Late Adolescent User Experiences with Online Sexual Health Resources: A Qualitative Study

AbstractAdolescents rely on the internet as a primary source for sexual health information. Understanding users’ assessments of trust and credibility in online materials may help inform interventions. Cognitive interviews with web observations were conducted with late adolescent internet users (n = 30). Web activity was tracked and transcripts analyzed using modified grounded theory. Sexual health information is found online without attempts to locate specific websites. Personal stories are preferred for learning about sexual identity. Teen-friendly-styled sites were avoided. Information found online was validated with sexuality education and life experiences. Practitioners and educators should prioritize developing online cues that communicate credibility to adolescents.