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Interdependence between sexual debut and church attendance in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Marcantonio Caltabiano

    (Università degli Studi di Messina (UNIME))

  • Gianpiero Dalla Zuanna

    (Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD))

  • Alessandro Rosina

    (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)

Abstract

The influence of religion on an individual’s life-course in general – and on sexual behaviour in particular – has long been recognised by social scientists, although few studies have explored the reciprocal causal interdependence between religiosity and sexual debut, mainly in an overwhelmingly Catholic European context. In this paper, we study the dynamic bi-directional effect between first coital experience and discontinuance of church attendance among a representative sample of Italian students. Both effects work, contrasting the results of other authors regarding the USA, where only the effect of religion on sex has been detected. The present results do not change when the two processes are considered simultaneously and unobserved heterogeneity is taken into account. Some possible explanations are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcantonio Caltabiano & Gianpiero Dalla Zuanna & Alessandro Rosina, 2006. "Interdependence between sexual debut and church attendance in Italy," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 14(19), pages 453-484.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:14:y:2006:i:19
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2006.14.19
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Fausta Ongaro & Valentina Tocchioni, 2021. "Adding up risks: Sexual debut and substance use among Italian university students," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2021_14, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    2. Valentina Tocchioni & Marcantonio Caltabiano & Silvia Meggiolaro, 2022. "Diverse pathways in young Italians’ entrance into sexual life: The association with gender and birth cohort," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 46(13), pages 355-396.
    3. Arnstein Aassve & Letizia Mencarini & Elena Pirani & Daniele Vignoli, 2023. "The last bastion is falling: Survey evidence of the new demographic reality in Italy," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2023_04, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    4. Manuela Stranges & Daniele Vignoli, 2019. "“Like A Virgin”. Correlates Of Virginity Among Italian University Students," Working Papers 201908, Università della Calabria, Dipartimento di Economia, Statistica e Finanza "Giovanni Anania" - DESF.
    5. Gianpiero Dalla Zuanna & Marcantonio Caltabiano & Alessandra Minello & Daniele Vignoli, 2019. "Catching up! The sexual opinions and behaviour of Italian students (2000-2017)," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2019_02, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    6. Elena Pirani & Daniele Vignoli, 2021. "Childbearing Across Partnerships in Italy: Prevalence, Demographic Correlates, Social Gradient," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2021_15, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    7. Anna Baranowska-Rataj & Monika Mynarska & Daniele Vignoli, 2014. "A Dirty Look From The Neighbors. Does Living In A Religious Neighborhood Prevent Cohabitation?," Working Papers 71, Institute of Statistics and Demography, Warsaw School of Economics.
    8. Raffaele Guetto & Daniele Vignoli & Alessio Lachi, 2020. "Higher Parental Socioeconomic Status Accelerates Sexual Debut in Italy," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2020_04, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    9. Marcantonio Caltabiano & Silvia Meggiolaro & Valentina Tocchioni, 2021. "Young Italians� sexual debut: the role of family," RIEDS - Rivista Italiana di Economia, Demografia e Statistica - The Italian Journal of Economic, Demographic and Statistical Studies, SIEDS Societa' Italiana di Economia Demografia e Statistica, vol. 75(3), pages 125-136, July-Sept.
    10. Daniele Vignoli & Silvana Salvini, 2014. "Religion and union formation in Italy: Catholic precepts, social pressure, and tradition," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 31(35), pages 1079-1106.
    11. Silvana Salvini, 2019. "Italian students in 2000 and in 2017 between sexual risk behaviors and family communication," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2019_10, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    12. Valentina Tocchioni & Marcantonio Caltabiano & Silvia Meggiolaro, 2021. "Diverse pathways in young Italians’ entrance into sexual life: The association with gender and birth cohort," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2021_11, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    13. Ryohei Mogi & Daniele Vignoli, 2021. "Sexual debut and dating of university students in low fertility societies: Italy and Japan," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2021_06, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    14. Alessandra Gribaldo & Maya D. Judd & David I. Kertzer, 2009. "An Imperfect Contraceptive Society: Fertility and Contraception in Italy," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 35(3), pages 551-584, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Italy; unobserved heterogeneity; religion; sexual debut; college students;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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