Distributing Sexually Explicit Images: Teens, Text Messages, and Self-Esteem.
详细信息
文摘
As communications technology has become widespread and readily accessible, the phenomenon known as sexting, which is defined for the purposes of this study as the sending/receiving of nude or seminude photographs via text message, has become increasingly popular. Laws have not caught up to technology, however, resulting in underage teens being charged with misdemeanors and felonies for consensually sending or receiving nude or seminude photos. The current study examined the prevalence of sexting, legal sanctions for sexting, and sexting's impact on self-esteem. It was hypothesized that teens who engaged in sexting, including those caught and charged within the legal system, would have lower self-esteem than teens who reported not engaging in sexting. Participants were asked to complete a brief demographic survey, respond to questions regarding sexting, and complete a self-esteem scale. This study found that more than half of the participants had engaged in sexting. Self-esteem was not significantly correlated with sexting, but further research utilizing more participants and a more comprehensive exploration of variables related to sexting experiences is recommended.