Adolescent sexual risk behavior on the internet

Recurrently, there have been concerns about the influence of new media on children and adolescents. Some of these concerns have been refuted while others have been supported by scientific scrutiny. To overcome an uninformed public discussion, this dissertation provides a detailed account of online sexual risk behavior among adolescents. On the one hand, this dissertation identifies a small group of adolescents who engage in online sexual risk behavior. Although the percentage of adolescents engaging in this behavior seems rather low, it still comprises a considerable number of adolescents in absolute terms. These adolescents constitute a risk group that deserves special attention, not only because of their engagement in online sexual risk behavior, but also because this behavior has been linked to offline sexual risk behavior, online victimization experiences, and low life satisfaction. Thus, these adolescents may be particularly vulnerable. On the other hand, the findings of this dissertation suggest that the vast majority of adolescents do not engage in online sexual risk behavior. This finding may be reassuring for many parents who worry about their child’s online sexual risk behavior. Although the internet may have become an important part of adolescent sexual development, most adolescents behave responsibly and safely on the internet.