HSB research
Research‑led insight to support trauma‑informed responses to harmful and problematic sexual behaviour.
Explore evidence‑based research to deepen understanding of HSB/PSB through a trauma‑informed lens.
This page brings together key research papers on harmful and problematic sexual behaviour (HSB/PSB), including the impact of pornography on children and young people, pornography‑related difficulties, and sibling sexual behaviour and abuse.
These resources are designed to support professionals and organisations in approaching complex and sensitive topics with a trauma‑informed, developmentally‑aware perspective.
The research links complement the specialist support offered through our HSB/PSB service, helping teams build confidence, understanding, and safe practice when working with children and young people in care.
"Sex is kind of broken now": children and pornography - Children's Commissioner
"Sex is kind of broken now": children and pornography
This research paper explores how children and young people are increasingly exposed to online pornography and how this shapes their developing understanding of sex, relationships, consent, and boundaries. It examines the potential emotional, cognitive, and behavioural impacts of early or repeated exposure, including unrealistic expectations, confusion, anxiety, and risk‑taking behaviours.
The paper highlights the importance of approaching these issues through a trauma‑informed and developmentally‑aware lens, recognising that pornography consumption can intersect with wider vulnerabilities, unmet needs, or previous experiences. It also emphasises the need for adults and professionals to respond with sensitivity, guidance, and clear, safe conversations.
Youth, Pornography, and Addiction: A Critical Review - S. Healey-Cullen, K. Taylor, T. Morison
Youth, Pornography, and Addiction: A Critical Review
This research paper critically examines how the idea of “pornography addiction” in young people has developed and why it persists, despite “media effects research… not conclusive” and the fact that “pornography addiction [is] not officially recognised as a diagnosable disorder.” It explores how cultural anxieties, medicalisation, and assumptions about adolescence have shaped public and policy narratives about youth, pornography, and risk.
The authors argue that the addiction narrative is sustained less by scientific evidence and more by broader social concerns about youth sexuality, technology, and the need for adult intervention.
Impact of pornography consumption on children and adolescents: a trauma-informed approach - M. Alvarez-Segura, et.al
Impact of pornography consumption on children and adolescents: a trauma-informed approach
This paper examines how pornography consumption may affect children and adolescents through a trauma‑informed lens, exploring whether exposure can function as a potentially traumatic experience. The authors note that access has increased so significantly that it is described as “a public health problem”, and that many of the psychological consequences observed in young viewers “parallel post‑traumatic symptoms.”
The paper situates pornography use within child development, highlighting how explicit content can overwhelm a young person’s capacity to process what they see, disrupt emotional and cognitive development, and activate trauma‑related responses such as avoidance, aggression, or dissociation.
Sibling sexual abuse: what do we know? What do we need to know? - P. Yates, E. Mullins, A. Adams, S. Kewley
Sibling sexual abuse: what do we know? What do we need to know?
Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) is a common but under-recognised form of child sexual abuse, with research showing it can occur across all ages, genders, and family backgrounds. Despite this, it is poorly defined and inconsistently understood within both research and practice.
The review highlights that SSA can involve a wide range of behaviours, and its impact is often significant, affecting the entire family system. However, disclosure during childhood is rare, due to barriers such as fear, confusion, loyalty to family members, and the nature of the home environment where the abuse occurs.
As a result, official records are likely to underestimate both how often SSA occurs and how long it continues. The findings emphasise that there are substantial gaps in knowledge, and a need for more research, clearer definitions, and improved guidance for practitioners working in this complex area.
Understanding sibling sexual behaviour and abuse: A form of harmful sexual behaviour in children and young people - K. McCarten, S. King-Hill, A. Adams, D. Russell
This paper explores sibling sexual behaviour and abuse (SSB‑A) as a distinct and complex form of harmful sexual behaviour between children and young people. It highlights that SSB‑A has gained prominence in recent years but remains “challenging for practitioners in terms of understanding, engagement and intervention development” and is often met with “inconsistent and fragmented” professional responses.
The authors emphasise that SSB‑A must be understood within the whole family system, shaped by dynamics such as stress, boundaries, trauma histories, and exposure to harmful content. The paper introduces the Sibling Sexual Behaviour Mapping Tool (SSB‑MT) to support more structured, trauma‑informed, child‑centred, and holistic professional practice.