Association Membership
NO
DOI
10.34296/07012022
Abstract
We investigated the relationship between Christian purity culture (PC) exposure/endorsement and sexual shame in 1,273 participants. Purity culture (PC) is a belief system predicated on sexual abstinence until heterosexual marriage and traditional gender roles. Correlational data showed that PC exposure was associated with higher sexual shame, particularly among women, and only among those who no longer endorsed PC. However, we did not find a causal relationship between PC exposure and sexual shame. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for countering sex-negative messages during adolescence to improve healthy sexual development and better health and relationship outcomes.
Title Page
Recommended Citation
Gray, D., & Klement, D. R. (2026). Purity Culture and Sexual Shame. Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education, 7 (1). https://doi.org/10.34296/07012022