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Howard D, Jarman HK, Clancy EM, Renner HM, Smith R, Rowland B, Toumbourou JW, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M, Klettke B. Sexting Among Australian Adolescents: Risk and Protective Factors. J Youth Adolesc 2023:10.1007/s10964-023-01827-1. [PMID: 37481506 PMCID: PMC10372109 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01827-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Although consensual sending of sexts between adolescents is considered developmentally appropriate, it may also entail a range of negative consequences. Current sexting research lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework identifying a range of risk and protective factors underpinning adolescent consensual sending of sexts across individual, interpersonal, and distal levels. Further, there is a lack of systematic evaluation of how the importance of these factors may vary across adolescent age. This study investigated the utility of the Social Development Model to predict a range of risk and protective factors across individual, family, peer, school, and community-level factors. The sample included 1302 teenagers from Victoria, Australia (Mage = 14.54, SD = 1.14, 50.8% girls). Results indicated that 146 (11.7%) participants sent a sext (76 boys and 70 girls). Logistic regression analyses revealed that the Social Development Model accounted for 45.8% of variance in sexting, with greater likelihood of sending sexts being associated with older age, prior sexual activity, school sector, physical activity, lifetime substance use, greater depressive symptoms, sensation seeking, and perceived substance availability in the community. Multigroup analyses revealed that lifetime substance use was associated with a greater likelihood of sending sexts among younger teens. Among older adolescents, adaptive coping was associated with reduced engagement in sexting, while higher parental overcontrol and family conflict increased the odds of sending sexts. Overall, sexting is associated with a range of modifiable factors potentially amenable to intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Howard
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Hannah K Jarman
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Elizabeth M Clancy
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Heidi M Renner
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Rachel Smith
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Bosco Rowland
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
- Monash University, Eastern Health Clinical School & Monash Addiction Research Centre, Richmond, VIC, Australia
| | - John W Toumbourou
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Bianca Klettke
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
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Pistoni C, Martinez Damia S, Alfieri S, Marta E, Confalonieri E, Pozzi M. What are the predictors of sexting behavior among adolescents? The positive youth development approach. J Adolesc 2023. [PMID: 36717108 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Research supporting adolescent sexual health and empowerment is needed. The study investigates sexting among adolescents using the resources that characterized the Positive Youth Development Approach (PYD) and considering the impact of parental monitoring. The study aims to describe sexting among three different groups of adolescents (i.e., Non Sexters [NS], Passive Sexters [PS], and Active Sexters [AS]) considering age and sex (first aim). It also seeks to identify predictors among the PYD's resources and parental monitoring that explain the probability of falling into the sexter or the non sexter groups (second aim) as well as the probability of falling into the active or the passive sexter groups (third aim). METHOD The national representative sample was composed of 1866 Italian adolescents: 980 girls and 886 boys aged between 13 and 19 years old (M = 16.26; SD = 1.49). Participants completed a questionnaire that measured sexting behavior, PYD resources, and parental monitoring scales. Chi-squared and multivariate logistic regressions were performed. RESULTS Almost half of the participants (46.0%) were NS, 36.2% were PS, and 17.8% were AS. Results show that sex, age, Connection, and Child Disclosure are significant predictors of sexting behavior. CONCLUSIONS Results highlighted that sexting can be seen as a relational activity that adolescents use to establish connections as part as their sexual exploration. A parenting approach that promotes disclosure may help adolescents explore safely their sexuality and be accountable. Results also indicate that parents need to build educational alliances with schools to promote sexual health and empowerment among teenagers while preventing risk of harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Pistoni
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy.,CERISVICO - Research Centre on Community Development and Organisational Quality of Life, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Brescia, Italy
| | - Sara Martinez Damia
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy.,CERISVICO - Research Centre on Community Development and Organisational Quality of Life, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Brescia, Italy
| | - Sara Alfieri
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy
| | - Elena Marta
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy.,CERISVICO - Research Centre on Community Development and Organisational Quality of Life, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Maura Pozzi
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy
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Muñoz-García LE, Gómez-Berrocal C, Guillén-Riquelme A, Sierra JC. Measurement Invariance across Sexual Orientation for Measures of Sexual Attitudes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1820. [PMID: 36767186 PMCID: PMC9914940 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Despite the growing interest in the study of sexual attitudes across sexual orientation, few studies have tested whether the instruments used to measure them are invariant. This study examined measurement invariance (configural, weak, strong, and strict) across sexual orientation in three different sexual attitude scales: the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS) to assess erotophilia, the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Fantasy (HISF) to assess attitudes toward sexual fantasies, and the Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Inventory (NATMI) to assess negative attitudes toward masturbation. A total of 2293 Spanish adult men and women with different sexual orientations (i.e., heterosexual, bisexual, and gay) participated in the study. The results indicated strict invariance for HISF across sexual orientation and only weak invariance for SOS and NATMI. Differential item functioning was also found in two items of the NATMI scale. Evidence of validity was provided for the three scales that were studied.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmen Gómez-Berrocal
- Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
| | | | - Juan Carlos Sierra
- Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
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