The outcomes of sexting for children and adolescents: A systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Introduction: Given associated risks, sexting among children and adolescents has yielded significant interest in recent years. Several previous reviews have examined data on the prevalence, determinants, and correlates of sexting behaviour, however, in an ever-changing digital media context, a comprehensive overview of findings regarding its outcomes is warranted. This novel review aimed to systematically identify and conduct a narrative synthesis of empirical evidence regarding the outcomes of sexting involvement for children and adolescents. Methods: Four databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature on sexting, and 54 articles were identified for inclusion in the review. The quality of included studies was appraised using Dixon-Woods et al. ( 2006) five question prompts. Results: Four 'outcomes' categories were derived, namely, psychological (victimisation; sexual abuse/victimisation; mental health and quality of life; and emotional outcomes), behavioural (sexual activity, risk behaviours, and perpetration of abuse and harassment), relational (personal connections with others & reputational outcomes), and systems-level (distribution/public exposure of sexting content). Conclusions: Findings indicate that the outcomes of sexting for children and adolescents (aged ≤19 years) are wide-ranging, some positive and desirable, others negative and unwanted. Furthermore, identified outcomes were located along a continuum spanning benefits for adolescents' well-being and relationships, stigma and associated difficulties, and serious harm or trauma. Limitations (e.g., methodological constraints of studies) and implications (e.g., informing harm prevention/intervention initiatives; further large-scale and replication studies) are discussed within.

Pornography Use and Sexting Trends Among American Adolescents: Data to Inform School Counseling Programming and Practice

“…A meta-analysis of 39 sexting studies with adolescent samples in various countries revealed that 14.8% of youth had sent a sext and 27.4% had received a sext (Madigan et al, 2018). Sexting can be motivated by various purposes, including the desire to harm others (i.e., cyberbully) by sharing compromising or private photos to a wide audience (Bauman, 2011; Doyle et al, 2021; Harris & Davidson, 2014). In these cases, school counselors may be involved in supporting the victim, working with the perpetrator, or addressing the parents and family members of students involved (McEachern et al, 2012).…”

“…Another behavior influenced by the availability and advancement of technology is sexting, defined as the “transmission of sexually explicit text messages, images, and/or videos to others via electronic/digital communication technologies” (Doyle et al, 2021, p. 90). Among U.S. adolescents, 14% reported receiving a sext from a romantic partner and 13.6% reported receiving a sext from someone who was not a romantic partner (Patchin & Hinduja, 2019).…”

Child Safety and Protection in the Online Gaming Ecosystem

“…The outcome of sexting is wide, ranging from positive and accepted to negative and unwanted [75]. The photos produced for sexting can be distributed to a wider audience, often leading to embarrassment, harassment, and placing adolescents in vulnerable positions [76].…”

Psychological Distress and Its Mediating Effect on Experiences of Online Risk: The Case for Vulnerable Young People

“…The link between mental health and online risk is wellestablished, though the relationship between the two appears complicated. Online risks have been identified as having a negative impact on young people's mental health (Doyle et al, 2021), but are also more prevalent amongst those internet users with pre-existing mental health difficulties (Vandoninck et al, 2013). Research among adolescents has found that poorer psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, and self-control are related to the severity of problematic internet use (Mei et al, 2016).…”