Understanding the Impact of Pornography Consumption on the Development of Youth
Presented by: Geoff Sidoli
Geoff Sidoli, LCSW, is the current Coordinator for the National Children’s Alliance’s Institute for Better Mental Health Outcomes. He assists CACs around the country developing, implementing, and sustaining mental health services including PSB. Prior to coming to NCA, Geoff was the founding director of the Mountain CAC in Asheville, NC where he supervised a clinical department that assessed and treated trauma and problematic sexual behavior (PSB) utilizing multiple evidence-based/supported models, including a PSB model that he developed. Geoff has a broad history of work with trauma and sexual violence for over 30 years including the assessment and treatment of individuals that have caused sexual harm. He speaks regionally and nationally on the topic of sexual abuse, assessment and treatment. He serves on several state/national boards and work groups that focus on the intervention and prevention of sexual harm and trauma. Geoff facilitates NCA’s national youth with problematic sexual behaviors work group and sits on ATSA’s child and adolescent committee as well as the ethics committee.
Session description:
For over a decade, technology has significantly changed how youth have come into contact and consumed sexually explicit material. It has extensively altered how we determine “normal” sexual development and what we consider to be normative sexual behaviors in children and youth. While the behavioral changes have been easier to observe and measure the impact that pornography has had, physiological and neurological changes have been more challenging to understand and even the research has been opaque in making a determination of pornography’s influence. This presentation will attempt to shed light on the impact from elevated and expedited consumption of sexually explicit material on children and youth, including changes in sexual behaviors and norms. It will also discuss options for professionals and caregivers to consider when trying to strategize how to engage and mitigate potential problems.
