A study of convent life and the impact of communal living on Sisters, who disaffiliate from the convent

The declining Christian population in the UK has become a significant concern, with projections indicating a decrease to 45% by 2050, in contrast to an 11% rise in the Muslim population.

Previous studies in this area have predominantly focused on the number of young women entering religious Orders and those successfully making their final vows. However, none have delved into the factors triggering disaffiliation from these religious Orders. This study aims to identify the factors influencing early exits from religious Orders and provide recommendations to minimise further exits in the future.

Employing Logistic Regression Analysis and a T-test, this study analysed questionnaires completed by 259 participants in the UK. The sample comprised Sisters who were still part of various Orders and were asked about their likelihood of leaving on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 indicating those who had left the Order. Both validated and self-developed scales were utilised for measurement purposes.

The findings from the analyses reveal that Authoritative Influence, Neglect, General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and Quality of life all contribute to disaffiliation. This implies that the more Sisters experience these, the more likely they are to disaffiliate from the Order. Surprisingly, Negative Affectivity (AffN) encourages Sisters to remain in the Order. In other words, the more Sisters experience negative emotions, the more likely they are to stay with the Order, which is unexpected. Additionally, the T-test indicates that Sisters who remained with the Order exhibited better relationships with their superiors and peers compared to those who left, who may have faced difficulties in relating to others within the Order.

It is recommended to repeat the survey longitudinal across different times, space and places or employ different approaches, such as focus group as mixed-methods, to validate these findings for future research.