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Published in: Sexuality Research and Social Policy 1/2021

13-02-2020

Sexting Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates in Spanish Secondary School Students

Authors: Cristian Molla-Esparza, Emelina López-González, Josep-María Losilla

Published in: Sexuality Research and Social Policy | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Introduction

This research analyzes the prevalence of sexting and socio-demographic correlates in a sample of 647 adolescents administered a questionnaire at secondary schools in Valencia (Spain).

Methods

The questionnaire results indicate that 61% of respondents reported being involved in at least one case of sexting, with 24, 58, and 18% reporting having sent a sext, received a sext, and forwarded a sext, respectively.

Results

More males and older adolescents reported having received and forwarded sexts than female and younger adolescents.

Conclusions

Furthermore, time spent using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) devices, use and frequency of use of social media, grade repetition, low academic performance expectations in Math, and a single-parent family situation appear to correlate with an increase in the prevalence of sexting experiences.

Policy Implications

Our study also provides results that can support new lines of inquiry into analyzing the relationship between sexting and certain socio-demographic, family situation, and educational variables in relation to adolescents.

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Appendix
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Footnotes
1
Wood et al. (2015) reported a greater likelihood of sending sexual images with increased age in all countries where they carried out their study and in both sexes. The only exception being in the country of Cyprus.
 
2
West et al. (2014) found that, in males, one of the factors associated with an increased likelihood of sexting was the excessive sending of text messages.
 
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Metadata
Title
Sexting Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates in Spanish Secondary School Students
Authors
Cristian Molla-Esparza
Emelina López-González
Josep-María Losilla
Publication date
13-02-2020
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Sexuality Research and Social Policy / Issue 1/2021
Print ISSN: 1868-9884
Electronic ISSN: 1553-6610
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-020-00434-0

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