Original article
Exposure to Sexually Explicit Web Sites and Adolescent Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.12.004Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

Mass media play an important role in the socialization of youth. Given its expanding nature and accessibility, the Internet may be at the forefront of this education. However, the extent of the Internet's impact on adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors is not yet known.

Methods

A total of 433 adolescents completed an anonymous survey at a health center in New York City. The cross-sectional survey assessed Internet accessibility, exposure to sexually explicit Web sites (SEWs), sexual behaviors, and sexually permissive attitudes.

Results

Of the participants, 96% had Internet access, and 55.4% reported ever visiting a SEW. Logistic regression analyses revealed that adolescents exposed to SEWs were more likely to have multiple lifetime sexual partners (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.2, 2.9), to have had more than one sexual partner in the last 3 months (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.1, 3.1), to have used alcohol or other substances at last sexual encounter (OR = 2.8, CI = 1.5, 5.2), and to have engaged in anal sex (OR = 2.0, CI = 1.2, 3.4). Adolescents who visit SEWs display higher sexual permissiveness scores compared with those who have never been exposed (2.3 vs. 1.9, p ≤ .001), indicating a more permissive attitude.

Conclusions

Exposure to Internet pornography has potential implications for adolescent sexual relationships, such as number of partners and substance use. SEWs can serve an educational purpose and create an opportunity for adults to engage adolescents in discussions about sexual health and consumption of Internet material. Longitudinal research is needed to evaluate how exposure to SEWs influences youth attitudes and sexual behaviors.

Section snippets

Methods

Participants were recruited from the waiting room of a large, adolescent-specific, primary care facility in New York City. Patients come from all five boroughs of New York City and comprise the most vulnerable and underserved populations, with 48% Hispanic and 43% African-American. All youth between the ages of 12 and 22 years were eligible for participation. This project met criteria for expedited review by the Institutional Review Board, and data were collected in the summer and fall of 2007.

Results

A total of 492 adolescents were approached for participation. Overall, 433 adolescents and young adults 12–22 years of age finished the survey, for a completion rate of 88%. More than 85% of the sample was female, with a mean age of 18 years (SD = 2.1). Additional descriptive statistics for the sample are displayed in Table 2.

Adolescents were asked about their past and present sexual activity. Of the participants, 91% had ever engaged in consensual sexual intercourse, with a mean age of coitarche

Discussion

This is one of the first empiric studies to examine adolescents' exposure to sexually explicit Web sites and its relationship with sexual attitudes and behaviors. Results suggest that Internet pornography is readily accessible and available to adolescents, with more than 50% of adolescents visiting a sexually explicit Web site in their lifetime. Consistent with adult literature, adolescent males are more likely to frequent Internet pornography sites [31], [32]. Confirming our primary

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the patients and staff of the Adolescent Health Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Thanks are expressed to Linda Levin-Carmine, M.D., for her helpful advice and comments.

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