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Identifying the causal pathways from religiosity to delayed adolescent sexual behavior.
Shawnika J Hull1, Michael Hennessy, Amy Bleakley
1School of Journalism and Mass Communication , University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA. sjhull@wisc.edu
Journal of Sex Research
|October 21, 2010
Summary
Religiosity can delay sexual debut among young people by influencing their attitudes toward sex. This finding highlights the protective role of religious beliefs in preventing both intercourse and other sexual behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Religion
- Adolescent Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Religiosity is often associated with conservative attitudes towards premarital sex.
- Understanding the mechanisms by which religiosity influences sexual behavior is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine if religiosity delays the onset of coitus in a longitudinal sample of virgins.
- To investigate the causal pathways linking religiosity and sexual initiation.
- To assess the protective effects of religiosity on a sexual behavior index.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design utilizing the Integrative Model framework.
- Assessment of religiosity at baseline and sexual behaviors one year later.
- Analysis of mediating factors, including attitudes toward sexual intercourse.
Main Results:
- Baseline religiosity was negatively associated with sexual debut one year later.
- This relationship was significantly mediated by attitudes toward personally engaging in sexual intercourse.
- Religiosity was also negatively associated with scores on a comprehensive sexual behavior index.
Conclusions:
- Religiosity demonstrates a protective effect against early sexual initiation.
- Attitudes toward sex mediate the relationship between religiosity and sexual debut.
- Religiosity is associated with reduced engagement in both coital and noncoital sexual behaviors.
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