Paper Title
Developmental trajectories of religiosity, sexual conservatism and sexual behavior among female adolescents
Keywords
- adolescence
- religion
- sexual behavior
- sexual conservatism
- longitudinal study
- socio-sexual cognitions
- sexual health
- adolescent development
- sexual experience
- sexual attitudes
- structural equation modeling
- behavioral trajectories
- coital behavior
- non-coital behavior
- health promotion
- religious influence
- adolescent psychology
- risk behavior
- moral development
- youth sexuality
- public health
- sexual decision-making
- cognitive development
- social influences
- psychological factors
- adolescent risk factors
- sexual health education
- gender differences
- adolescent identity
- reproductive health
- youth development
- faith and sexuality
- sexual norms
- cultural influences
- family influence
- peer influence
- adolescent well-being
- behavioral psychology
- health interventions
- human development
Article Type
Original Article
Journal
Research Impact Tools
Publication Info
Volume: 36 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 1193–1204
Published On
October, 2013
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Abstract
Understanding the role of socio-sexual cognitions and religiosity on adolescent sexual behavior could guide adolescent sexual health efforts. The present study utilized longitudinal data from 328 young women to assess the role of religion and socio-sexual cognitions on sexual behavior accrual (measuring both coital and non-coital sexual behavior). In the final triple conditional trajectory structural equation model, religiosity declined over time and then increased to baseline levels. Additionally, religiosity predicted decreased sexual conservatism and decreased sexual conservatism predicted increased sexual behavior. The final models are indicative of young women's increasing accrual of sexual experience, decreasing sexual conservatism and initial decreasing religiosity. The results of this study suggest that decreased religiosity affects the accrual of sexual experience through decreased sexual conservatism. Effective strategies of sexual health promotion should include an understanding of the complex role of socio-sexual attitudes with religiosity.
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