Affective-sexual education in adolescence: Current status and systematic review of validated programmes in Spain

Sexual risks in the digital environment pose a growing challenge for adolescents, especially given their early and widespread access to the digital world. In this context, affective-sexual education (ASE) is a key element in providing the necessary skills for the development of healthy sexuality. The aim of this study was to analyse the extent to which ASE programmes validated in Spain and implemented in classrooms with adolescents aged 12 to 18 incorporate content on digital sexual risks, through a systematic literature review following the PRISMA 2020 model. The search was conducted in six databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, APA PsycInfo, Dialnet and ERIC). The inclusion criteria required that articles be published between 2006 and 2026 (C1), that they include a sample of adolescents aged 12 to 18 enrolled in schools in Spain (C2), and that they feature an experimental or quasi-experimental design with a control group for programme evaluation (C3). After applying the criteria, five programmes were identified. A main finding is that none of the programmes includes content regarding sexual risks in the digital environment, which underscores a significant gap given that this does not correspond to the reality experienced by adolescents today. The results highlight the scarcity of interventions evaluated with scientific rigor and underscore the need to design and validate ASE programmes based on scientific evidence and adapted to current realities, taking into account sexual risks in the digital environment, among other aspects.