Sexting
Longitudinal Associations between Different Types of Sexting, Adolescent Mental Health, and Sexual Risk Behaviors: Moderating Effects of Gender, Ethnicity, Disability Status, and Sexual Minority Status.
Open Access: Yes.
Abstract
The present study investigated the moderating effect of adolescent demographic variables in the longitudinal associations among different types of sexting, mental health (i.e., depression, self-harm, subjective health complaints), and sexual risk behaviors. There were 1113 adolescents (ages 14-17 years; Mage = 16.36; SDage = .81; 50% female) from six high schools located in the United States included in this study. Adolescents completed questionnaires on their sexting behaviors, mental health, and sexual risk behaviors during the ninth grade; in tenth grade, they completed questionnaires on mental health and sexual risk behaviors. Non-consensual sexting and pressured sexting were both related positively to each of the mental health variables and sexual risk behaviors. The relationship between non-consensual sexting and depressive symptoms was stronger for girls, ethnic minorities, those adolescents with disabilities, and sexual minorities. Similar patterns were found for pressured sexting, non-suicidal self-harm, and subjective health complaints. The relationships between pressured sexting and sexual risk behaviors were stronger for girls, ethnic minorities, those adolescents with disabilities, and those who identified as sexual minorities. Research focused on the relationships among different types of sexting, mental health, and sexual risk behaviors is important as such research facilitates the development of evidence-based recommendations for sexting harm prevention and sexual education programs.
Relevance
“The objectives of the present study were to examine a) the associations among three different sexting behaviors (i.e., consensual, non-consensual, pressured), sexual risk behaviors, and mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms, non-suicidal self-harm, subjective health complaints), measured over one year, and b) the moderating effect of adolescents’ demographic variables (i.e., gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual minority) in the relationships among sexting behaviors,mental health, and sexual risk behaviors.”
“Boys engaged in more non-consensual sexting than girls, girls were pressured to send texts more than boys, and there were no gender differences for consensual sexting.”
Ethnic minority and sexual minority adolescents both engaged in more consensual sexting than ethnic majority and heterosexual adolescents, but although no differences in non-consensual and pressured sexting. Disabilities status was unrelated to any sexting behavior.
Non-consensual sexting and pressured sexting were associated positively with depressive symptoms, non-suicidal self-harm, subjective health complaints, and sexual risk behaviors. (Non-consensual sexting and pressured sexting were more linked to depressive symptoms for girls, ethnic minorities, disabled adolescents, and sexual minority adolescents; more positive for non-suicidal self-harm for girls, disabled adolescents, and sexual minority adolescents; and pressured sexual was more strongly linked to subjective health complaints for ethnic minorities. “No additional moderation effects were found.”)
Citation
Wright, M. F., & Wachs, S. (2024). Longitudinal Associations between Different Types of Sexting, Adolescent Mental Health, and Sexual Risk Behaviors: Moderating Effects of Gender, Ethnicity, Disability Status, and Sexual Minority Status. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 53(3), 1115–1128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02764-7
