VENTURA, Calif. -- The proportion of households that give at least 10 percent of their income to their church has dropped by 62 percent in the past year, from 8 percent to 3 percent of adults, according to a report released by the Barna Research Group.

Born-again adults were among those who gave less. In 2001, 14 percent of all born-again adults tithed. That figure was up from 12 percent in 2000, but dropped to only 6 percent in 2002.

According to the Barna study, several groups are more likely to tithe than are others. Groups with the highest proportion were people 55 or older, college graduates, middle-income individuals, Republicans, conservatives, residents of the South, evangelicals, Protestants, and those attending mainline Protestant churches.

Evangelicals represented the highest proportion of people who tithed. Though they represent just 6 percent of the public, nearly 9 percent tithed in 2002. That is nearly three times the national average.

Non-registered voters, those registered to vote independent and residents of the Midwest tithed in a proportion lower than the national average, according to the study.

"Different challenges have caused people to choose not to tithe," said researcher George Barna. "For some, the soft economy has either diminished their household income or led to concerns about their financial security. For others, the nation's political condition, in terms of terrorism and the war in Iraq, has raised their level of caution."

Barna said scandals involving Catholic priests last year reduced some people's confidence in church leaders, thus reducing giving. Age was also a factor in reduced giving.

"We are losing many of the people who have a habit of tithing -- people in their 60s and beyond -- while the proportion of homes headed by younger adults, who have never tithed and don't plan to, is growing," Barna said. "Also realize that the fastest growing group in the country is Hispanics, among whom very few give generously to their church."

He said the most effective way to stem the tide is to ensure congregants make their life decisions on the basis of a biblical worldview.