Religiosity and adolescents' premarital sexual attitudes and behaviour

An empirical study of conceptual issues

Bibliographic Data

ID10900911
AuthorsPaschal Sheeran (0000-0001-7449-4590, University of Sheffield), Dominic Abrams (0000-0002-2113-4572, University of Kent, corresponding author), Charles Abraham (0000-0002-0901-1975, University of Dundee, corresponding author), Russell Spears (0000-0001-5244-0575, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Year1993
Volume23
Issue1
Pages39-52
Publication date1993-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Journal of Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0046-2772 • E-ISSN: 1099-0992
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ejsp.2420230104
PMID12286562
OpenAlexW2121105019
LanguageEN
Citations received29
References cited30

A review of the literature concerning the relationship between religiosity and premarital sexual attitudes and behaviour revealed inconsistencies in research findings and problems with methodology and operationalizations of variables. A postal questionnaire to 527 16‐ to 18‐year‐olds examined the associations between six models of religiosity (religious upbringing, denominational affiliation, ritual/behavioural, self‐attitude/self‐schema and salience of religious identity) and personal sexual standards, attitudes towards sexually active others, virginal status, anticipation of sexual intercourse and frequency of both coitus and non‐coital sexual experiences over the previous year. A negative relationship between religiosity and a number of sexual attitudes and behaviours was observed, though non‐significant relationships in the case of sexual experiences without intercourse suggested the maintenance of a technical virginity to accord with religious precepts. There was also some evidence that Catholic adolescents were more likely to be sexually active than non‐Catholics when current religiosity was controlled for. The results lent strongest support to models which implicated self‐conception either in terms of self‐attitudes/self‐schemas or the salience of religious identity. Implications of the study and suggestions for future research are outlined

Developmental psychology · Human sexuality · Religiosity · Religious identity · Salience (neuroscience) · Sociology · Virginity test · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Gender Studies · Marriage and Sexual Relationships · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology

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