Teenage Sexting: Causes and Consequences

FEB 27

Posted by shaziaghazi

Sexting is defined as getting, sending or promoting sexually overt images or sexually expressive messages
including their own nude images of private areas and others via cellphones , internet and other electronic
devices (Houck et al,2013).The causes of teenage sexting are curiosity for sex, peer pressure, love, thinking
abilities. Teenagers face emotional consequences including bullying, embarrassing, disappointing, fear of
exaggeration of issue, losing reputation, depression, suicide as well as legal consequences including getting
criminal charges for child pornography, register as a sex offender, revealing parents to legal consequences, and
enter foster care or being removed from the home, college admission denial, disqualification for student
financial aid, restrictions on service (Sherri Gordon, n.d). According to (mobiledia n.d) Pakistan’s constitution
guarantees freedom of speech but Pakistan Telecommunication Authority gave carriers a list of 1,600 words to
ban. Moreover, it says that the words and phrases banned comprise of 1,109 English words and 568 in
Pakistan’s national Urdu language, so Pakistani citizens will fell it hard to send ridiculous texts.

Sexting describes sharing sexually suggestive images or messages via cell phones and other electronic devices.
Moreover, In 2012 Temple et al, also explain sexting as a combination of the words sex and texting, the
practice of electronically sending sexually explicit images or messages from one person to another”. Word
“Sext” has been come into society since 2005, recording and exchanging sexual material is not new perception
for every individual. In history sexual material has been disseminated via drawings, photographs, and videos
(Lohmann, 2012).

The purpose of selecting this topic is that, these days sexting has become a common issue in teenagers which
lasts its impact on teenager’s physical, social and psychological health. Moreover, according to lohmann, 2012
“Sexual materials are in easy access to teenagers because of which they faces many emotional and legal
consequences”. These days, new communication technologies play a significant role in the lives of young
people, particularly teenagers (Valkenburg & Peter, 2011). Especially, the prompt contact to others via the
internet and other electronic devices have intensely changed when, how, and what will teens learn from each
other and the surrounding world (Valkenburg & Peter, 2007). All of these facilities do not have only positive
outcomes (Valkenburg & Peter, 2011). For instance, cyber bullying (annoyance through e-mail, Facebook, and
text masseges, etc.) has become a contemporary approach (especially for teenagers) to be violent or threatening
(Ang & Goh, 2010; Raskauskas & Stoltz, 2007; Tokunaga, 2010).

There are many reasons behind teenage sexting some of those are curiosity for sex, peer pressure, love, less
developed thinking abilities and money. Viewing sex on TV predicts and may accelerate teen’s sexual
initiation and creates curiosity which leads to exploring and testing particularly with teens. Teens may be
curious to know and watch how others look naked and easily provoked by nudity. So for, exploration and
experimentation teens initiate sexting (Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, 2012). Another possible reason may be
peer pressure. A study was conducted by (University of Melbourne, 2011) which involves 33 young people (15
male and 18 female) aged 15-20 and they were interviewed individually. Boys discussed that they were forced
by their peers to have girls’ images on their mobiles and computers. They said if they refrained from involving
in the activity they were considered ‘gay’ or could be removed from their groups. Girls experienced pressure
from boyfriends or strangers to respond on exchanging sexual materials. Teenagers easily trust on their lovers.
Most students who sent these images possibly did so to just one other person (e.g., a present or preferred
boyfriend or girlfriend) after break up with their lovers they will send those sexually explicit images to others
in this ways images will spread. (Lenhart, 2009).

The scientific reason behind why the boy is unable to stop his action was this that in teenager’s prefrontal
cortex is not developed fully. As this area is responsible for, impulse controlling, problem solving and
balancing out decisions so they are more susceptible for sexting (Lohmann, 2012).

Consequences associated with sexting are both legal and emotional. I come across a 17 years old girl who
takes her picture in her female friend mobile for the sake of fun but unfortunately forget to delete. Her friend’s
mobile was lost and a boy got it unluckily he was her relative. He showed these images to her family and
blamed her that she has taken these images for a boy to whom she is in love. When she explains the whole
situation to her family they can’t trust her. Her family discontinues her education and even she was not
supposed to meet her female friends. Whole society used to blame her and consider her a girl with bad
character. After some weeks the girl herself prefers isolation from family members. She was sitting alone in
room and crying. After a month she becomes psychologically ill and at last she commits suicide.       There are
many psychological or emotional consequences that should be consider. According to Celizic, (2009) the
teenage girl send her nude images to her boyfriend and after their break up he disseminated these images to
others. In same manner, suppose a girl who phoned her nude images to her class fellow for seeking his
attention. A third person picked up these images and distributed these images to other students in school and
ultimately to surrounding area. The both girls in above examples eventually committed suicide (Inbar, 2009).
(Englander, 2010) stated that there are also cases reported that the threat to make public a single sexually
expressive images which was phoned to boyfriend/girlfriend is used to blackmail the disseminator for transfer
further images even more nude than before. According to (Strassberg et al, 2012) Teenagers are involved in
this act even after having the knowledge of legal consequences associated with it. Unfortunately rules and
regulations lag behind technology.  Finally in 2011, 21 U.S. states approved legislation associated with
sexting. In 2012, 13 states have so far are allowing for bills or resolutions aimed at “sexting”. (NCSL, 2012)
the legal consequences that a child will face after sexting are that he will get criminal charges for child
pornography. Children who send or receive and distribute the sexually explicit pictures all of them are charged
under sending and receiving child pornography. A child will also register as a sex offender. This will seriously
affect their lives. If a child continuing this behavior and his parents cannot stop him then they will also become
the part of his crime and they will charged with contributing to the crime of a minor. In the same way child
will be remove from home or enter into foster care if he did not stop doing this criminal act (gardon, n.d).
According to new (Jersey law, n.d) a newly approved legislation, teenagers who are first time involving in
sexting are not supposed to prosecution under the child pornography laws of New Jersey state. Under the new
legislation, teenagers caught using their cell phones to send sexually explicit images will be required to attend
a State sponsored educational program designed to educate the adolescents about the threats of sending
sexually expressive images. Generally those are not eligible for educational program who are continuously
caught for this offence. In Pakistan, according to mobiledia, (n.d) Pakistan’s constitution guarantees freedom
of speech but Pakistan Telecommunication Authority gave carriers a list of 1,600 words to ban. Furthermore it
says Pakistani citizens will find it more problematic to distribute dirty texts after regulators banned of words.
“The words and phrases forbidden include 1,109 English words and another 568 in Pakistan’s national Urdu
language. According to Flavia (2011) the misuse of mobile phones for annoyance, control and investigation of
women, particularly by their partners, is become one of the most unresolved technology associated
destructions recorded in many of the Countries including Pakistan. Moreover, it stated that in Pakistan, Uganda
and Congo women often get two or more SIM cards to defend their privacy.

