Abstract Introduction Adolescence is a period of biological, psychological, and social change during which young people form sexual identities, internalise norms about gender and relationships, and begin, or prepare, to engage in romantic and sexual interactions. At the same time, the digital environment has transformed how sexual content is accessed, making explicit material widely available, often without effective age verification. Recent literature indicates that the use of pornography by adolescents is not only common, but also associated with a range of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours that may impact sexual and psychosocial development. Objective To explore the relationship between pornography exposure and three broad domains: sexual attitudes and beliefs; sexual behaviours; and psychosocial outcomes. Methods A narrative review of the most recent literature on the subject was conducted. Results The shift to digital technology over recent decades has been substantial: adolescents increasingly spend time using screens, and not only has screen time risen, but the internet is also used for a broader variety of activities. This is associated with higher exposure to risky situations, but also with enhanced capacity to manage them. Between 21% and 50% of children/adolescents reported viewing sexually explicit content in the past year, with the vast majority accessing this content via internet-connected devices rather than television or print. Many young people encounter sexually explicit content involuntarily (19–84% of youth), while intentional viewing ranges from 7–59%. The average age of first exposure is around 13 for boys and 16 for girls. Some positive associations have been found with increased or earlier pornography consumption: increased comfort with one’s sexuality, lower shame regarding sexual orientation, and greater acceptance of diverse sexual practices. However, negative effects are far more numerous and pronounced: increased risk of emotional and behavioural problems, earlier sexual experimentation and higher engagement in risky sexual behaviours, development of gender-stereotyped beliefs and less progressive gender attitudes, reduced sexual satisfaction (especially in less experienced adolescents) and a greater likelihood of sexual coercion or aggression (both victim and perpetrator), among other outcomes. Conclusions Adolescence is a period of significant physical, cognitive, emotional, and social change. The digital environment presents new contexts and risks: rising screen time, increased internet use and earlier access to sexual material mean that adolescents are exposed to potent stimuli in a developmental phase marked by heightened sensitivity, impulsivity, and identity formation. The impact depends heavily on context: an adolescent’s developmental maturity, the type and frequency of exposure, the age of first exposure, gender, family environment, peer norms, and media literacy all moderate outcomes. Protective factors such as strong parental communication and well-developed self-efficacy can buffer risks, while lower levels of parental education and lower socioeconomic status appear to increase vulnerability. In summary, although exposure to sexual content in adolescence is likely unavoidable in our digital era we need to aim to ensure adolescents have the tools to navigate this exposure safely and reduce the conditions under which exposure becomes harmful. Disclosure No
Pina et al. (Mon,) studied this question.