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Hiding the Word: Examining the Relationship Between a New Measure of Religiosity and Sexual Behavior

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Abstract

The relationship between religiosity and sexual behavior has been previously investigated, but researchers have not examined the relationship between the intellectual dimension of religiosity and sexual behavior. In this study, we developed an intellectual measure of religiosity, Hiding the Word (HTW), and examined whether it accounted for variation in the sexual behavior of college students, beyond that for which age and a generic measure of religiosity could account. Results showed, after accounting for age and generic religiosity, HTW made a significant contribution to distinguishing between students who had, and those who had not, engaged in various sexual behaviors. For females, this was the case in three of the five behaviors examined (all except receiving oral sex and participating in unprotected penile–vaginal intercourse at most recent sexual encounter), and for males, two of the four behaviors (sexual intercourse and anal intercourse). HTW was less of a factor in accounting for variation in the frequency of participation. For males, HTW was significant for the frequency of participation in penile–vaginal intercourse, receiving oral sex, and the number of sexual partners in the last month. For females, HTW was significant only for the number of sexual partners in the last month. Thus, religiosity, and specifically HTW, seems to play more of a role in determining whether or not a person has participated in behavior, rather than in the frequency of participation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the valuable role played by the expert panel members in the development of the Hiding the Word measure of religiosity. These panel members included are Dr. Jere Mitchell, West Fork, Arkansas (retired pastor from First Baptist Church, Fayetteville, AR); Dr. Dickie Hill, Professor, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas; Dr. Mark Kelly, Dean, College of Education, Health, and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Tennessee-Martin, Martin, Tennessee; Dr. Keith Zullig, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, West Virginia University, School of Public Health, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Nursing Research, College of Nursing, University of Texas at Arlington, Pickard Hall, 411 South Nedderman, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA

    Michael Young

  2. Educational Statistics and Research Methods, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    George Denny

  3. Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA

    Tina Penhollow

  4. Department of Public Health Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA

    Rebecca Palacios

  5. Department of Health Sciences, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR, USA

    Duston Morris

Authors
  1. Michael Young
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  2. George Denny
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  3. Tina Penhollow
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  4. Rebecca Palacios
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  5. Duston Morris
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Young.

Additional information

Our beloved friend and colleague, George Denny, played a major role in this project, in our lives, and in the lives of countless students. George died on June 13, 2013. He will be greatly missed.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Hiding The Word

figure a
figure b
figure c
figure d

Appendix 2: The Religious Commitment Inventory 10 (RCI-10)

  • I often read books and magazines about my faith.

  • I make financial contributions to my religious organization.

  • I spend time trying to grow in understanding of my faith.

  • Religion is especially important to me because it answers many questions about the meaning of life.

  • My religious beliefs lie behind my whole approach to life.

  • I enjoy spending time with others of my religious affiliation.

  • Religious beliefs influence all of my dealings in life.

  • It is important to me to spend periods of time in private religious thought and reflection.

  • I enjoy working in the activities of my religious organization.

  • I keep well informed about my local religious group and have some influence in its decisions.

  • Note: Each item is rated as 1 = not at all true of me; 2 = somewhat true of me; 3 = moderately true of me; 4 = mostly true of me; 5 = totally true of me.

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Young, M., Denny, G., Penhollow, T. et al. Hiding the Word: Examining the Relationship Between a New Measure of Religiosity and Sexual Behavior. J Relig Health 54, 922–942 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-013-9777-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-013-9777-z

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