The formation of religious identity is a key developmental task during emerging adulthood, particularly in contemporary societies marked by increasing pluralism and secularization. Young adults are frequently confronted with diverse and often conflicting systems of meaning, which may intensify reflective engagement with questions of faith. Although ruminative exploration is commonly viewed as a maladaptive process associated with uncertainty and identity crisis, its role in religious identity formation remains insufficiently understood.The present study examines whether ruminative exploration may function as a meaningful mechanism supporting the development of religious identity.
The study was conducted on a sample of 359 young adults aged 18–34 years (M = 21.72, SD = 3.79), predominantly female (62.4%). Religious identity was measured using the Religious Identity Scale (STR), capturing five dimensions: exploration in breadth, exploration in depth, ruminative exploration, commitment making, and identification with commitment. The scale demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s α = .823–.961), and confirmatory factor analysis indicated adequate model fit.
Correlation analyses showed that ruminative exploration was positively associated with all identity dimensions, particularly with exploration in depth and identification with commitment. Cluster analysis (k-means) identified four profiles: Diffusion, External, Internalized, and Seekers, differing significantly across all dimensions (ANOVA p < .001). Ruminative exploration emerged as the most differentiating dimension and reached its highest levels in the External profile.
The findings suggest that reflective doubt may constitute an important and developmentally meaningful element of religious identity formation rather than solely a sign of crisis. This perspective has practical implications for religious education, pastoral work, and psychological support, indicating that questioning and inner tension may play a constructive role in the process of internalizing faith in contemporary young adults.