Reception of Behavior Supervision Based on Islamic Belief Among Muslim Adolescents in the Three Southern-Border Provinces, Thailand

Abstract

     The associations were investigated between the supervision of Muslim adolescents’ behavior based on Islamic beliefs and the adolescents’ behavior patterns, their area of residence, gender, age group, family status, education level, level of understanding of Islamic principles, level of upbringing under Islamic principles, participation in religious activities, and attendance at special Islamic study courses. Data were collected in the three southern border provinces of Thailand—namely, Pattani, Yala, and Naratiwat— from 2,160 Thai Muslim adolescents who were selected by means of a multi-stage sampling technique. The data were analyzed using chi-square tests, and odds ratios were established employing the EcStat statistical package. The results showed that the adolescents’ patterns of behavior in conforming to Islamic society norms, their understanding level of Islamic principles, level of upbringing under Islamic principles, participation in religious activities, and participation in special Islamic study classes were significantly associated with the degree to which their behavior had been supervised based on Islamic principles. Adolescents who had been highly supervised were those with behavior patterns which closely conformed to Islamic society norms (6.71 times), adolescents with a high level of understanding of Islamic principles (3.16 times), adolescents with a high level upbringing under Islamic principles (3.03 times), adolescents who always participated in religious activities (1.43 times), and those who regularly took part in a special Islamic course (1.79 times).