According to a Study which was conducted by Strassberg et al, (2013), in that study they took 606 high school
students Applicants (demonstrating 98 % of the available student body) enrolled from a single private high
school in the southwestern U.S. In that study nearly 20 % of all participants stated they had ever sent a
sexually expressive pictures of themselves through cell phone while nearly twofold of them described that they
had ever received a sexually suggestive picture via mobiles and above 25 % disclosed that they had preceded
such a picture to others. Some of them send images despite of knowing legal consequences behind it.

We can prevent teens from consequences of sexting through many ways. Initially we have to keep interest in
lives of teens so that we can build a trusting relationship and observe any potential threats. Parents or guardians
should not approach the issue of sexting in a harsh way they should talk over news and stories connecting to
sexting (Safety Web, n.d). Teen’s should get internet safety trainings in the same way they take drivers training
in order to prepare for receiving driving license. As we know some of its legal consequences, so we should
make them understand that taking receiving or sending nude images is considered illegal and its count under
child pornography and explain other related legal charges as well. Describe the non-legal consequences.
Explain them that in addition to your own penalty for sexting e.g. removing cell phone freedoms; you will be
suspending from school as well. Teens trust easily on their boyfriends and girlfriends and send them their
sexually explicit pictures we should describe them that how these images can spread in society and ended in
wrong point. We should explain them that to avoid all these consequences they should not take these images.
Most significantly, parents should encourage their children for an open dialogue. Take some time every day
inspire an open dialogue between you and you’re teen. Set aside some time each day to just listen and talk with
your teen about what’s going on in their life (Comartina et al, 2012).

In conclusion, sexting is spreading very promptly among teenager and it put a bad impact on teenagers. They
are unaware of consequences of what they are doing. In my opinion good parenting can help to solve this
problem. Parents should teach their child how to use internet and mobiles so that they can get benefit from it
instead of getting harm.

1. Collins, R. L., Elliott, M. N., Berry, S. H., Kanouse, D. E., Kunkel, D., Hunter, S. B., &
Miu, A. (2004). Watching sex on television predicts adolescent initiation of sexual
behavior. Pediatrics, 114(3), e280-e289.
 2. Comartin, E., Kernsmith, R., & Kernsmith, P. (2013). “Sexting” and Sex Offender
Registration: Do Age, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Matter?. Deviant Behavior, 34(1),
38-
3. Hasinoff, A. A. (2013). Sexting as media production: Rethinking social media and
sexuality. new media & society, 15(4), 449-465
4. Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2010). Sexting: a brief guide for educators and parents.
Cyberbullying Research Center
5. Lenhart, A. (2009). Teens and sexting. A Pew Internet & American Life Project Report,
Retrieved July, 4, 2010.
6. Mayers, R. S., & Desiderio, M. F. (2013). Not LOL: Legal Issues Encountered during
One HighSchool’s Response to Sexting. BYU Educ. & LJ, 1.
7. Mitchell, K. J., Finkelhor, D., Jones, L. M., & Wolak, J. (2012). Prevalence and
characteristics of youth sexting: A national study. Pediatrics, 129(1), 13-20.
8. Peter, J., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2011). The use of sexually explicit internet material and
its antecedents: A longitudinal comparison of adolescents and adults. Archives of sexual
behavior,
9. Quaid, L., & includes Sammy, T. (2009). Think your kid isn’t sexting? Think again.
10. Ringrose, J., Harvey, L., Gill, R., & Livingstone, S. (2013). Teen girls, sexual double
standards and
11. Strassberg, D. S., McKinnon, R. K., Sustaíta, M. A., & Rullo, J. (2013). Sexting by high
school students: An exploratory and descriptive study. Archives of sexual behavior, 42(1),
15-21.
12. Temple, J. R., Paul, J. A., van den Berg, P., Le, V. D., McElhany, A., & Temple, B. W.
(2012). Teen sexting and its association with sexual behaviors. Archives of pediatrics &
adolescent medicine, 166(9), 828-833.
13. Temple, J. R., Le, V. D., van den Berg, P., Ling, Y., Paul, J. A., & Temple, B. W. (2014).
Brief report: Teen sexting and psychosocial health. Journal of adolescence, 37(1), 33-36.
14. Walker, S., Sanci, L., & Temple-Smith, M. (2013). Sexting: young women’s and men’s
views on its nature and origins. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(6), 697-701.
15. Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D., & Mitchell, K. J. (2012). How often are teens arrested for
sexting? Data from a national sample of police cases. Pediatrics, 129(1), 4-12.
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Teens and Texting: A Recipe for
Disaster
Why we can expect more Michelle Carters in the future.
Posted Aug 14, 2017

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Michelle Carter is a teenager who was part of a deadly texting relationship,

one that ended in the suicide of her then boyfriend, Conrad Roy.  Michelle
Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, wanton and reckless
conduct, for encouraging Conrad to kill himself, bullying him via text
to follow through with his suicidal thoughts, and not doing anything to stop
him when she knew he was dying.  Last week she received a sentence of 15
months.  She was 17 at the time of the crime,
Source: Unsplash

he was 18. This tragic case has gotten me thinking a lot about teens and
texting and what’s really happening to our children when they conduct online
relationships. 

Michelle and Conrad called each other boyfriend and girlfriend despite the fact
that they had only met in person a few times over their more than two-year
relationship. They communicated almost exclusively through text messages,
over a thousand of them in just the last week of the boy’s life.  Conrad was
depressed and had tried to kill himself once before he met Michelle Carter. 
Michelle, while socially popular, had also struggled with depression and had
a history of cutting and anorexia. 

In the beginning of their relationship, and at other times throughout it, Michelle
encouraged Conrad to get help for his depression and was supportive of his
hopes and dreams for moving forward in his life.  But as time went by,
Michelle became more callous, and chillingly aggressive in convincing him to
commit suicide.  She even went so far as to tell him that she would look like a
fool, after all this effort, if he didn’t kill himself.  She said, “You always say
you’re going to do it but you never do.” And when Conrad was scared and got
out of the truck once it had started filling with carbon monoxide, saying that he
didn’t want to die, Michelle told him to get back in and do it.  When he worried
that his suicide would cause suffering to his family, Michelle Carter told him
that his family would get over him after a couple weeks, and that she would
take care of them. 

So how does something this terrible happen, and why?   How does a good kid
like Michelle Carter become someone capable of such emotional violence? 
And does technology have anything to do with why this tragedy happened?  Is
there something about the texting relationship that causes this kind of
behavior and dysfunction?  It is critical that we consider such questions now
as our teenagers’ relationships have become, for the most part, text-based;
kids are communicating less and less in person and more through their
devices, experiencing one another via abbreviated, isolated and often terse
words on a small screen, without any of the necessary components and
triggers for empathy and emotional connection. 

When Michelle Carter met Conrad Roy she seemed to care about him and
expressed kindness and concern. But over time and text, she grew colder,
less empathic, and more involved in what his suicide would mean for her, how
it would get her what she wanted, namely, attention.  Towards the end, as she
convinced her boyfriend over text to take his own life, Michelle requested that
Conrad tag her in a last post before he died, to memorialize her as his
greatest love.  So too, immediately after his death, she began posting
on Facebook about her profound loss and suffering.  Conrad, for Michelle,
had ceased to be a person in his own right, and rather, had become just an
object for her, something that could provide or deprive her of her needs. 
She stopped caring about what was in his or his family’s best interest. 
Interacting solely with her screen, as opposed to a real-life human being,
Michelle Carter seemed only able to feel what would benefit herself. 

The texting relationship is missing three profoundly important relational

elements, the key ingredients of connection and empathy.  Specifically, the
sight of someone’s face, the sound of someone’s voice and the language of
someone’s body.  Without these three elements, it’s extremely difficult to
develop or maintain a sense of empathy for another person.  Texting
relationships, if they are not supplemented with real time together, face to
face, eventually, can and do lose a sense of empathy and even reality.  The
texting teenager shifts from being in relationship with another person to being
in a relationship with just themselves.  Without visual, auditory, and
sensorial cues, the relationship becomes one with their own words and the
screen on which they appear. Teenagers are narcissistic by nature, it's
normal; in truth, they need more cues - not less - to resist turning every
experience into something about themselves. Teenagers need to see, hear,
and experience another person in order to remember that the words coming
across their screen indeed belong to someone else real, separate from
themselves, with real feelings.  

Furthermore, the texting relationship adds rocket fuel to a teenage mind.

Texting makes it possible to record and manifest every thought that
appears, and so teens pay extra attention to their thoughts and are
inclined to listen to and formulate every whiff of an idea they experience.  As a
result, whatever is present in that teenage mind is ignited and strengthened.
In the past, perhaps ninety eight percent of a teenager’s thoughts might have
simply passed through her mind without much attention, without even being
remembered, but now such thoughts are celebrated and exacerbated in the
process of turning them into texts, formulating the unformulated, and thus
feeding the wild teenage mind. 

In addition, texting gives the teenager an un-interrupted audience for her

every thought; it offers immediate feedback and attention. Teens today crave
attention at a level that’s unprecedented.  It is paradoxical really; on the one
hand, teens behave as if their every thought is fascinating and worth
recording, and yet, they don’t seem to be able to maintain a sense of self-
worth unless continually validated, attended to, and reflected through likes,
followers, and constant online attention.  Texting makes it possible for teens to
receive that attention 24/7, which is in part why it’s so addictive and
troublesome for the adolescent mind.    

