Sexting and Public Health: Psychological and Behavioral Effects

This report investigates the impact of sexting on public health, focusing on the psychological and behavioral effects on individuals. The research employs a webRDS strategy to gather data from a diverse group of participants, examining their sexting behaviors, sexual health, and mental well-being. The study reviews existing literature and explores the relationship between sexting and various factors, including depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and sexual risk behaviors. The report also details the research methodology, ethical considerations, and scope, highlighting the implications of sexting and the need for further research to address its potential consequences and inform effective interventions. The findings suggest a complex relationship between sexting and psychological health, emphasizing the importance of understanding the socio-cultural context and potential risks associated with this behavior.

Running head: SEXTING AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Sexting and Public Health
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction......................................................................................................................2
2. Literature Review............................................................................................................2
3. Aim of the Research........................................................................................................4
4. Significance of Research.................................................................................................4
5. Research Methodology....................................................................................................5
5.1. Participants...............................................................................................................5
5.2. Sampling Method......................................................................................................5
5.3. Methodology.............................................................................................................5
5.4. Design Framework....................................................................................................6
5.5. Data Collection Method............................................................................................6
5.6. Ethical Considerations..............................................................................................6
6. Scope and Problems.........................................................................................................7
References............................................................................................................................8

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1. Introduction
Sexting can be explained as a process that effects the sexual behavior encompassing risky
sexual practices. Considering the same, the current research will consider explaining the overall
process of sexting and more specifically the ways in which it impacts health of people. The
reasechers majorly elaborate the sexting behavior of the American adults those are involved in
such type of activity and analyzing its emotional effect on the people (Döring, 2014). It is also
gathered from the previous reasechers on this subject that new version of Respondent-Driven
Sampling (WEBrds) is vital in recruiting the participants belonging to the age group of 18-24
years. This also focuses on examining the relationship among the sexual behavior of individuals
and psychological welfare. It has been observed that sexting has attained increased public health
importance and very limited research is available on the nature and impact of sexting. Sexting is
explained as a price of sending, attaining and forwarding sexually explicit messages or images
by means of mobile phones (Hudson & Marshall, 2018). This has tried out to be a renowned
activity among adolescents and is turning out to be a dating process. Considering such
explanations, the current research will focus on explaining the research findings and will
conclude that sexting is not associated with emotional health as well as sexual risk behavior of
people.
2. Literature Review
Morelli et al., (2016) indicated that a literature review on the subject of sexting and its
implications must be extensive and needs to be associated with research statements and the
designed interventions. These reasechers have also revealed that researches are based on theories
explained in previous studies and they cite previous researches that are mostly gathered from

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primary sources. Such researches on sexting among the adolescents are helpful in providing
proper justifications regarding the contents of the interventions. Weckesser, Wade, Joergensen &
Turner, (2016) illustrated that more than 13% of the young individuals those are involved in the
activities of sexting belongs to the age group of 18 to 29 years those are involved in sending and
receiving sexting related texts. These reasechers also indicated that they have developed an
intervention that encompasses hands-on activities and the literature review on this subject incus
accurate summary of the process related with sexting among individuals that has great
connection with the research. Wade, Turner, Weckesser & Jørgensen, (2016) evidenced that the
previous researches explained the relationship among the sexting activities and risky sexual
behaviors because of which the current research is deemed to be important.
Strassberg, Holmes & Nilssen, (2017) indicated in their research that there are numerous
reports on adolescent sexting that also includes young adults range from the 2.5% to the highest
percentage of 25%. For instance, a research carried out by Morelli et al., (2016) elaborated that
there are an increased number of youth internet users present in Australia those belong between
the age group of 18-24 years. It is also deemed to be considered important by the reasechers that
concerns regarding young people sexting is increased through entertainment media. Several
researches are also present on the legal concerns or bullying related with the process of sexting
and it has also been evidenced that there exist several health implications related with the
activities of sexting. Wade, Turner, Weckesser & Jørgensen, (2016) stated that there can also be
several psychological implications or risks related with sexting and their consequences can be
extreme among these young consumers. These researchers also indicated that the young
teenager’s development theories and concepts are vital to be considered at the time of analyzing
the ways in which adolescents think about sexting. Morelli et al., (2016) revealed that at a young

