Young Adults’ Qualitative Self-Reports of Their Outcomes of Online Sexual Activities

Abstract

Online sexual activities (OSA) refer to Internet-based activities, behaviours, and materials that are sexual in nature. Many young adults engage in OSA, but report doing so infrequently. Most OSA outcome research has focused on negative effects of only some types of OSA (e.g., viewing pornography online). The goal of this study was to enhance knowledge on the range of OSA outcomes by qualitatively exploring young adults’ self-reported negative and positive outcomes from OSA experiences generally. University/College students from Canada (n = 246), Germany (n = 411), Sweden (n = 299), and the USA (n = 123) completed an online survey that included open-ended questions about “one of the most positive/negative effects that engaging in online sexual activities has had on your life”. More participants provided positive outcome responses than negative outcome responses. Qualitative analysis of the responses suggested a wide range of positive and negative outcome content that fit into seven bi-polar, higher-order themes: No Outcomes, Relationship Outcomes, Sexual Experience, Emotional Outcomes, Knowledge, Personal Outcomes, and Security. We found no variations in themes or their respective codes across the four countries. The findings suggests that researchers, educators, health care and psychology providers need to include multiple dimensions of positive and negative, personal and interpersonal, sexual and non-sexual OSA outcomes in their work

Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis

“…Empirical research shows that people from the general population involved in SIDC tend to report both negative and positive outcomes, with positive outcomes often predominating ( Shaughnessy et al, 2014 ; Döring and Mohseni, 2018 ; Courtice et al, 2021 ). However, type and intensity of reported individual consequences and overall outcomes vary greatly depending on the selection of outcome measures, the characteristics of the digital technology users (e.g., age, gender), and the type of sexual interaction involved (e.g., Lefkowitz and Vasilenko, 2014 ; O’Sullivan, 2014 ).…”

Generations and Branded Content from and through the Internet and Social Media: Modern Communication Strategic Techniques and Practices for Brand Sustainability—The Greek Case Study of LACTA Chocolate

“…In terms of characteristics, lifestyles, behaviors, and attitudes, GenZer members are regarded as open-minded without inhibitions and try everything and anything, self-identify with various sexual orientation and gender identities, self-controlled, more responsible, and technology literate, having learned to use the Internet for any need and in all their daily activities as if they have learned a second language with high-tech and multiple sources of information and data [4,6,11,12,83]. Additionally, they have a demanding request to filter these sources in order to mitigate the overload of various messages to which they are bombarded from multiple sides in cyberspace [4,6,84,85].…”