TY - JOUR
T1 - An Exploratory Study of Sexting Behaviors Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Early Adolescents
AU - Van Ouytsel, Joris
AU - Walrave, Michel
AU - Ponnet, Koen
N1 - Funding Information:
The work of J.V.O. is supported by the Research Foundation—Flanders ( 12J8719N ). The data collection for this study was supported by the Research Fund of the University of Antwerp (BOF Klein Project— FFB180048 ). The study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation of the data, writing of the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication were the sole responsibilities of the authors and were in no way influenced by the funding institutions.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
PY - 2019/11
Y1 - 2019/11
N2 - Purpose: Although research on adolescent sexting—the sending of self-made sexually explicit pictures through digital media—has increased in recent years, prior studies have primarily focused on older youth and the act of sending of such images. Little is known about the experiences of early adolescent sexual minority youth, who might be particularly vulnerable to abusive forms of sexting. To address this gap in the literature, we aim to investigate differences in the prevalence of a wide range of sexting behaviors among a convenience sample of heterosexual and sexual minority early adolescents. Methods: A survey was conducted among 3,109 adolescents (53.5% girls; n = 1,647) aged between 12 and 15 years (mean = 13.01 years; standard deviation = .83). We examined differences in sexting behavior by sexual orientation, controlling for gender, age, and amount of Internet use. Results: The results show that sexual minority youth were more likely to have sent, received, and asked for sexting images. They were also more likely to have experienced pressure to send sexually explicit pictures. There were no associations between sexual minority status and the perpetration of nonconsensual forms of sexting. Conclusions: Several types of sexting were not uncommon among heterosexual and sexual minority youth. Clinicians and counselors should be aware that sexual minority youth are more likely to experience, but not to perpetrate, abusive sexting behaviors. The results underscore the need for educational efforts to focus on resilience training for sexual minority adolescents.
AB - Purpose: Although research on adolescent sexting—the sending of self-made sexually explicit pictures through digital media—has increased in recent years, prior studies have primarily focused on older youth and the act of sending of such images. Little is known about the experiences of early adolescent sexual minority youth, who might be particularly vulnerable to abusive forms of sexting. To address this gap in the literature, we aim to investigate differences in the prevalence of a wide range of sexting behaviors among a convenience sample of heterosexual and sexual minority early adolescents. Methods: A survey was conducted among 3,109 adolescents (53.5% girls; n = 1,647) aged between 12 and 15 years (mean = 13.01 years; standard deviation = .83). We examined differences in sexting behavior by sexual orientation, controlling for gender, age, and amount of Internet use. Results: The results show that sexual minority youth were more likely to have sent, received, and asked for sexting images. They were also more likely to have experienced pressure to send sexually explicit pictures. There were no associations between sexual minority status and the perpetration of nonconsensual forms of sexting. Conclusions: Several types of sexting were not uncommon among heterosexual and sexual minority youth. Clinicians and counselors should be aware that sexual minority youth are more likely to experience, but not to perpetrate, abusive sexting behaviors. The results underscore the need for educational efforts to focus on resilience training for sexual minority adolescents.
KW - Sexting
KW - Sexual minority
KW - Social media
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.06.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.06.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 31473082
AN - SCOPUS:85071342030
SN - 1054-139X
VL - 65
SP - 621
EP - 626
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
IS - 5
ER -