High School Religious Context and Reports of Same-Sex Attraction and Sexual Identity in Young Adulthood

Citation

Wilkinson, Lindsey & Pearson, Jennifer (2013). High School Religious Context and Reports of Same-Sex Attraction and Sexual Identity in Young Adulthood. Social Psychology Quarterly. vol. 76 (2) pp. 180-202

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to understand the association between high school religious context in adolescence and the reporting of same-sex attraction and sexual identity in young adulthood and how these associations vary by gender. Previous studies have considered how high school contexts shape the well-being of sexual minority youth, yet few have examined the extent to which these contexts shape sexual desire and identity. We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and find that among women, school religious context is negatively associated with the likelihood of reporting same-sex attraction in young adulthood. We also find a negative association between school religious context and reporting a bisexual or flexible sexual identity among men and women. Finally, we find a positive association between mean school religious attendance and reporting a homosexual identity among men and women.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F0190272513475458

Notes

10.1177/0190272513475458

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Social Psychology Quarterly

Author(s)

Wilkinson, Lindsey
Pearson, Jennifer

Year Published

2013

Volume Number

76

Issue Number

2

Pages

180-202

DOI

10.1177/0190272513475458

Reference ID

4523