The relationships among intrinsic religiosity, premarital sexual permissiveness and attitudes towards abortion among believers

Abstract

In Vietnam, individuals possess the fundamental right to exercise their freedom of religion, resulting in a diverse array of religious practices observed throughout the country. Furthermore, the matter of premarital sexual permission and the associated attitudes towards abortion consistently provoke moral and religious disputes. Hence, conducting research to explore the under-researched association between intrinsic religiosity, abortion attitudes, and premarital sexual permissiveness within the context of Vietnam is necessary. The study included 181 participants who were members of popular religious groups in Vietnam, including Buddhism, Christianity, and Caodaism. The participants' ages ranged from 16 to 35 years old. Participants in the study completed measures of intrinsic religiosity (IR), attitude towards abortion (AAS), and premarital sexual permissiveness (PSP). The findings reveal differences in these among individuals with different genders and relationship statuses. The findings also indicate that individuals with high levels of intrinsic religiosity exhibit a more pro-life attitude toward abortion. Furthermore, a positive correlation between premarital sexual permissiveness and attitudes towards abortion was also found. Religiosity's influence on abortion attitudes and premarital sexual permissiveness necessitates further investigation due to its widespread appeal.