Sexting among adolescents: examining the association between sexting and self-esteem

The primary objective of this study is to provide a systematic review of the published literature, examining the association between sexting and self-esteem in adolescents, and to identify gaps in existing knowledge to provide recommendations for future research

Sexting among adolescents: examining the association between sexting and self-esteem

Purpose: This paper provides a systematic review of the published literature examining the association between sexting and self-esteem in adolescents. It further attempts to identify gaps in the current literature and provide recommendations for future research as well as patient care and education. Methods: Electronic databases (CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Iceberg, and PsycINFO) were searched with publication dates between January 1, 2014 and September 30, 2019. The keywords used to conduct the search were: sexting, adolescents, self-esteem, youth, and teenagers. All records were screened to meet established criteria. The inclusion criteria included the following: a) articles written in the English language, b) study includes a comparison between sexting and self-esteem, c) study includes human subjects, and d) age of subjects is between 13 and 19. Studies where cyberbullying was the main component of the study methodology and consisted of instruments with lack of validity evidence were not included in the review. The review was conducted in concurrence with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results: In total, 7 studies were included in the systematic review. Results suggest that sexting and self-esteem are associated, with an increased likelihood of sexting in adolescents with low self-esteem. Adolescents engaged in sexting behavior reported lower emotional self-efficacy (p \u3c 0.01, 95% CI [0.22-0.61]) and self-esteem (p \u3c 0.05, 95% CI [1.02-1.12]). Female adolescents were more likely to engage in sexting than male adolescents. Conclusions: Although research in sexting is no longer in its infancy, more research examining the association between sexting and self-esteem is needed. With an increasing prevalence of sexting behavior, it is also important for schools, parents, and clinicians to incorporate the discussion of sexting and its negative effects with adolescents. Thus, a greater emphasis on developing and implementing programs and interventions is necessary

Identifying Risk Factors for Adolescent-Adult Sexual Interactions via the Internet from The Perspective of Routine Activity Theory

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati doprinos pojedinih demografskih karakteristika adolescenata, intenziteta i opsega korištenja društvenih mreža, rizičnih online ponašanja i sklonosti ometajućim ponašanjima uključivanju u online seksualne interakcije s odraslom osobom percipiranom kao znatno starijom. Istraživanje je provedeno u sklopu šireg istraživačkog projekta s 1752 sudionika kombiniranom metodom papir-olovka i putem tableta, uzorak je reprezentativan za dobnu skupinu prvih i trećih razreda srednje škole u Hrvatskoj. O uključenosti u online seksualne interakciju s osobom koja nije vršnjak izvještava 5,4 % adolescenata, od čega njih 87 % posto to percipira dobrovoljnim. Rezultati ukazuju na značajan doprinos pojedinih rizičnih čimbenika u objašnjavanju varijance opisanih rizičnih online seksualnih interakcija, uz značajan kumulativni učinak. Provedeno istraživanje doprinosi cjelovitijem razumijevanju rizičnih online seksualnih ponašanja i seksualne viktimizacije adolescenata putem interneta u kontekstu teorije rutinskih aktivnosti te pruža vrijedne implikacije za razvoj strategija prevencije.The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of individual demographic characteristics of adolescents, intensity and extent of social media use, risky online behaviors and propensity to interfere with engaging behaviors, to online sexual interactions with an adult perceived as significantly older. The research was conducted as part of a broader research project with 1752 participants using a combined paper-pencil method and tablets, the sample is representative of the age group of first and third grades of high school in Croatia. Involvement in online sexual interaction with a non-peer is reported by 5.4 % of adolescents, of whom 87 % perceive this as voluntary. The results indicate a significant contribution of most individual risk factors in explaining the variance of the described risky online sexual interactions, with a significant cumulative effect. Findings of the study contribute to a more complete understanding of risky online sexual behaviors and online sexual victimization of adolescents in the context of the theory of routine activities and provide valuable implications for the development of prevention strategies

Development and validation of the Adolescent Sexting Scale (A-SextS) with a Spanish sample

'Sexting' is generally defined as the exchange of sexual media content via the internet. However, research on this topic has underscored the need to seek greater consensus when considering different conceptual elements that make up this definition. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an instrument for measuring sexting among adolescents, in order to cover a gap identified in the previous literature. The Adolescent Sexting Scale (A-SextS for short) was developed for validation on a sample of 579 Spanish secondary school pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. Evidence for face, content, concurrent, and criterion validity were assessed. A comprehensive set of 64 items, covering six defining characteristics of sexting (e.g., actions, recipient, media format, degree of sexual explicitness), was constructed after conducting an extensive literature review, two discussion groups, and a pilot study. Sexting prevalence rates measured by A-SextS were mostly concurrent with those found in previous studies. A-SextS subscales produced statistically significant positive associations with pornography consumption and physical sexual intercourse. The study shows that A-SextS can be an integrating instrument that facilitates a rigorous and comprehensive assessment of adolescent sexting experiences, as well as the formulation of an operationalized definition of the practice of sextin

