Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, said. "People have had a year of legal marriage in Massachusetts to see how ending marriage discrimination helps gay and lesbian families and hurts no o­ne."

The poll also showed a slight increase in religious groups' support for marriage rights.

Gay rights advocates such as Wolfson suggest these latest poll results o­n the marriage issue show the effectiveness of gay activism and the impact of equal marriage rights in Massachusetts.

Ohio University keeps similar statistics for its student body. In 2004-2005, 62 percent of first-year students said that spiritual development was an important part of adjusting to college and 81 percent said that it was also important to develop personal values and beliefs, according to a report o­n the Office of Institutional Research Web site (www.ohiou.edu/instres/involve/index.html).