United States adolescents’ responses to sexual consent on television and the moderating role of anxious attachment

ABSTRACT Understanding effects of televised depictions of sexual consent communication on adolescents is important, given that many individuals experience their first romantic and sexual relationships during this developmental period. Using the theory of planned behavior as a framework, we examined how portrayals of verbal and non-verbal sexual consent in adolescent-directed programming influenced attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived behavioral control regarding sexual consent communication among a sample of adolescents (ages 12–17, N = 130). We also examined adolescents’ anxious attachment as a moderator. Results demonstrated a significant main effect of experimental condition on sexual consent norms, but anxious attachment orientation did not moderate the relationships between experimental condition and perceived norms. We discuss findings in the context of individual differences, with implications for the design of media to support sexual consent communication among different adolescents. Impact summary Prior State of Knowledge: Sexual television content may elicit shifts in viewers’ sexual attitudes and beliefs, but few studies have examined the effects of depictions of sexual consent communication. Novel Contributions: The current study examines whether and how adolescents respond to television content about sexual consent communication, and whether those responses vary at different levels of anxious attachment. Practical Implications: This work demonstrates the need for television programmers to emphasize the importance of sexual consent communication for all types of sexual behavior. Parents and sexuality educators who work with adolescents should establish consent communication as a natural and necessary step in sexual initiation, particularly for those exhibiting low levels of consent self-efficacy.