title: Religiosity, self-control, and virginity status in college students from the “Bible Belt”: a research note.
abstract: Using a sample of college students (N = 904) from the "Bible Belt," this study examines the effect of religiosity and self-control on late adolescents' delay in initiating sexual intercourse or oral sex. Findings from logistic regressions provide evidence that for each one unit increase in self-control, the odds of a male remaining a virgin or of delaying oral sex increased by a factor of 1.82 and 2.84, respectively, while for females, the odds of not engaging in oral sex increased by a factor of 1.67. In addition to the effect of self-control, a one unit increase in religiosity results in the odds of a male remaining a virgin by a factor of 3.86 and 3.30, respectively. For females the odds are increased by a factor of 4.13 and 2.60, respectively. Mediation tests also provided evidence that self-control mediated the effects by religiosity on both dependent measures. Thus, both religiosity and self-control independently and additively function as key social control mechanisms that promote late adolescent health.
authors.affiliation: Human Development & Family Studies, Auburn University.
authors.forename: Alexander T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Vazsonyi
authors.forename: Dusty D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D012071:Religion and Sex; D012649:Self Concept; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012924:Social Conditions / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000208:ethnology; D013334:Students / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D014495:Universities / Q000266:history; D055815:Young Adult