So what is a parent to do?  How can we keep our teens from becoming the
next Michelle Carter or Conrad Roy?  Many people judge parents who are
unaware of what’s happening in their teen’s online life. But in truth, even the
best parents can be duped when it comes to their teen’s texting relationships. 
Undoubtedly, teenagers need to individuate, to keep secrets and have private
spaces that their parents can’t access.  But before technology was central to a
teenager’s life, parents could, to a certain extent, control their child’s access to
secret spaces.  For one thing, the private encounters had to happen outside
the house, outside a parent’s earshot and view, and also in between activities
like school, sports and the like.  Now, because teens are communicating with
peers around the clock, outside the earshot and sight of their parents, the
secrets and private encounters exist everywhere and all the time.  As a result,
our teenagers’ private lives are impossible to control and difficult to know
about, even by the most well-intentioned and loving parent. 

In this new world of nonstop texting teens, parents need to be extra vigilant, to
pay serious and focused attention to what their kids are saying, doing, and
feeling, and the silences between the words.  If your teen is becoming more
withdrawn, angry, sullen, distracted, or is spending more time on her phone,
more time out of sight, it’s critically important to inquire into what’s happening
in her online life. And don’t just talk to your teen, talk to the parents of her
friends as well, about what they are seeing and hearing.  It takes a village to
raise a child, and now that their social lifegoes on outside our reach, we
need that village more than ever.  As a parent these days we need to be
relentless in discovering our children's virtual universe, and specifically, the
relationships they are playing out on their screens.  We must keep open, or if
need be, force open the lines of communication with our teens.  Simply
trusting and turning the other way, in this new virtually relational world, is no
longer an option.    

Sexting leads to increased sexual

behavior among teens
October 6, 2014, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston say that sexting
may be the new "normal" part of adolescent sexual development and is not strictly
limited to at-risk teens. The findings, published in the journal Pediatrics, are from the
first study on the relationship between teenage sexting, or sending sexually explicit
images to another electronically, and future sexual activity.
The study results indicate that sexting may precede sexual intercourse in some cases
and further cements the idea that sexting behavior is a credible sign of teenage sexual
activity. Further, the researchers did not find a link between sexting and risky sexual
behavior over time, which may suggest that sexting is becoming a part of growing up.
"We now know that teen sexting is fairly common," said Jeff Temple, an associate
professor and psychologist at UTMB. "For instance, sexting may be associated with
other typical adolescent behaviors such as substance use. Sexting is not associated
with either good or poor mental well being."
"Despite this growing body of knowledge, all existing sexting research looks across
samples of different groups of young people at one time, rather than following the same
people over time, said Temple. "Because of this, it's unclear whether sexting comes
before or after someone engages in sexual activity."
The findings detailed in this paper are part of an ongoing six-year investigation of an
ethnically diverse group of adolescent students from Southeast Texas, led by Temple.
The teens in the study periodically complete anonymous surveys detailing their history
of sexting, sexual activity, and other behaviors throughout the six years.
Temple and a postdoctoral research fellow at UTMB, Hye Jeong Choi, examined data
from the second and third years of their study to determine whether teen sexting
predicted sexual activity one year later. They found that the odds of being sexually
active as high school juniors was slightly higher for youth who sent a sext, or naked
picture of themselves, the previous year, compared to teens who did not sext. They did
not find sexting to be linked with later risky sexual behaviors.
This study is also among the first to consider the differences between actively sending a
nude picture versus asking or being asked for a nude picture. They found that actually
sending a sext was the important part of the link between sexting and sexual behavior,
as opposed to merely asking or being asked for a nude picture.
"Being a passive recipient of or asking for a sext does not likely require the same level
of comfort with one's sexuality," said Choi. "Sending a nude photo may communicate to
the recipient a level of openness to sexual activity, promote a belief that sex is
expected, and serve to increase sexual advances, all of which may increase the chance
of future sexual behavior. Sexting may serve as a gateway behavior to actual sexual
behaviors or as a way to indicate one's readiness to take intimacy to the next level."

Sexting and Sexual Behavior, 2011–2015: A Critical

Review and Meta‐Analysis of a Growing Literature
Kami Kosenko 
 
Geoffrey Luurs 
 
Andrew R. Binder
First published: 15 May 2017
 
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12187
Editorial Record: First manuscript received on April 28, 2016. Revisions received on November 20,
2016 and February 21, 2017. Accepted by S. Shyam Sundar on February 24, 2017. Final manuscript
received on March 1, 2017. First published online on May 15, 2017.

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Abstract
Sexting and its potential links to sexual behavior, including risky sexual practices, have received
scholarly scrutiny, but this literature is marked by divergent perspectives and disparate findings. To
assess claims regarding the nature of the relationship between sexting and sexual behavior, we
conducted a critical review of the literature and analyzed data from 15 articles via quantitative meta‐
analytic techniques. Sexting behavior was positively related to sexual activity, unprotected sex, and
one's number of sexual partners, but the relationship was weak to moderate. Additional information,
gleaned from a critical review of included studies, helped contextualize these findings and point to
specific limitations and directions for future research.

