Religiosity and sexuality: A person- and couple-based approach.

Abstract

Research suggests that viewing sex as being imbued with sacred qualities (nontheistic sexual sanctification) often links religiosity to higher sexual satisfaction. However, some have suggested that religiosity can also lead to less sexual satisfaction through negative sexual attitudes, such as guilt or inhibited passion. To understand how religiosity differs based on combinations of nontheistic sexual sanctification and negative sexual attitudes, data from three exploratory studies (Study 1: 1,615 individuals; Study 2: 1,695 individuals; Study 3: 481 mixed-gender couples) were analyzed using latent profile analysis. This approach identified groups based on levels of nontheistic sexual sanctification and negative sexual attitudes (i.e., guilt, inhibited passion). Group differences in these profiles were tested in relation to religiosity and sexual quality indicators, including satisfaction, desire, frequency, and orgasm consistency. Across all three samples, we found profiles of no guilt/yes sanctification or no inhibition/yes sanctification who tended to be high in religiosity and report positive sexual experiences. There were also several yes guilt/yes sanctification or yes inhibition/yes sanctification profiles, who also tended to be high in religiosity and have more mixed outcomes in their sexual relationships. Finally, although less prevalent, some profiles, such as yes guilt/no sanctification or yes inhibition/no sanctification emerged particularly for women, who tended to be lower in religiosity and have worse sexual outcomes overall. These results highlight the complexity of mixed positive and negative attitudes toward sexuality and how they connect to religiosity and sexual outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).