[cyborg]

"It is very much as we suspected--that adolescent virginity has a significant impact on well-being in middle adulthood," said lead study author Reginald Finger, M.D. "We found, as well, that these better outcomes were not merely the result of avoiding teenage pregnancy or fatherhood. The outcomes are inherent to remaining abstinent. In addition, we found that female virgins were more likely than their non-virgin counterparts to have a positive financial net worth and were almost half as likely as non-virgins to use welfare benefits."

[U S Army EOD]

I would suspect if they took the same people, left out any consideration of sex, and measured their IQ's, the findings would be the same.

[freespirited]

I'll offer a different take on the findings. Being a virgin at 18 is not the direct cause of the positive outcomes (or as social scientists say, the independent variable.) It's a marker for it (social science gobbledygook = dependent variable.)

That marker is whatcha call good judgment, common sense, modicum of intelligence--you know, all that stuff that FReepers have all day long, or are are at least embarrassed when we dont.

[elmer fudd]

This is a somewhat insipid poll. It's pretty darn obvious that troubled youths are more likely to be sexually active so what they're likely seeing is a corelation rather than causation. I'll bet they'd find that those same youngsters that were having sex were also the ones drinking and smoking pot and probably tended to come from troubled homes.

Then there's the question of what's so magic about the age of eighteen. Is it less traumatic or immoral for an 18 year old to lose their virginity than a 17 year old?

[socal_parrot]

My wife and I were both virgins when we met at 20. Twenty-nine years of marraige and two stable and successful careers later, we are retiring next month.


Of course, the California Real Estate market helped a bit. ;)

[Republican Wildcat]

Obviously there would be a correlation, but I'm not sure they have the right direct causation of being "virgins". Their virginity is a sign of having self control, morals, ethics, etc., and, as such, would carry that same integrity over into other aspects of their lives as well. Integrity is the issue, not "virginity" per se.

[Grim]

Thanks for posting this. Fornication is for fools and losers. Love is the most precious gift in the universe and to honor it is to honor the creator.

[Pro-Bush]

Teens who remain virgins throughout high school may think they're missing out on some of the fun, but the reality is their sexually active peers are the ones missing out.

I was part of the missing out crowd.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

The secret of their success, it is called self discipline.

[R. Scott]

"It is very much as we suspected--that adolescent virginity has a significant impact on well-being in middle adulthood," said lead study author Reginald Finger, M.D.

I think he is ignoring other factors.
“1. They completed an average of one year more of higher education.” This could well be more of a sociological/economic than a virginity issue. Kids who tend to have sex early are less interested in education. They prefer instant gratification.
“2. Their incomes were 20 percent higher.” A result of having more education?
“3. They had about half the risk of divorce.” Postponing marriage (or serious relationships) might have something to do with this.

This study reminds me of an early anti-marijuana study. It found that most pot smoking teenagers had acne, therefore pot causes acne. Trying to equate a statistical correlation with causation.

[madprof98]

Threads about sexual activity on Free Republic are like threads about porn: All the adolescents come out to smirk and giggle, and the point of the original post is simply ignored. In fact, the push for abstinence among teens seems to be working, and this article points up a major reason. The kids who think "scoring" is what life is all about are really the losers. The winners are those who are not putting notches in their belts.

From a Christian perspective, this reinforces our conviction that what God wants for us is what is really good for us in the long run. I wonder if those who think of this sort of thing as a giggling matter really want what is good for their own children.

[vezke]

What a silly article.

Is it suppose to make people who didnt get laid before 18 feel better?

As one those unfortunate souls, it's not working. :(

I probably make 20% less than most my age.

Havent been divorced. Not married either though.

I suppose I do have 1 year more higher ed than somebody who got laid. I wouldve traded the year for more tail though. ;-)

[cynicom]

ALL first time wives are virgins. All first time husbands are liars. Time sorts out which is which.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

As a man, we promise..

To love you forever.
To respect you after.
To always be there when you need us.
To never look at another woman.
To take care of you if something "happens".
To always be faithful to you and no one else.

Translation... 4F
FIND THEM, FOOL THEM, F***K THEM, AND FORGET THEM.

and walk away with a grin.
Thank you, PLAYBOY for promoting that philosiphy.

[LWalk18]

A person who is college bound and who comes from a family where excellence in education is expected has more to lose by engaging in early sexual intercourse than one whose education will end at high school and come from a family where education is devalued.

Maybe instead of teaching adolescent virginity as a way to be more successful, we should encourage girls (and boys) to excel in school in order to increase chastity among teens.

[185JHP]

Decency has benefits.

[MonroeDNA]

And the men were sucidal.