With the advent and introduction of new communication technologies come debates
about their utility and morality (Katz, Rice, & Aspden, 2001). As Green and Clark (2015)
explained, “Such debates arose first in the wake of the telegraph and have arisen anew
from the development of every new technology since” (p. 247). One recent debate
surrounds the use of digital devices, such as computers and mobile phones, to create
and exchange messages and images of a sexual nature, a practice commonly referred
to as sexting (Ringrose, Gill, Livingstone, & Harvey, 2012). Two discourses dominate
this debate, both in the academic literature and in the popular press (Doring, 2014; Rice
et al., 2014). The prevailing discourse frames sexting as inherently risky, a deviant
behavior in need of intervention and prevention. The competing frame positions sexting
as a normal, even healthy aspect of sexual expression and relationships (Doring, 2014).
Evidence in support of this normalcy perspective is growing (Cooper, Quayle, Jonsson,
& Svedin, 2016), but far more sexting studies focus on its potential negative
consequences and links to problematic behaviors. In fact, Doring (2014), in a review of
50 academic papers on sexting, noted that 66% of the articles framed sexting as a risky,
unhealthy behavior. Many of those articles focused on the relationship between sexting
and risky sexual behaviors, but a systematic examination and synthesis of that literature
was beyond the scope of her review.

Scholarly interest in the potential links between sexting and risky sexual behavior began
with the publication of the results of the Sex and Tech survey (2008) commissioned by
the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and Cosmogirl.com.
Of the 1,280 teens (ages 13–19) and young adults (ages 20–26) who participated in the
study, 39% of teens and 59% of young adults had sent or posted sexually suggestive
messages, and 20% of teens and 33% of young adults had sent or posted nude or
seminude photos of themselves. Moreover, 38% of teens and 40% of young adults
indicated that the act of sexting someone made dating or hooking up with that person
more likely. Close on the heels of the Sex and Tech survey came the AP‐MTV Digital
Abuse Study (2009), which involved a survey completed by a nationally representative
sample of individuals ages 14–24. This study documented similar sexting prevalence
rates, adding that sexually active individuals were twice as likely to send nude self‐
images than their nonsexually active counterparts. Findings from these seminal studies,
as well as some public sexting scandals, fueled further research on the links between
sexting and sexual behavior; however, contradictory findings in the extant literature
make it difficult to determine the nature or strength of this relationship (Davis, Powell,
Gordon, & Kershaw, 2016).

Scholars need a better understanding of the links between sexting and risky sexual
behavior to make evidence‐based recommendations for policies and programs focused
on promoting safer sex and/or digital citizenship. Although this literature is still growing,
we have amassed enough studies on sexting and sexual behavior to allow for a meta‐
analytic review, the chief purpose of which, according Bangert‐Drowns (1997), is the
“comprehensive, statistical integration of contradictory empirical findings” (p. 244). To
this end, we gathered all published, peer‐reviewed studies on sexting and sexual
behavior and subjected those studies to a meta‐analytic and critical review. The
following sections describe how researchers have studied sexting and what we can
glean from a critical review and synthesis of this literature.

Initially, researchers focused their efforts on establishing the prevalence of sexting

within particular populations, but, more recently, scholars turned their attention to
sexting correlates (Walrave et al., 2015). Neither set of studies, however, has produced
consistent findings. Studies involving nationally representative probability samples of
teens report sexting prevalence rates ranging from 2.5% to 24% with an estimated
mean of 10.2%. Prevalence also varies across studies involving adult samples, with
some reporting rates as low as 30% and others as high as 81% (Klettke, Hallford &
Mellor, 2014). Scholars (e.g., Ringrose et al., 2012; Strassberg, Rullo, &
Mackaronis, 2014) have attributed these discrepant findings to various methodological
issues, including sampling problems. For example, nonprobability and adult samples
frequently yield the highest prevalence rates, and, like most sex research, sexting
studies rely heavily on convenience samples (Dunne, 2002; Klettke et al., 2014). The
wide variation in sexting prevalence rates might also be due to various biases. As
Ringrose and colleagues (2012) noted, “It is difficult to know if ‘sexting’ is under‐
reported because of social desirability factors (e.g. embarrassment on the part of
respondents) or over‐reported because of response biases (those who do it may be
more likely to respond to surveys).” The lack of a consensus definition or standardized
measure of sexting only further complicates matters (Cooper et al., 2016).

These methodological issues might also account for the inconsistent findings regarding
the relationship between sexting and risky sexual behavior. For example, some studies
have reported a significant relationship between sexting and risky sexual practices,
such as sex with multiple partners (e.g., Benotsch, Snipes, Martin, & Bull, 2013; Dir,
Cyders, & Coskunpinar, 2013) or without protection (e.g., Crimmins & Seigfried‐
Spellar, 2014; Yeung, Horyniak, Vella, Hellard, & Lim, 2014); others (e.g.,
Ferguson, 2011; Gordon‐Messer, Bauermeister, Grodzinski, & Zimmerman, 2013) have
found no significant association between sexting and high‐risk sexual behavior. There
seems to be greater consensus among researchers regarding the relationship between
sexting and sexual activity, more generally; however, Temple and Choi (2014), who
analyzed the second and third waves of data from a longitudinal sexting study, found
that being asked or asking for a sext at Wave 2 was not associated with sexual activity
at Wave 3. As such, we sought to clarify the relationship between sexting, sexual
activity, and risky sexual practices (i.e., having multiple sex partners or unprotected sex)
through a meta‐analytic and critical review of this literature.

In addition to these methodological limitations, theoretical issues make it difficult to

interpret sexting study findings. Several scholars (e.g., Cooper et al., 2016; Marcum,
Higgins, & Ricketts, 2014) have decried the dearth of theoretically informed research on
sexting and have underscored the need for theory testing and building in this area.
Although this meta‐analysis was not designed to test a theory, per se, our research
questions were informed by two theoretical perspectives, which align with the deviance
and normalcy frames that dominate the sexting literature. First, problem behavior theory
(Jessor & Jessor, 1977) offers a compelling explanation for why sexting and risky
sexual behavior might be linked, an assumption of the deviance perspective. Problem
behavior theory assumes that different problem behaviors stem from the same causes
and that individuals who engage in one problematic activity will be more likely to exhibit
other problematic behaviors. The deviance perspective that dominates the sexting
literature advances similar arguments regarding sexting and sexual risk. If, in fact,
sexting is linked to risky sexual practices, then this might give credence to both the
deviance perspective and problem behavior theory.

Unlike the deviance perspective, which assumes that sexting is part of a constellation of
risky practices, the normalcy discourse frames sexting as a healthy form of sexual
expression (Doring, 2014). In fact, some have argued that sexting can help prevent
pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections by giving individuals a way to vent sexual
impulses without acting on them (Lippman & Campbell, 2014). Catharsis theory
provides some support for this argument. According to Harris and Scott (2002), “Applied
to sex, the catharsis argument says that consuming sexual media relieves sexual urges,
with the magazine or video acting (perhaps in conjunction with masturbation) as a sort
of imperfect substitute for the real behavior” (p. 312). In the context of sexting, catharsis
theory would predict that those who send or receive sexts would be less likely to
engage in sexual activity. Given these competing explanatory frameworks and
contradictory findings regarding the links between sexting, sexual activity, and risky
sexual practices, we developed two research questions to guide our meta‐analytic
review.

Teen Sexting and Emotional

Problems
Recent research out of the Education Development Center in Newton, Massachusetts,
found that teenagers who engage in sexting (the coined phrase for sending and
receiving sexually explicit text messages and/or photos) are more likely to have
symptoms of emotional distress, such as anxiety and depression.
Preliminary results of this study do not indicate whether teen sexting leads to emotional
distress or vice versa, but a separate health survey from 2010 indicated that those
involved in teen sexting are twice as likely to report feeling symptoms of depression
than those not involved.  The survey also revealed that teens who send and receive
sexual text messages are more likely to report having attempted suicide.
23,000 high school students outside of Boston participated in this 2010 MetroWest
Adolescent Health Survey.  Ten percent of them admitted to having sent a sexual text
message photo in the last year and five percent said they had received a “sext” in the
last year.  Statistics indicate that sexting is predominantly, though not exclusively, an
issue among affluent caucasian teens.
So why is teen sexting so closely linked with emotional distress and symptoms of
depression?   One possible cause is the potential for a viral proliferation of risqué
photos and messages sent via teen sexting.  Photos and messages intended for one
person or sent impulsively–e.g. when judgment is impaired (as when drinking)– may
have a greater that intended circle of viewers, causing later embarrassment, teasing,
and even bullying.  But not all correlation is causal. By this we mean that in some cases
teen sexting may be a symptom, rather than a cause, of emotional problems.  Teen
sexting may indicate poor impulse control, low self-esteem, a predisposition toward
high-risk behavior, promiscuity, poor judgment, involvement in an abusive relationship,
and even substance abuse.  Like so many questionable teen behaviors, teen sexting
may be best viewed as an important indicator of other, deeper emotional issues.
The emotional consequences of teen sexting have been shown to be more damaging to
girls than boys.  When a girl’s photo is forwarded to an unintended audience she may
feel intense betrayal and shame, and may experience severe social consequences.
This is not to say that sexting does not negatively affect boys.  Sexually aggressive
teenage girls have been known to socially blackmail boys by sending explicit photos
and ask for photos in return.  Boys too are likely to suffer emotional and social
consequences if embarrassing photos or messages are distributed beyond their
intended audience.
It’s important to remember that it’s not just photos, however, that can cause and/or
indicate emotional problems.  Teen sexting of any kind can be considered a high-risk
social behavior and should cause parents concern. If your teen is engaged in sexting or
other high-risk behaviors which you fear may indicate emotional problems, please feel
free to contact Forging Futures for an initial consultation. We can help you determine if
the behavior is likely to respond to parental intervention or if there may be more
concerning issues at stake.
Categories: Mental Health, Parenting, Teenagers Tags: depression, emotional problems, mental
health, sexting, teen, teen sexting

