Correlates and Predictors of Virginity Among Heterosexual African American Young Adults

Abstract

Research documents that African American adolescents and young adults engage in more sexual activity than other racial/ethnic groups, yet little is known about individuals who remain virgins into adulthood. Using data from the Family and Community Health Study of 554 African American young adults, we examined the individual, familial, interpersonal, and community-level correlates and predictors associated with their virginity status. A total of 82 (14.8%) reported never having had sex. Hence, sexual activity among African American young adulthood is not a universal experience. Multivariable analysis showed that, for males, virginity was associated with BMI, physical attractiveness, educational attainment, anxiety, self-esteem, religious salience, residing in a two-parent household, and neighborhood social disorder. Lower odds of virginity were associated with being in a relationship, higher cognitive performance, and more antisocial friends. Among females, higher odds of virginity were associated with educational attainment and parental quality while lower odds were associated with higher cognitive performance and cigarette use. Results demonstrate that some characteristics associated with virginity were not necessarily the converse of previously identified factors linked to sexual activity. It is important to consider multiple correlates of virginity and their implications for sexuality development of African Americans across the life course.