Little is known about how emerging adults respond emotionally to pornography use. Using a two-study approach, we first examined emerging adults' (N = 269) positive and negative emotional reactions to their own pornography use. Study 2 (N = 517) extended these findings by (a) examining how these emotional reactions are related to well-being and (b)…

This study explored how sexuality education relates to young and emerging adults' sexual behavior and communication. A questionnaire measured 140 U.S. participants' (18-28) school-based sexuality education, age at sexual debut, birth control use, relationship with recent sexual partner, and safer sex communication (SSC) during their last…

In order for adolescents to learn about sex and relationships, the education must be of significance and meet their needs and interests. The study investigated adolescents' conceptions of learning and education about sex and relationships. A phenomenographic approach was used. Six focus group interviews were conducted with adolescents ages 18-19…

The aim of this grounded theory study was to explore late-adolescents' process of sexual development along with their information- and support-seeking behaviors in a Swedish context. Data were collected in semi-structured interviews with late-adolescents aged between 18 and 21 years in high schools in central Sweden. The results showed that…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preliminary efficacy of a media literacy curriculum focused on pornography among a sample of U.S-based, urban-residing youth. Participants were 24 youth between the ages of 15-24 years old, although 65% were 17-18 years old. The sample was 43% female, 43% male, 9% transgender, 52% Black, 22% Hispanic,…

This study tested the reliability of nine scales assessing psychosocial mediators of HIV-risk and protective behaviors of young minority women in New York City. Sixty-nine age-eligible women were approached during clinical sessions, 90% (n = 62) agreed to participate, and 83% (n = 57) completed a web-based survey. With one exception, scale…

There is scant research of adolescents' understanding of abstinence. We conducted interviews with a sample of 58 teens to find out their exposure to abstinence information from a range of sources. Most teens had received abstinence information or messages from school, family members, and friends. For many teens, information about abstinence, or…

Parental sex education might promote healthy sexual behavior among adolescents, but some parents assume that family communication about sex will lead to sexual activity. Family sex communication has been studied with a limited range of adolescent sexual behaviors but not sexual fantasy or desire. Two measures of family sex communication were…

This exploratory study measured the sexuality education and HIV knowledge, attitudes, and risk behaviors of young adults (n = 410), ages 18-21, who recently graduated from public high schools in a midwestern state. Based on the participants' responses to specific questions, students were placed into one of three groups: students who received no…