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stage, people experience drastic changes within their body that has increased concerns regarding
the viewpoints of peers, craving for emotional and sexual bonding long with feeing invincible.
Such experiences are observed to be different based on the gender and this also needs
investigation regarding the new feelings that are shared by all individuals at a young stage.
3. Aim of the Research
The aim of the research is to analyze the impact of sexting on psychological health of
sextors and non-sextors. The research will also focus on explaining the sexual behavior and
psychology of both these people segments.
4. Significance of Research
The significance of the current research is to explain the ways in which adolescent us
considered as a problem by the parents, educators as well as the researchers due the issues
related with legality or bullying through sexual activity which might be accompanied by sexting.
Considering the same, the current research will focus on analyzing the young consumers
involvement in sexting (Rubio-Aurioles, Rojas-Flores & Delgado-Parra, 2017). This will also
include analysis of their behavioral intentions, attitudes along with subjective norms focused on
sexting from a new media, gendered and from self-objectification viewpoint. Moreover, the
research will also focus on presenting important implications on getting involved in sexual
activity accompanied by sexting through taking a socio-cultural approach. More specifically, the
indicators of sexting along with the intentions as well as attitudes related with sexting will also
be evaluated in this research. Considering a socio-cultural approach in analyzing the issue related
with sexting activities can facilitate the reasechers in realizing the concern from a new dimension
which might eventually inform efficiently tailored interventions (Soanes & White, 2017).

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5. Research Methodology
5.1. Participants
The respondents those took part in this research were selected employing webRDS
strategy. Considering the racial respondent segmentation, Whites were 70%, Asians 12%,
Latinos 9%, Africans and Americans 5%. Moreover, 93.9% are considered them as heterosexuals
(Strassberg, Holmes & Nilssen, 2017).
5.2. Sampling Method
The survey respondents are segmented into four segments such as non-sexters, senders,
depression systems, two-way and receivers. For an individual to be suitable for this research,
he/she needs to belong to the age group of 18 to 24 years and are the residents of US. The first
segment of participants was selected by means of Facebook ads (Weckesser, Wade, Joergensen
& Turner, 2016). The other participant group joined the research by means of referral chain. The
total sample size of this research is 3447, with males attaining 52% and females attaining 48%.
5.3. Methodology
As the participants were selected by means of webRDS and the recruitment chain is
interlinked. Statistical weight RDS2 that is calculated to get rectified clustering which is
generally related with referral statistics (Strohmaier, Murphy & DeMatteo, 2014). After the data
was adjusted by means of RDS2 weights, the overall analytic sample was observed to be around
827. Descriptive statistics were run on overall sample (N=3447) along with weighted sample
(N= 827) along with irritation evaluation to be responsible for missing data. Data analysis is
associated in three steps and initially, crosstabs were employed to evaluate the connection among
receiving and sending messages along with developing sexting segmentation. Multinormal

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regression evaluation was used to evaluate the ways in which sexting behavior is associated with
sexual health consciousness results like depression, anxiety along with self-esteem.
5.4. Design Framework
The questionnaire research design is selected in carrying out this investigation for
gathering relevant responses for gathering suitable outcomes from the research (Ybarra &
Mitchell, 2014). The first segment of the questionnaire will contain demographic questions,
second section of the questionnaire will contain questions regarding their viewpoint on texting.
5.5. Data Collection Method
The data collection is relied in the sexual experience, anxiety symptoms, self-confidence,
sociodemographic physiognomics, internet use along with texting communicating frequency.
The data that is collected and was protected through employing 128-bit SSL encryption to data
leakage prevent accompanied by conducting data quality evaluation (Weckesser, Wade,
Joergensen & Turner, 2016).
5.6. Ethical Considerations
The researcher attempts to follow a proper code of conduct in carrying out tasks in
several data collection method. The secondary data has been collected from several valid along
with reliable sources to make sure the research results trustworthiness. The researcher has also
avoided certain delicate questions within the survey to persuade the participants taking part
within the survey process with attaining mutual permission (Wade, Turner, Weckesser &
Jørgensen, 2016). In addition, the respondents’ identity might not have been disclosed for certain
confidential concerns, in which no such business use focused on the research statement has been
considered from the end of the researcher.

