Shaping Sexual Behaviors & Sexual Scripts

This study examined the relationship between teenagers’ use of mobile Internet devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and their involvement in potentially problematic digital behaviors. A cross-sectional correlational design employing a sample (N = 97) of teens aged 13-18 was used. Results indicated that teens using smartphones as their primary source of Internet access spent more time on the Internet and were more likely to receive sexting requests than teens using computers or other devices. Additionally, teens using computers to access the Internet were most likely to view pornography intentionally. Contextual factors such as age, gender, family structure, religious commitment, attachment to parents, and parental monitoring of online activities were also examined to determine their relationship to negative psychological and interpersonal outcomes. Teens who were highly religious and who had strong attachment to their parents were less likely to use the Internet in problematic ways.