There are many individual, family, and cultural factors that influence the development of healthy sexuality in adolescents. One factor that is less often described but may play a role is religion/spirituality. Adolescents' religious/spiritual belief system or the cultural religious context within which they are raised may impact their attitudes or beliefs about having sex before marriage, decisions about the timing of coital debut, or contraceptive practices. In this article we will define the terms "religiosity" and "spirituality"; highlight the key scientific literature on the relationships between religiosity, spirituality, and adolescent sexual health outcomes (e.g., coital debut, contraceptive practices), including describing why religiosity/spirituality may be related to these outcomes; and briefly discuss programs/clinical implications for integrating these findings into clinical practice.
