Religion, pledging, and the premarital sexual behavior of married young adults

Citation

Uecker, J. & E (2008). Religion, pledging, and the premarital sexual behavior of married young adults. Journal of Marriage and Family. vol. 70 (3) pp. 728-744

Abstract

Social scientists know little about the effect of religion and abstinence pledging on premarital sex beyond adolescence. Evidence from a sample of married young adults in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 2,079) reveals that premarital sex is widespread even among religious Americans and abstinence pledgers. Nevertheless, these individuals are much more likely than their counterparts to avoid premarital sex entirely. When they do have premarital sex, pledgers are more likely to restrict the behavior to their future spouse. Though contextual, exposure, and social control effects explain some of the influence of religion and abstinence pledging, religion and abstinence pledging appear to exert robust, direct effects on premarital sexual behavior.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2008.00517.x

Keyword(s)

Religion Sexual Behavior Sexual Behavior

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Journal of Marriage and Family

Author(s)

Uecker, J.
E

Year Published

2008

Volume Number

70

Issue Number

3

Pages

728-744

DOI

10.1111/j.1741-3737.2008.00517.x

Reference ID

8874