Emerging adults’ responses to active mediation of pornography during adolescence

Concern about the influence of pornography on adolescents and emerging adults is growing due to widespread access to pornography. Past research shows that parent-child conversations about media content can alter the extent and effects of exposure to media content. This study, therefore, explored the predictors of negative active mediation of pornography—parent-child conversations that are critical of pornography—as well as the relationship between negative active mediation delivered during adolescence and emerging adults’ pornography use, attitudes about pornography, and self-esteem of those whose sexual partner regularly views pornography. Results revealed that the inverse relationship between negative active mediation and emerging adults’ pornography use was mediated by attitudes about pornography and that active mediation protected the self-esteem of those whose sexual partner regularly views pornography. These findings suggest that active mediation of pornography may be one way to reduce negative indirect effects of pornography exposure and prevent future pornography use.