When Sexting Becomes Addictive

By Elizabeth Hartney, PhD 
Updated October 26, 2018
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Sexting, or the act of sending sexually explicit material through text messages, often via mobile
phones can be an addiction that destroys lives in much the same way other addictions do.
Sexting can include sexually explicit text messages, or they can include sexually explicit
photographs, images or videos.
Sexting Trouble Areas
Sexting is typically carried out deliberately, with people sending sexts about themselves. But
sometimes, sext messages that contain sexually explicit material about someone else can be sent,
in some cases when the subject of the sexts has not given consent. Sexts can also be sent to
someone who does not wish to receive sexually explicit material.
Because sexting is a recent phenomenon, it has not yet been adequately researched, and proper
limits to sexting have not yet been worked out. However, many people have found themselves in
trouble over sexually explicit sexts. One of the worst-case scenarios is when teenagers sext
sexually explicit pictures of themselves and are subsequently accused of distribution of child
pornography.
Sex Addiction and Sexting
Sexting can be a symptom or manifestation of sexual addiction, which is an illness like other
addictions and causes destructive consequences. For some, sexting is the primary behavior
involved in sexual addiction. For others, an all-consuming interest in pornography, sexual
encounters with sex workers, pathological infidelity, or cybersex relationships can be the main
focus of the addiction. 
Sexual addiction is related to obsessive and compulsive thoughts and actions, and the inability to
control behavior, even when the addiction is destroying family relationships, self-esteem, a
career, and even finances. Similar to other addictions, sexual addiction is progressive in nature.
This means that the person who suffers from sexual addiction will spend more and more time
and energy engaging in the specific behaviors related to their addiction. In addition, sex addicts
often seek more intense experiences as the addiction progresses in order to achieve the same
"high" they once got from more benign activities.
Who Is at Risk?
With mobile devices making sexting constantly available, sexting addiction has become more
widespread. In fact, some estimates suggest that online porn addiction and sexting comprise the
most common subtype of internet addiction.
However, certain people are more likely than others to develop a problem with sexting. These
include people who suffer from low self-esteem, a distorted body image, untreated sexual
dysfunction, or another type of sexual addiction.
Treatment
Treating a sexting addiction often requires support from professionals, and can be particularly
complicated because refraining from the use of a mobile phone is not practical in today's
environment. With that temptation always in hand, sext addicts must vigilant about relapsing.
Because sexting and pornography addiction are becoming more and more common, many new
inpatient and outpatient centers focusing on treating these disorders have become available in all
parts of the world. In addition, a self-help support group program such as Sex Addicts
Anonymous can be helpful in achieving and maintaining recovery.

Sexting among teenagers on the rise and cause for concern

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By Ananya Mandal, MDFeb 27 2018

According to a new study, there is a rising trend of sexting among teenagers and younger
children over the last decade and this may be a challenge for carers and parents alike.
The new study titled “Prevalence of Multiple Forms of Sexting Behavior Among Youth - A
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis” published in the latest issue of the
journal JAMAPediatrics this Monday (26th of February 2018) shows that a quarter of teenagers
agree to have received sexts at least once and one in seven have sent them.
Image Credit: Nito / Shutterstock
JAMA Pediatrics has defined sexting as “the sending or receiving of nude or seminude images or
sexually explicit text messages.” This can happen without consent they add and may also happen
voluntarily.
The researchers gathered their data from 39 different studies that they collated and analysed as a
single meta-analysis. The studies were all conducted between January 1990 and June 2016. The
total number of participants in the study from these individual studies was 110,380 aged between
11 and 18 years. The team noted that since 2008 sexting has been on the rise among teenagers.
With increasing access to cell phones and smart phones, more and more teenagers are sending
and receiving sexually explicit messages and photographs the study noted. The authors write,
“age specific information on sexting and its potential consequences should regularly be provided
as a component of sex education,” in order to curb this trend.
The team explored the reason for this disturbing trend among youngsters and note that sexting
often starts as a means to explore their attraction towards others. Study co-author Jeff Temple, a
professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical Branch says with increasing age,
rising sexual behaviour is parallel to sexting behaviour. He adds that it is not surprising because
with age the “interest in sexuality is heightened” among these kids and they are “trying to figure
out who they are.”
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What the authors warn about is the rise in this behaviour among younger teens and preteens.
Because of lack of awareness of the risks that this behaviour could pose, this could be an area for
concern they write. They explain that relationships among 10 to 12 year old kids are usually
short lived and this may make them more vulnerable to the problems with sexting. Sexting may
lead to risks such as kids forwarding sexts and nude or objectionable photographs and also
threats and blackmail. With rise of sexting among preteens this could be dangerous. According to
experts as more and more kids own smartphones, a rise in this behaviour is expected. An average
age of children getting smartphones is 10.3 years.
Researchers write, that most kids falsely believe that the messages and photographs or videos
they send are kept private or stored safely. This may not always be true for all apps says study
co-author Sheri Madigan, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the
University of Calgary. She adds that most kids do not understand the process of “cause and
effect”. The kids who send these images or videos do not realize that it is up to the recipient to
decide what they wish to do with the received text or image. She said that younger teenaged kids
have a lesser developed frontal lobe of their brain and they are less likely to do something after
careful thinking out. These kids are also vulnerable to being made to participate in “non-
consensual sexting”. This study shows that one in 8 (12.5 percent) of the kids have been made to
participate in non-consensual sexting. These kids report that they have forwarded a sext without
consent from the sender or receiver. Madigan added that more studies are needed in this area
because it is of rising concern in the present social scenario. She said that “digital safety and
security” is important for kids and parents need to have these conversations with their children.
Source:

Cause for Concern: Teens, “Sexting” and Social Media

For decades parents and educators have had concerns about the media’s potential negative influences on kids and teens. Nowadays, it isn’t

just the media; it’s social media causing a whole new host of problems.

Social media is anything that uses web- or mobile-based technologies for interactive communication. This includes cell phones and the

Internet.

Recently, it has grown to also include social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter.
With the rapid explosion of technology, life has become more convenient in many ways. Cell phones, the Internet, email, and texting have

allowed us to keep in touch, communicate efficiently, and find and exchange information at the drop of a hat. Social media websites allow us

to socialize and share our thoughts, photos and details of our lives.

However, social media, by its very expansive nature, has quickly found its place in trouble-making. Because its reach is so extensive, its

influence is so great, and its imprint is so permanent, social media can be harmful to our kids.

