Work

Brief report: Teen sexting and psychosocial health

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: The current study examines whether adolescents who report sexting exhibit more psychosocial health problems, compared to their non-sexting counterparts. Participants included 937 ethnically diverse male and female adolescents recruited and assessed from multiple high schools in southeast Texas. Measures included self-report of sexting, impulsivity, alcohol and drug use, and depression and anxiety symptoms. Teen sexting was significantly associated with symptoms of depression, impulsivity, and substance use. When adjusted for prior sexual behavior, age, gender, race/ethnicity, and parent education, sexting was only related to impulsivity and substance use. While teen sexting appears to correlate with impulsive and high-risk behaviors (substance use), we did not find sexting to be a marker of mental health.

Source: Journal of Adolescence

DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2013.10.008

Authors: Jeff R. Temple, Vi Donna Le, Patricia van den Berg, Yan Ling, Jonathan A. Paul, Brian W. Temple

Institutions: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Language: English

Topic: Impact of Technology on Adolescents

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development