Direct and mediating effects of accessing sexually explicit online materials on Hong Kong adolescents' attitude, knowledge, and behavior relating to sex

A Six-Year Longitudinal Study of Consumption of Pornographic Materials in Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

“…Such a pattern is in line with the existing developmental literature, 14,17,71 which indicates the increase in pornography consumption in high school years appears to be universal across cultures, even in the Chinese society in which sex is considered a "taboo" subject. 20,42 This sheds light on the provision of sex education through different media, including the Internet, which is an increasingly influential agent of socialization. Teachers and parents should provide guidance and offer adolescents an opportunity to discuss the purpose of pornography consumption and promote sexual literacy (eg, abstinence, healthy sexuality, responsible sexual behavior).…”

“…Perhaps this is related to the conservative attitude toward sex in Chinese societies. 20,42 In the Chinese culture, it is generally accepted that male individuals are more susceptible to their sexual urges. 20,53 Because consumption of pornography is not only confined to viewing explicit sexual materials but also endorsement of certain values about sex, 41,46 the current findings call for the provision of early intervention programs and service among Chinese adolescents.…”

“…20e23 On the basis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, the authors found that the prevalence of online pornography among early adolescents increased steadily over time from 5% in grade seven to 15% in Grade 10. 20e23 Although the level of exposure of pornography consumption found in previous Chinese studies 20e23 were lower than those found in other countries, 40,42,54 the rate of exposure increased sharply when they reached young adulthood 55 (ie, more than 80%). Peter and Valkenburg 19 noted that "within-country differences regarding issues of adolescent sexuality may be bigger than between-country differences" (pp 180).…”

“…9 As pointed out by Zabin et al, 40 "treating adolescence and youth as a single period not only poses the usual hazards of minimizing individual developmental change but also carries the risk of overgeneralization when behaviors associated with near-in-age cohorts vary considerably amid rapid social change" (pp [10][11]. This view was also upheld in the cross-sectional studies conducted in the Western 41 and Chinese 42 contexts.…”

Antecedents of adolescents’ exposure to different types of sexually explicit Internet material: A longitudinal study

“…While SEIM is officially targeted at an adult audience, SEIM is also used by many adolescents. Studies from the US (e.g., Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2007), Europe (e.g., Peter & Valkenburg, 2006 and Asia (e.g., To, Ngai, & Iu Kan, 2012), for instance, have consistently demonstrated that on average 40-60% of adolescents visit sexually explicit websites.…”