Religious Involvement and Transitions into Adolescent Sexual Activities

Citation

Burdette, Amy M. & Hill, Terrence D. (2009). Religious Involvement and Transitions into Adolescent Sexual Activities. Sociology of Religion, 70(1), 28-48.

Abstract

Using two waves of data from the National Survey of Youth and Religion (2002, 2005), a national probability sample of 3,290 adolescents ages 13 to 17, we test whether religious involvement (church attendance, religious salience, private religiosity, and family religiosity) is associated with delayed transitions into sexual activities (sexual touching, oral sex, and sexual intercourse). We also consider whether the rate of these transitions varies according to important social characteristics (age, gender, and race/ethnicity). Our results suggest that multiple indicators of religious involvement (especially religious salience) are associated with delayed transitions into selected sexual activities. We also find that the rate of transition into sexual activities associated with private and family religiosity varies according to key social characteristics.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srp011

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2009

Journal Title

Sociology of Religion

Author(s)

Burdette, Amy M.
Hill, Terrence D.