Watching Sexually Explicit Movies and TV Shows During Adolescence is Associated with Porn Use in Adulthood
Datos Bibliográficos
| ID | 12802424 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Pedro Antonio de la Rosa (0000-0002-0912-7396, Universidad de Navarra, autor de correspondencia), Javier García-Manglano (0000-0001-7233-8770, Universidad de Navarra), Barry Haworth, Charo Sádaba (Universidad de Navarra), Charo Sádaba Chalezquer (0000-0003-2596-2794, Universidad de Navarra) |
| Año | 2026 |
| Fecha de publicación | 2026-02-23 |
| Peer Reviewed | Sí |
| Open Access | Sí |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Revista | Sexuality Research and Social Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores de la revista | ISSN: 1553-6610 • E-ISSN: 1868-9884 |
| Editorial | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s13178-026-01290-0 |
| OpenAlex | W7131096695 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Referencias citadas | 33 |
Exposure to sexual content in mainstream media during adolescence may influence the development of sexual behaviors, including pornography use in adulthood. This study examined whether such exposure predicts later pornography consumption. A sample of 1,000 Spanish young adults (aged 18–25) completed an online survey. Exposure to sexual content was assessed using IMDb parental guide ratings for participants’ favorite movies and TV shows from adolescence. Generalized linear models estimated risk ratios (RRs) for pornography use in the past 12 months, adjusting for demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial factors were computed for the whole sample and the subsample of individuals who did not use pornography before age 18 (nweighted = 250.5). In the full sample, female sex, heterosexual orientation, and frequent internet-related educational messages were protective against adult pornography use. Prior pornography use during adolescence was the strongest predictor of continued use. In the restricted subsample of participants with no adolescent pornography exposure, viewing media with moderate or severe sexual content was significantly associated with adult use, while internet safety education remained a protective factor. This study suggests an association between exposure to sexually explicit content in movies and TV shows during adolescence and use of pornography in early adulthood; it also demonstrates that freely available classification systems such as IMDb’s parental guides can be used effectively to operationalize exposure to sexual content and identify individuals at increased risk of later pornography use. These tools, widely and freely available, offer a practical and scalable approach to media research and prevention strategies. Governments and rating agencies should ensure that media classification systems clearly reflect sexual content levels and facilitate effective strategies for parental guidance. This would help parents, educators, and professionals guide adolescent media consumption and implement preventive strategies
Mainstream · Operationalization · Pornography · Psychosocial · Sample (material · Sexual behavior · The Internet · Young adult · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Sexual function and dysfunction studies · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
Contributions of Mainstream Sexual Media Exposure to Sexual Attitudes, Perceived Peer Norms, and Sexual Behavior
A Love That Doesn't Last
Media Effects
Causal inference and longitudinal data
Adolescents' Exposure to Sexually Explicit Internet Material, Sexual Uncertainty, and Attitudes Toward Uncommitted Sexual Exploration
Watching Sex on Television Predicts Adolescent Initiation of Sexual Behavior
It Works Both Ways
Does Viewing Explain Doing? Assessing the Association Between Sexually Explicit Materials Use and Sexual Behaviors in a Large Sample of Dutch Adolescents and Young Adults
The Relationship Between Online Pornography and the Sexual Objectification of Women
Social and Behavioral Health Factors Associated with Violent and Mature Gaming in Early Adolescence
Adolescents and Pornography
Narrative Transportation as a Factor in the Psychological Impact of Films
Understanding Associations between Personal Definitions of Pornography, Using Pornography, and Depression
Antecedents of the Initiation of Watching Sexually Explicit Internet Material
Young People, Sexuality and the Age of Pornography
Early Adolescent Boys’ Exposure to Internet Pornography
A very brief measure of the Big-Five personality domains
The Use of Sexually Explicit Internet Material and Its Antecedents
The role of transportation in the persuasiveness of public narratives
Sexualization of Adolescent Boys
| Velocidad de citación | historical |
|---|---|
| Altamente citado | No |