title: The association of religion and virginity status among Brazilian adolescents.
abstract: This study examines the association between religious factors and the virginity status of unmarried Brazilian female adolescents aged 15-19 years. The analysis draws on data from the Brazilian National Demographic and Health Survey (2006) using a sub-sample of unmarried Brazilian female adolescents aged 15-19 years (N = 2,364). Multinomial logistic regression is used to test the association between denominational affiliation, worship service participation, and self-reported virginity status. The findings reveal that adolescents affiliated with Protestant faiths, particularly Pentecostalism, and those who attend worship services often have significantly higher odds of remaining a virgin because of a commitment to not have sex until marriage. This premarital chastity rationale for virginity is most strongly evidenced among frequently attending teens who are affiliated with Protestant and Pentecostal faiths. Similar to patterns observed in the United States, teen involvement with Protestant faiths, particularly strict traditions, such as Pentecostalism, is associated with a commitment to virginity in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78259, USA. mrogland@gmail.com
authors.forename: Curtis P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Ogland
authors.forename: Xiaohe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bartkowski
authors.forename: Emmanuelle G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Ogland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D012071:Religion and Sex; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012847:Single Person / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult