Scheduled for Research Consortium Health and Special Populations Poster Session, Friday, April 15, 2005, 1:15 PM - 2:45 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Area I


Religious Attendance and Sexual Behavior Among College Students (Health)

Tina Penhollow1, Cliff Knickerbocker2, Leslie Fikes2 and Michael Young2, (1)Fayetteville, AR, (2)University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, Fayetteville, AR

A number of studies have examined the relationship between religiosity and sexual behavior among college students. Religion and sexual behavior are both important issues for students and results of such research may have implications for sexual and reproductive health. Previous research, however, has tended to focus on sexual intercourse and differences between virgins and non-virgins. The purpose of this study was to examine student participation in several sexual behaviors and to determine if participation differed by degree of religiosity (as measured by frequency of worship attendance). College students (n=276) taking health related coursework voluntarily completed a questionnaire in their regular classroom setting. This study was delimited to those students who were single, never married, under age 25, and heterosexual. The questionnaire included items designed to elicit information about perceived enjoyment, actual participation, and comfort with several sexual behaviors including: sexual intercourse, masturbation, giving and receiving oral sex, and anal intercourse. Students were also asked to indicate the frequency with which they attended religious services, with possible responses ranging from “never” to more than once per week. Data were analyzed using SAS programs to perform frequency counts and to determine, using chi-square, if individual attitudes and behaviors were independent of the frequency of worship attendance. Results for relative to participation in selected behaviors revealed the following: had participated in sexual intercourse ever (74% women, 75% men), last month (56% women, 43% men); had given another person oral sex ever (81% women, 77% men), last month (46% women, 43% men); received oral sex from another person ever (84% women, 80% men), last month (43% women, 36% men); anal sex ever (17% women, 26% men), last month (1% women, 5% men). Frequency of attendance at religious services was found to be not independent of behavior (p<.05) for several behaviors. For females this was the case for twelve of fourteen sexually related behaviors; for males four of the fourteen behaviors. For the seven “enjoy/comfort” variables and frequency of attendance at religious services, four were statistically significant (p<.05) for males; three were statistically significant for females. Results highlight the role that religious attendance plays in the sexual behavior of college students and suggest that it has greater influence on the behavior of female students. These results should be of value to college level sexuality educators and to student health personnel who deal with sexual and reproductive health concerns.
Keyword(s): research, student issues, wellness/disease prevention

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