrimental effect on attitude. These findings are discussed in the light of divorce trends in society and the role of religious education.
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