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6. Scope and Problems
The research is deemed to employ quasi experimental research design in order to evaluate
the implication of sexting on the psychological health and sexual behavior. The research problem
is explained in a better manner as well as represented through comparing a control group that is
non-sextors and sextors (Van Ouytsel et al., 2017). The health significance that is mental health
is mentioned in several ways. Very limited research is present on analyzing the severe
consequences of sexting along with societal concerns regarding adolescent sexting that results
from moral panic to legality issues. Considering the same, the problem statement in this research
is focused on including significant variables and explains a positive association among the sexual
behavior and sexting done of young people. Considering such research problem, the current
research has a scope of explaining the possible uncontrolled or mediating aspects including
underrepresentation of certain racial and educational groups resulting from sexting among
individuals (Van Ouytsel et al., 2015). Moreover, it is also indicated that the research has a scope
of explaining the need for continuous longitudinal research in order to offer increased
information regarding the relationship among the public health and sexting.

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References
Döring, N. (2014). Consensual sexting among adolescents: Risk prevention through abstinence
education or safer sexting?. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on
Cyberspace, 8(1).
Hudson, H. K., & Marshall, S. A. (2018). Consequences and Predictors of Sexting Among
Selected Southern Undergraduates. International Journal of Sexual Health, 1-8.
Morelli, M., Bianchi, D., Baiocco, R., Pezzuti, L., & Chirumbolo, A. (2016). Sexting,
psychological distress and dating violence among adolescents and young
adults. Psicothema, 28(2).
Rubio-Aurioles, E., Rojas-Flores, A., & Delgado-Parra, V. (2017). An Exploratory Investigation
on Sexting and Its Perceived Effects. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 14(5), e250-e251.
Soanes, L., & White, I. D. (2017). Sexual Consequences of Cancer and Its Treatment in
Adolescents and Young Adults. In Cancer in Adolescents and Young Adults (pp. 603-
631). Springer, Cham.
Strassberg, D., Holmes, L., & Nilssen, A. R. (2017). An Examination of Sexting and Its
Consequences Among College Students. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 14(5), e252.
Strohmaier, H., Murphy, M., & DeMatteo, D. (2014). Youth sexting: Prevalence rates, driving
motivations, and the deterrent effect of legal consequences. Sexuality Research and
Social Policy, 11(3), 245-255.

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Van Ouytsel, J., Van Gool, E., Walrave, M., Ponnet, K., & Peeters, E. (2017). Sexting:
adolescents’ perceptions of the applications used for, motives for, and consequences of
sexting. Journal of Youth Studies, 20(4), 446-470.
Van Ouytsel, J., Walrave, M., Ponnet, K., & Heirman, W. (2015). The association between
adolescent sexting, psychosocial difficulties, and risk behavior: Integrative review. The
Journal of School Nursing, 31(1), 54-69.
Wade, A. C., Turner, J., Weckesser, A., & Jørgensen, C. R. (2016). SEXTUALLY ACTIVE:
TEENAGE VIEWS ON SEXTING AND ITS INTERVENTIONS. AoIR Selected Papers
of Internet Research, 5.
Weckesser, A., Wade, A., Joergensen, C., & Turner, J. (2016). 'Sextually'Active:
Teens,'Sexting'and Gendered Double Standards in the Digital Age. World Academy of
Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Humanities and Social
Sciences, 3(8).
Ybarra, M. L., & Mitchell, K. J. (2014). “Sexting” and its relation to sexual activity and sexual
risk behavior in a national survey of adolescents. Journal of adolescent health, 55(6),
757-764.