In a recent article in The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter (CABL), author Liwei L. Hua, M.D., Ph.D., discussed “Sexting

and social media in today’s adolescent: Peer norms, problems, and provider responsibility.”

Teens and Sexting

“Sexting,” the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos over a cell phone or the Internet, happens more frequently than many of us

think. According to the article, 4-20% of teens have sexted. One such teen was a girl mentioned in the article who naively sexted a picture of

a boy. This act resulted in the boy talking about killing himself, and the girl being charged with child pornography. The girl said she thought it

would be “funny” to post the picture. She had no idea of the consequences.

A Growing Concern

According to the 2011 Mott’s Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, sexting ranked #10 in top health concerns for children. It

was rated by 20% of adults as a big problem. Adults are right to be concerned.

Dangerous Consequences of Poor Choices

Sexting has been tied to teen suicide, depression, pornography charges, and cyber bullying.

Oftentimes, young people don’t realize how serious or permanent these acts are. They may send provocative pictures via text message or

email for attention or due to impulsivity, limited judgment and sexual development/curiosity. This combined with social media’s immediate

access can lead to dangerous consequences.

Adolescents may not know that pictures sent through the Internet remain permanently in “cyberspace.” This permanency can affect their

chances of getting a job or getting into college as many employers and colleges do Internet searches on applicants.

Sexting has been tied to teen suicide, depression, pornography charges, and cyber bullying.

Oftentimes, young people don’t realize how serious or permanent these acts are. They may send provocative pictures via text message or

email for attention or due to impulsivity, limited judgment and sexual development/curiosity. This combined with social media’s immediate

access can lead to dangerous consequences.

Adolescents may not know that pictures sent through the Internet remain permanently in “cyberspace.” This permanency can affect their

chances of getting a job or getting into college as many employers and colleges do Internet searches on applicants.

Protecting Teens from Cyber Danger

Social media presents us with new responsibilities and challenges. It is up to us as parents and educators to protect our children from the

potential dangers of social media.

One way to do this is through parental guidance. We need to be aware of what our kids are doing and how they are using social media.

Parents can set reasonable guidelines for the use of social media, including monitoring and restricting their use.

The article promotes psychoeducation, education aimed at helping people to understand and deal with psychological issues. In this case it

involves educating teens and adults about the potential dangers of social media and sexting.

This includes talking to teens about the permanence of texts and images sent online, and the potential risks, including cyberbullying,

cyberstalking, sexual predation, suicide, and the possibility of legal ramifications. We need to make sure teens fully understand the

seriousness and potential dangers of social media, particularly sexting.

Article Source: Hua, L. L. (2012). Sexting and social media in today’s adolescent: Peer norms, problems, and provider responsibility . The

Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 28(4), 1,6.

Sexting and Porn Addiction

Sexting and Pornography Addiction is a specific sub-type of Internet addiction
that requires counseling and inpatient treatment. Estimates suggest online
porn addiction and sexting are the number one subtype of Internet addiction.
Pocket porn has become a significant problem among men with the profileration
of mobile devices and sexting is a significant problem about women. People who
suffer from low self-esteem, a distorted body image, untreated sexual
dysfunction, or a prior sexual addiction are more at risk to develop sexting and
pornography addiction problems.
Costs of Sexting and Porn Addiction
The costs of online sex and porn addiction can range from emotional and
physical health problems to legal, relationship, family, and career consequences.
For example, American politician Anthony Weiner, former member of the United
States House of Representatives from New York City, was involved in two
sexual scandals related to sexting, or sending explicit sexual material by cell
phone. The first, sometimes dubbed Weinergate, led to his resignation as a
congressman in 2011.
Porn and Sex Addiction are not defined by the type of sexual act, or by the
choice of the sexual partner, but more by the persons’ inability or unwillingness
to stop their sexual acting-out despite negative consequences such as infidelity,
combined with a history of addictive sexual behavior patterns.
A New and Distinct Disorder
With remarkable speed, however, people who have never had a problem with
porn addiction are becoming addicted to online sex. Over 60% of our clients are
individuals who normally wouldn’t go to a strip club or rent an adult video but
suffer from problems related to online sex addiction. Click here to take
our online sex addiction test.
Behind the anonymity of cyberspace, online users can conceal their age, marital
status, gender, race, vocation, or appearance. Sex Addicts use this anonymity to
experiment and secretly begin to explore things online that they would never do
in real life.

As users dabble with sex from the privacy of their home, office, or mobile phone,
they perceive that their online activities as personal and untraceable and they
use the anonymity of the Internet to explore hidden or repressed sexual
fantasies. As their behavior escalates, the addiction grows and users begin to
feel preoccupied with using the Internet for sexual purposes. Addicts go to a
great extent to conceal their online behavior and often feel guilt or shame
because of the secret hurt they are causing to their real life partners.

Treating Sexting and Online Porn Addiction

Treating Sexting and Online Porn Addiction requires special care, as complete
abstinence from the Internet isn’t possible in today’s technological world.  Dr.
Young provides in specialized counseling for immediate, caring, and
confidential advice to deal with your addiction. She also counsels couples and
partners of addicts. Her book, Tangled in the Web: Understanding Cybersex from
Fantasy to Addiction offers specialized recovery strategies and for immediate
help, you can download Dr. Young’s e-booklet, Getting Web Sober: Help for
Cybersex Addicts and Their Families which provides a step-by-step recovery
system for addicts and their partners.