The use of online pornography among minors: epidemiological analysis of the phenomenon.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic literature review of 21 observational studies
PubMed 35166482 · doi:10.23736/S2724-5276.19.05342-8
What was done
A literature search was conducted across PubMed and ScienceDirect for articles published between 2013 and 2018 investigating the use of sexually explicit internet material (SEIM) among children and adolescents. The review synthesized epidemiological data on prevalence, sex and age distribution, and circumstances of first exposure across 21 included papers.
What was found
Across the 21 included studies, SEIM exposure prevalence ranged from 56% to 100% in boys and from 7.6% to 82% in girls. Initial exposure occurred accidentally in more than half of cases, with a mean age of first exposure of 12 years for boys and 14.5 years for girls. Smartphone and tablet ownership was associated with a doubled risk of exposure.
Why it matters
This review compiles multi-study data demonstrating that internet-connected mobile devices frequently lead to accidental and widespread exposure to sexually explicit material during early adolescence.
Limits
The review searched only two databases over a limited 5-year timeframe (2013–2018). Total participant sample size, specific study designs, and formal meta-analytic pooling are not reported in the abstract. The broad prevalence ranges suggest substantial heterogeneity in study definitions, populations, and assessment methods.