Sexting Behavior Among Youths: Nature, Determinants, and Consequences

The advent of digital technology and smartphones with internet access has affected many aspects of youth development, including sexual development. One frequently studied type of digital technology use related to young people’s sexual communication is sexting, which is the exchange of sexually explicit content electronically for sexual or romantic purposes. This theoretical review of research, lists and explains commonly studied characteristics of sexting: nature, determinants, and consequences of sexting behavior. The consensus was critical for nearly all characteristics examined in sexting research. Gaps in existing knowledge and methodology as well as recommendations for future research on youth sexting are discussed

Motivacijske odrednice sekstinga: Model temeljen na integraciji dosadašnjih istraživanja

Sexting, defined as the exchange of sexually explicit contents among adolescents and young adults using electronic media, has become a popular topic of interest in the wider public. This paper proposed a theoretical model to explain motivational determinants of sexting behaviour. We reviewed sexting literature to show how multiple empirical confirmed motivational factors can be modelled within our framework. By analysing empirical research, we posited a set of individual characteristics and contextual characteristicsthat explain sexting behaviour. We offered a systematic review of motivational determinants relevant to capture sexting behaviour and guidelines for future research in this area. We intended by this theory to organize prior research into a more theoretically satisfying approach to study sexting and to encourage researchers to expand the model and use it in future studies.Seksting, definiran kao razmijena seksualno eksplicitnog sadržaja elektroničkim medijima među adolescentima i mladim osobama, aktualna je tema šire javnosti. U ovom je radu predložen teorijski model koji objašnjava motivacijske odrednice sekstinga. Autori su na temelju pregleda do sada provedih istraživanja prikazali kako se više empirijski potvrđenih motivacijskih čimbenika može integrirati u predloženi model. Konkretno, analizom su empirijskih istraživanja autori postavili set individualnih i kontekstualnih karakteristika koje objašnjavanju ponašanje kakvo upućuje na seksting. Predložen je sistematski pregled motivacijskih determinanti relevantnih za razumijevanje sekstinga ismjernice za buduća istraživanja u ovom području. Namjera je ovog modela organizacija rezultata do sada provednih istraživanja u teorijski prihvatljiv pristup s ciljem daljnjeg proučavanja sekstinga te poticanje istraživača na dodatni razvoj modela i njegovu primjenu u budućim istraživanjima.</p

Voluntary sexual exposure online among Swedish youth - social background, Internet behavior and psychosocial health

Studies have described the phenomenon of voluntary sexual exposure among youth online but only a few focus on the typical young person who has this experience. The purpose of this study was to investigate Swedish youth with experience of voluntary sexual exposure online, with regard to Internet behavior, social background, and psychosocial health including parent-child relationships. A representative sample of 3503 Swedish youths in their third year of high school completed a survey about Internet behavior, Internet-related sexual harassment, sexuality, health, and sexual abuse. Out of those taking part in the survey, 20.9% (19.2% boys and 22.3% girls) reported experiences of voluntary sexual exposure online. Multivariate analysis showed a significant association between voluntary sexual exposure online and a number of different forms of harassment online. Neither poorer psychosocial health nor problematic relationships with parents remained significant in the final model. The results underlined the fact that voluntary sexual exposure online is associated with vulnerability on the Internet among both boys and girls and that there is a need for parents and professionals to better understand what young people do on the Internet and the risks they may incur. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Resistance and sexuality in virtual worlds: An LGBT perspective

Virtual worlds can provide a safe place for social movements of marginal and oppressed groups such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). When the virtual safe places are under threat, the inhabitants of a virtual world register protests, which have critical implications for the real-world issues. The nature of emancipatory practices such as virtual protests in the digital realm research remains somewhat under-explored. Specifically, it remains to be seen how the oppressed communities such as LGBT take radical actions in virtual worlds in order to restore the imbalance of power. We conducted a 35-month netnographic study of an LGBT social movement in World of Warcraft. The lead researcher joined the LGBT social movement and data was captured through participant observations, discussion forums, and chat logs. Drawing on the critical theory of Michel Foucault, we present empirical evidence that illuminates emancipatory social movement practices in an online virtual world. The findings suggest that there are complex power relations in a virtual world and, when power balance is disrupted, LGBT players form complex ways to register protests, which invoke strategies to restore order in the virtual fields