Sexual Well-Being of Young People in Times of Widespread Pornography Use: Protocol for a Multidisciplinary Research Framework

Abstract

Background: Since the rise of freely accessible pornographic streaming websites, pornography consumption has become widespread and normative worldwide. In Flanders, early exposure—before age 13—has tripled over the past decade, and frequent use, particularly among young men, is common. While pornography consumption may support body satisfaction, self-exploration, and self-esteem, evidence on its effects on sexual development and sexual well-being remains limited. Public debates are polarized, swinging between moral panic and denial of potential risks. Care providers and helplines increasingly report young people struggling with pornography-related concerns, such as self-perceived porn-induced sexual dysfunctions. Adolescents and young adults from diverse backgrounds express a clear need for guidance in navigating sexually explicit media, particularly when communication with parents, teachers, or health care providers is difficult.

Objective: This project aims to generate evidence-based insights into the complex relationships between pornography consumption, sexual development, and sexual well-being among young people. By producing actionable knowledge, it seeks to inform education, prevention, and care practices that help adolescents and young adults navigate sexually explicit media in ways that promote healthy and inclusive sexual well-being within Flanders’ ethnically and sexually diverse society.

Methods: The project consists of four interconnected work packages: (1) examining pornography in relation to societal norms and inequalities, (2) exploring pornography within family-based sexual development, (3) investigating pornography’s role in health care contexts, and (4) developing evidence-based pornography literacy tools for education and prevention. A mixed methods approach will combine systematic scoping reviews, a nationally representative survey, laboratory studies, qualitative interviews and focus groups, and co-creation with key societal stakeholders.

Results: The project received funding from Research Foundation – Flanders in 2024, and researchers were appointed between September and November 2024. Scoping reviews began in January 2025 and concluded in October 2025. A large-scale survey will be conducted between January and March 2026, followed by subsequent stages of analysis, dissemination, and valorization, concluding in 2028.

Conclusions: Although empirical results are not yet available, the project will deliver new evidence on how pornography consumption shapes sexual development and sexual well-being across diverse contexts. It will produce practical outputs for education, health care, and policy, and contribute to reducing stigma and misinformation around pornography use. By addressing pornography as a multifaceted social and sexual phenomenon, this multidisciplinary research will advance scientific understanding and promote more inclusive, evidence-based approaches to sexual health education, care, and policy.