Curiosity Fulfilling Searches for Sexual Content: Lebanese Adolescents Gratifications from the Internet as a Sex Education Tool

Abstract

This study reports that lack of sexual education in schools influences adolescents to use the Internet to further their interest in sexuality. The study also reveals that seeking information online about sexuality influences adolescent’s attitude, behaviors, and beliefs. The data is exploratory and indicates that the majority of participants never had formal sex education lessons in schools, and they confirmed that the lack of sexual education in schools influences them to use the Internet to further their interests in sexuality by looking up sexual content/information online. In addition, and of great concern is the participant’s lack of knowledge about sexual health and understanding of sexually transmitted infections/diseases. It is clear from this study that there is a positive correlation between the use of the Internet to gratify adolescents’ needs for information about sexuality and influence on their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. This study adds to the theoretical understanding of uses and gratifications and the social learning theory, as well as to the practical aspect as an advocate for adolescents’ actual wants, needs and associated beliefs, attitudes and behaviors, all of which can be used to derive a sexual education program in schools and media that can better and accurately inform young individuals about decisions impacting their lives/health both on the short and long-term.