Behaviors at a Prohibitionist University

Sexual activity, substance use and religious behaviors at a conservative, prohibitionist university

Michael VanderWaal (Faculty Mentor: Duane McBride, Sociology)

Several national collegiate studies have explored risk and protective factors relating to sexual activity and substance use. However, these studies do not focus on religious institutions that have prohibitionist policies towards premarital sex, drugs and alcohol. This study explores the relationship between sexual activity, substance use and religious behaviors at one conservative, prohibitionist Midwestern university. Data was collected from a convenience sample of 632 unmarried undergraduate and graduate students in Fall, 2011. The study examined three types of sexual behaviors in relationship to lifetime substance use and weekly religious behaviors: 1) never had sex {Nosex) {58.9%); 2) ever had heterosexual sex {Heterosex) {37.5%); and 3) ever had same-sex sex {Samesex) {4.9%). Using SPSS V.20, researchers performed a non-parametric Kruskai-Wallace H test for differences between the three subgroups, followed by a Mann-Whitney U test to determine sub-group rankings. Findings showed that Samesex subjects were significantly more likely to have used tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use in their lifetime than either Heterosex and Nosex subjects. In contrast, Nosex subjects were significantly more likely to practice a variety of religious behaviors than either Heterosex or Samesex subjects. Researchers will discuss possible interpretations and implications for risk and protective factors among these three groups.