4.3 Sex Education or Miseducation? Adolescents and Sexually Explicit Online Materials

Youth are increasingly exposed to sexually explicit internet materials (SEIM). What begins as age-appropriate curiosity may lead to problematic experiences and behaviors. Caregivers are often unaware of these behaviors and fail to provide the needed guidance or limit setting. The objective of this presentation is to summarize the current state of the scientific literature regarding adolescent exploration of SEIM, identify those at risk of negative consequences, and provide suggestions to providers about how to help youth and their families respond.