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The Role of Moral Worldviews in Predicting Sexual Behavior From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

Publication ,  Journal Article
Victor, EC; Miles, A; Vaisey, S
Published in: Journal of Adolescent Research
November 1, 2015

We examined the relationship between moral worldview and number of sexual partners across 6 years in a nationally representative sample of 2,202 emerging adults. Using negative binomial fixed-effects regression models to control for all time-invariant confounders, we found that while changes toward more orthodox moral worldviews account for differences in number of partners during adolescence, this effect disappears as teens enter emerging adulthood. We explored two possible explanations for this change in effect, including (a) whether moral worldviews are simply standing in for external factors that are actually driving observed behavior and (b) how the effects of moral worldviews may depend on overall levels of orthodoxy. The results lead us to conclude that moral worldviews influence sexual behaviors over time; however, moral worldviews appear to have a significant protective effect only for individuals indicating a high degree of moral orthodoxy. These findings support the idea that moral worldviews impact health behavior during key developmental years.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of Adolescent Research

DOI

EISSN

1552-6895

ISSN

0743-5584

Publication Date

November 1, 2015

Volume

30

Issue

6

Start / End Page

779 / 799

Related Subject Headings

  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Victor, E. C., Miles, A., & Vaisey, S. (2015). The Role of Moral Worldviews in Predicting Sexual Behavior From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Research, 30(6), 779–799. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558414561294
Victor, E. C., A. Miles, and S. Vaisey. “The Role of Moral Worldviews in Predicting Sexual Behavior From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood.” Journal of Adolescent Research 30, no. 6 (November 1, 2015): 779–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558414561294.
Victor EC, Miles A, Vaisey S. The Role of Moral Worldviews in Predicting Sexual Behavior From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Research. 2015 Nov 1;30(6):779–99.
Victor, E. C., et al. “The Role of Moral Worldviews in Predicting Sexual Behavior From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood.” Journal of Adolescent Research, vol. 30, no. 6, Nov. 2015, pp. 779–99. Scopus, doi:10.1177/0743558414561294.
Victor EC, Miles A, Vaisey S. The Role of Moral Worldviews in Predicting Sexual Behavior From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Research. 2015 Nov 1;30(6):779–799.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Adolescent Research

DOI

EISSN

1552-6895

ISSN

0743-5584

Publication Date

November 1, 2015

Volume

30

Issue

6

Start / End Page

779 / 799

Related Subject Headings

  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology