Effectiveness of digital interventions to reduce school-age adolescent sexual risks: A systematic review

The increase in risky sexual behaviors among adolescent students has sparked alarm and has become an area of research interest. As adolescents prioritize confidentiality and accessibility, digital interventions are becoming increasingly relevant in sex education. We therefore posed the following research question: Are digital application interventions effective to prevent risky sexual behaviors in school adolescents?

A systematic peer review was conducted between January and December 2023 in five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and PsycINFO) without restricting for language or year of publication.

We included randomized control trials or quasi-experimental studies that measured the effectiveness of interventions targeting young people aged 10-19 years or their parents and developed in a school setting. Interventions aimed at young people with intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, or any disease requiring a specific intervention were excluded.

The search ultimately yielded 27 studies covering a total of 18 digital interventions that demonstrated positive effects, not maintained over time, on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, although the latter to a lesser extent.

We have found very interesting digital interventions with effects, among others, on knowledge, attitudes, and contraceptive use in adolescents. In general, digital interventions have positive effects on knowledge and attitudes, but it is more difficult to modify behaviors with strictly digital interventions or combined with complementary face-to-face sessions or group class activities.

We thus believe that digital interventions are adequate to reduce adolescent sexual risk behaviors, and our systematic review facilitates the implementation of these interventions by sharing existing digital interventions that have had positive effects, as well as the main characteristics a digital intervention should possess to reduce sexually risky behaviors in adolescents.

Digital interventions with adolescents improve sexual behaviors and can be a valuable resource in education on this topic due to their accessibility and confidentiality, two key points for young people.