Sexting Behavior and Psychological Well-being: A Critical Review

Running head: SEXTING CRITICAL REVIEW 1
Gordon et al., 2013
A critical review
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PSY 10005
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CRITICAL REVIEW 2
Introduction
There has been a heated debate in the recent past about the legality and safety of sexting,
where few researchers like Gordon-Messer and co-authors have addressed the connection
between the same. Sexting is sharing of explicit sexual content via cell phones and mobile
media. The rationale of this essay is to review sexting behavior of teenagers in the America as
well as show its relationship with the psychological well-being and mental behavior. From the
research of young US adults that was conducted, it can be concluded that sexting is neither
associated with psychological wellness nor erotic risky behavior.
Hypothesis, Study Goal, and Objectives of the Critical Review
The hypothesis question for this review is whether sexting is connected to sexual risk
behavior and psychological wellness? The study as per the authors had three primary goals. First
was to show the widespread of sexting in the US for young adults aged between 18 to 24 years.
The second was to find whether the participants who engaged in sexting behavior differed in
their social demographic traits. Lastly was to find whether there was any connection between
erotic behaviors and sexting plus the mental wellness among the youths.
Methodology
Participants aged between 18-24 years and American natives were recruited using
sampling technique. The first lot of 22 participants were recruited via Facebook ads and picked
from different regions of the country and ethnic backgrounds to ensure diversity. The rest of the
participants were recruited via referral chains. Out of a total sample of 3447, 52 % were male
and 48% females. Statistically, the average age participants were of 20 years (a standard

CRITICAL REVIEW 3
deviation of 1.77), and over half of them had been through with their college education. A vast
number of those identified as heterosexual was 94%. It was noted that the participants spend on
average 304 hours a day networking outside the school and work and out of those contacts 47%
was though SMSs and cellphone.
Regarding sexting, participants answered two questions about their lifespan erotic
behavior (Gordon-Messer et al., 2013). They were asked if they have ever sexted either send an
explicit sexual content via their cellphones or either received the same. Though such technique a
sexting lifetime variable was established with four classifications comprising of senders,
receivers, non-sexters as well as two-way sexters (those who received the content and reiterated
back).
Regarding sexual behavior, participants were asked if they had ever had sexual relations
with their counterparts. Those answered yes were coded sexually active while the opposite were
not sexually active. Essentially, respondents also reported cases of unprotected sex (both vaginal
and anal) for the past one month where these proportions were used as indicators of active sexual
behavior (Gordon-Messer et al., 2013). To check for psychological wellness, depression
symptoms for the past one week were assessed, and anxiety symptoms determined. Self-esteem
was also assessed. The socio-demographic traits of the respondents such as sexual orientation,
gender, the highest level of education and ethnicity provided American natives were noted.
Results and Discussion
In regard to sexting behavior and demographics, Gordon-Messer et al. (2013) found that
57 percent of the respondents were non-sexters, 28 percent were 48hours sexters, while 12
percent were receivers, plus two percent were senders. The researchers noted that the chances of