Abstract

Research on the association between religiosity and premarital sexual behavior has been conducted in the Muslim context, showing mixed results. This cross-sectional, correlational study aimed to analyze the differences between religiosity, self-control, and premarital sexual behavior of female students in both Islamic and public junior high schools. A total of 240 adolescent girls from Islamic and public junior high schools were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test. The results showed that religiosity and sexual behavior of students from both schools were the same, while self-control was different. Furthermore, subjective well-being and goal setting mediated the relationship between religiosity and healthy lifestyle behavior. The findings provide guidance for parents and teachers’ future health-promoting interventions regarding premarital sexual behavior.