Journal article
Broken Promises: Abstinence Pledging and Sexual and Reproductive Health
Journal of marriage and family, Vol.78(2), pp.546-561
04/01/2016
DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12279
PMCID: PMC4806393
PMID: 27019521
Abstract
Approximately 12% of girls and young women in the United States pledge abstinence. Yet most break their pledges, engaging in first intercourse before marriage. The extant literature reports few differences between pledge breakers and nonpledgers in sexually transmitted infections and nonmarital pregnancies. The present research maintains that previous studies may have obscured important differences in exposure risk and hypothesizes that female pledge breakers who have higher exposure risk are more likely to experience human papillomavirus (HPV) and nonmarital pregnancies. To test this hypothesis, this study uses the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, logistic regression, and event history modeling. The results show that, after accounting for differences in exposure risk, pledge breakers have higher risk of HPV and nonmarital pregnancy. As a set, the results are consistent with the argument that pledgers use condoms and contraceptives less consistently and highlight unintended consequences of abstinence promotion.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Broken Promises: Abstinence Pledging and Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Creators
- Anthony Paik - University of Massachusetts–AmherstKenneth J Sanchagrin - Appalachian State UniversityKaren Heimer - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of marriage and family, Vol.78(2), pp.546-561
- DOI
- 10.1111/jomf.12279
- PMID
- 27019521
- PMCID
- PMC4806393
- NLM abbreviation
- J Marriage Fam
- ISSN
- 0022-2445
- eISSN
- 1741-3737
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/01/2016
- Academic Unit
- Sociology and Criminology; Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies; Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984002576402771
Metrics
40 Record Views