The DOI matches its Crossref record; 31 of the 32 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Associations Between Religiosity and Sexuality in a Representative Sample of Australian Adults
Open accessAbstract
Many studies have examined the influence on sexual attitudes and behavior of religious belief (i.e., religious denomination) or religiosity (e.g., attendance at services, subjective importance of religion). However, few studies have examined the combined effects of religion and religiosity on sexual attitudes and behavior. This study examined such effects in a representative sample of 19,307 Australians aged 16-59 years (response rate, 73.1%). The study compared members of four religious groups (Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim) and two levels of frequency of attendance at religious service (less than monthly, at least monthly). Religious participants were compared to their non-religious peers in analyses adjusted for potential confounding by demographic variables. The outcomes were five sexual behaviors and five corresponding measures of sexual attitudes. The study revealed inconsistent patterns of association between religion/religiosity and a range of sexual behaviors and attitudes. In general, greater attendance at religious services was associated with more conservative patterns of behavior and attitudes. However, religious people who attended services infrequently were more similar to their non-religious peers than their more religious peers. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering not only religion or religiosity, but the intersection between these two variables.
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“Of the 50 highest quality studies, 42 (84%) reported inverse relationships [333–343] and none found a positive one.”
From Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications (2012) · cites this paper as [334]
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BackgroundCoital debut: The role of religiosity and sex attitudes in the add health survey
Rostosky, S. S., Regnerus, M. D., & Wright, M. L. C. (2003) · The Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224490209552202 · Cited by 324 · cited 13×
“Other studies only measure religiosity (e.g., frequency of church attendance, subjective importance of religious belief) but do not consider religion (e.g., Hardy & Raffaelli, 2003; Lottes et al., 1993; Meier, 2003; Rostosky et al., 2003).”
BackgroundResultInfluentialReligiosity, sexual behaviors, and sexual attitudes during emerging adulthood
Lefkowitz, E. S., Gillen, M. M., Shearer, C. L., & Boone, T. L. (2004) · The Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224490409552223 · Cited by 303 · cited 5×
“Unlike other studies (e.g., Lefkowitz et al., 2004; Miller & Gur, 2002; Rostsoky et al., 2003), this study did not assess the subjective importance of religion or individuals’ beliefs about the importance of religion in shaping their sexual behavior and attitudes.”
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Meier, A. M. (2003) · Social Forces · doi:10.1353/sof.2003.0039 · Cited by 246 · cited 10×
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BackgroundAdolescent religiosity and sexuality: an investigation of reciprocal influences
Hardy, S. A., & Raffaelli, M. (2003) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.09.003 · Cited by 205 · cited 7×
“Other studies only measure religiosity (e.g., frequency of church attendance, subjective importance of religious belief) but do not consider religion (e.g., Hardy & Raffaelli, 2003; Lottes et al., 1993; Meier, 2003; Rostosky et al., 2003).”
BackgroundInfluential
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“…strong traditional, conservative, and fundamentalist values, especially regarding topics such as gender roles, sexual minorities, and sexuality itself (Ahrold et al., 2010; Bills & Hayes, 2020; Devisser et al., 2007; Ettengoff & Lefevor, 2021; Luquis et al., 2011; Marcinechová & Záhorcová, 2020).”
Metadata
- Authors
- Visser, R. O. D., Smith, A. M. A., Richters, J., & Rissel, C. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Sussex (GB)
- La Trobe University (AU)
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- Sydney South West Area Health Service (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Visser, Richard O. de
- Venue
- Archives of Sexual Behavior
- Published
- 2006-11-30
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 33-46
- ISSN
- 0004-0002 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2800
- OpenAlex
- W2138770773
- Cited by
- 119
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 1.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Licence
- Locations
- Archives of Sexual Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- University of New South Wales
- NSW Ministry of Health
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
- Keywords
- religiosity, sexual behavior, sexual attitudes, religious service attendance, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam, non-religious people
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Attitude to Health, Australia, Coitus, Cultural Characteristics, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Marriage, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Religion and Psychology, Religion and Sex, Sexual Behavior, Sexual Partners, Health Behavior
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