Review article
The Prevalence of Unwanted Online Sexual Exposure and Solicitation Among Youth: A Meta-Analysis

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.03.012Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this meta-analysis was to provide a synthesis of studies examining the prevalence of unwanted online exposure and solicitation of a sexual nature among youth, and to determine if prevalence varies by youth age, gender, year of study data collection, or study geographical location.

Method

Eligible studies from January 1990 to January 2016 were identified utilizing a comprehensive search strategy. Included studies examined the prevalence of unwanted online exposure and solicitation in youth who ranged from 12 to 16.5 years. Two independent coders extracted all relevant data. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to derive mean prevalence rates.

Results

Thirty-one (37,649 participants) and nine (18,272 participants) samples were included in the syntheses on unwanted online sexual exposure and solicitation, respectively. For online exposure, the mean prevalence rate was 20.3% (95% confidence interval: 17.1–23.4). For online solicitation, the mean prevalence rate was 11.5% (95% confidence interval: 9.4–13.6). Moderator analyses indicated that prevalence rates for unwanted online exposure and solicitation have decreased over time. Prevalence varied as a function of gender (solicitations were higher for males), but not age or geographical location.

Conclusions

Approximately one in five youth experience unwanted online exposure to sexually explicit material and one in nine youth experience online sexual solicitation. Educational campaigns to raise awareness of Internet risks and safety strategies are warranted.

Section snippets

Definitional criteria

There is a notable absence of gold standard definitional criteria in research investigating online encounters of a sexual nature among youth. The current study adopted the definitional elements provided by researchers at the Crimes Against Children Research Center [32], who define unwanted online exposure as exposure to sexually explicit pictures and/or videos via pop-up windows, spam e-mails, Web site links, etc., without seeking or expecting sexual material. We also include accidental

Results

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flow diagram [37] detailing the search strategy and resulting outcome can be found in Figure 1. The initial search strategy yielded 1,031 titles/abstracts, and 28 records were identified through other sources including citations in other articles and online reports. Following the removal of duplicate records, 930 titles/abstracts were screened with the predetermined inclusion criteria. A total of 101 publications were

Discussion

The Internet is arguably one of the most impressive technological advancements of our time. Use of the Internet among youth in the developed world is near universal (9.5 out of 10 adolescents use the Internet), and for many, it serves as an invaluable tool to work, play, learn, and communicate [51]. Unfortunately, the Internet can also pose threats to youth in the form of online sexual solicitations and unwanted exposure to sexual content online. The current set of meta-analyses sought to

Funding Sources

Research support was provided to the first author by the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation and the Canada Research Chairs program. These funders had no involvement in (1) study design; (2) the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; (3) the writing of the report; or (4) the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

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    Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

    Financial Disclosures: The authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.

    Contributors’ Statement: Dr. Madigan conceptualized and designed the study, drafted the initial manuscript, carried out the analyses, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.

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