Abstract
BACKGROUND: With the influence of Confucian culture, sex is often considered a taboo subject in Vietnam. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of exposure to sexually explicit Internet material (SEIM) among adolescents in Vietnam, as well as the factors affecting exposure to SEIM. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: The sample consisted of 886 Vietnamese adolescents (58.10% female) aged 15 to 18 years (M = 16.72, SD = 0.72). The survey was adapted from the study of Van Ouytsel, Ponnet and Walrave to assess the frequency of exposure to SEIM. Several measurement scales of factors affecting exposure to SEIM among adolescents were used including the Perceived Realism of SEIM, the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale, the Family Cohesion and the Parental Monitoring Scale. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of exposure to SEIM was 84.10%, with a gender difference: 89.80% in males and 80.00% in females. The prevalence of passive exposure to SEIM was 58.30%, higher than 41.70% for active exposure. Perceived realism of SEIM, sexual sensation seeking and Internet usage time for entertainment are factors affecting frequencies of exposure to SEIM among adolescents, with β coefficient values of .29, .18 and .16 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of children in this study reported SEIM exposure. Parents, schools and other stakeholders should pay attention to sex education for children early on, diversifying forms and subjects of sex education. The content of sex education should emphasize the responsibility in the decisions made by children related to sex.