A general formulation is presented that describes the propagation of the rotational field correlation of an optical beam through atmospheric turbulence. The associated influence on the orbital angular momentum (OAM) of a single photon is described analytically. The analysis predicts the probability of change in the OAM state due to the process of propagating through turbulence. The probability of a change in an OAM state depends on the Fresnel number and on the ratio of the beam diameter to the Fried parameter.