Brief report: Teen sexting and psychosocial health

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

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

153 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)33-36
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Adolescence
Volume37
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2014

Keywords

  • Adolescents
  • Impulsivity
  • Mental health
  • Substance use
  • Teen sexting

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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