STUDY: STRONG RELIGIOUS VIEWS DECREASE TEENS’ LIKELIHOOD OF HAVING SEX

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Teens-particularly girls-with strong religious views, are less likely to engage in sexual activity than are less religious teens, largely because their religious views lead them to view the consequences of having sex negatively. According to a recent analysis of the NICHD-funded Add Health Survey, religion reduces the likelihood of adolescents engaging in early sex by shaping their attitudes and beliefs about sexual activity.  The study also found that parents’ religious beliefs and attitudes toward sex did not directly influence teens’ decisions to have sex. Rather, parents’ attitudes seemed to influence their teens’ attitudes, and then indirectly, their teens’ behavior.  The greatest predictor of whether teens would have sex-regardless of their religious views or attitudes-was whether or not they were dating.  See the Press Release online for more details:  https://www.nichd.nih.gov/new/releases/religious_views.cfm