Sexting and sexual behavior in at-risk adolescents
| dc.contributor.author | Houck, C. D., Barker, D., Rizzo, C., Hancock, E., Norton, A., & Brown, L. K. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-02-10T15:04:14Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2014-02-10T15:04:14Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2014 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study aimed to examine the prevalence of sexting behaviors (sexually explicit messages and/or pictures) among an at-risk sample of early adolescents as well as the associations between sexting behaviors and sexual behaviors, risk-related cognitions, and emotional regulation skills. It also aimed to determine whether differences in risk were associated with text-based versus photo-based sexts. METHODS: Seventh-grade adolescents participating in a sexual risk prevention trial for at-risk early adolescents completed a computer-based survey at baseline regarding sexting behavior (having sent sexually explicit messages and/or pictures), sexual activities, intentions to have sex, perceived approval of sexual activity, and emotional regulation skills. RESULTS: Twenty-two percent of the sample reported having sexted in the past 6 months; sexual messages were endorsed by 17% (n = 71), sexual messages and photos by 5% (n = 21). Pictures were endorsed significantly more often by females (χ2[2] = 7.33, P = .03) and Latinos (χ2[2] = 7.27, P = .03). Sexting of any kind was associated with higher rates of engaging in a variety of sexual behaviors, and sending photos was associated with higher rates of sexual activity than sending text messages only. This was true for a range of behaviors from touching genitals over clothes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.98, P = .03) to oral sex (OR = 2.66, P < .01) to vaginal sex (OR = 2.23, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Sexting behavior (both photo and text messages) was not uncommon among middle school youth and co-occurred with sexual behavior. These data suggest that phone behaviors, even flirtatious messages, may be an indicator of risk. Clinicians, parents, and health programs should discuss sexting with early adolescents. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | Houck, C. D., Barker, D., Rizzo, C., Hancock, E., Norton, A., & Brown, L. K. (2014). Sexting and sexual behavior in at-risk adolescents. Pediatrics, 133(2), e276-e282. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11212/1294 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/133/2/e276.full.pdf+html | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Pediatrics | en_US |
| dc.subject | sexting | en_US |
| dc.subject | adolescent | en_US |
| dc.title | Sexting and sexual behavior in at-risk adolescents | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |