Social-psychological predictors of attitudes toward premarital sexual permissiveness among college women

An availability sample of 87 undergraduate women students from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville was used in this study. All participants were in school and tested during the summer quarter of 1976. Women who were or had been married, who were nonwhite, or who were not United States citizens at birth were excluded from this study. The mean age of participants was 20.5 years. The sample included 7 sophmores, 32 juniors, and 48 seniors.

A questionnaire approach was used to collect data. Five questionnaires were used in this study. Attitudes toward premarital sexual behavior were assessed by the Reiss Premarital Sexual Permissiveness Scale. Sex-role orientation was measured by the Bem Sex-Role Inventory. Attitudes toward love were assessed by the Knox-Sporakowski Attitudes Toward Love Scale. Sociodemographic information was collected through the use of a Background Data Sheet developed by the researcher. Finally, a Personal History Inventory was constructed by the researcher to gather information relevant to the personal and family backgrounds of the participants.

Data were analyzed by means of a stepwise multiple regression procedure. Predictor variables were grouped conceptually into the categories of sociodemographic. characteristics, reference group characteristics, and heterosexual socialization experiences. The criterion variable was the score on the Reiss Premarital Sexual Permissiveness Scale.

The model used in this study explained 73% of the variation in attitudes held toward permarital sexual permissiveness and was significant at a .001 level of confidence. It was concluded that the predictor variables were related to attitudes held toward premarital sexual permissiveness.

The regression coefficients for the variables religious affiliation, subject's direct assessment of her permissiveness, size of hometown, and mother's educational level were all significant. It can be concluded that these four variables were strong predictors of premarital sexual standards.