What are the predictors of sexting behavior among adolescents? The positive youth development approach

Abstract

Introduction: Research supporting adolescent sexual health and empowerment is needed. The study investigates sexting among adolescents using the resources that characterized the Positive Youth Development Approach (PYD) and considering the impact of parental monitoring. The study aims to describe sexting among three different groups of adolescents (i.e., Non Sexters [NS], Passive Sexters [PS], and Active Sexters [AS]) considering age and sex (first aim). It also seeks to identify predictors among the PYD's resources and parental monitoring that explain the probability of falling into the sexter or the non sexter groups (second aim) as well as the probability of falling into the active or the passive sexter groups (third aim). Method: The national representative sample was composed of 1866 Italian adolescents: 980 girls and 886 boys aged between 13 and 19 years old (M = 16.26; SD = 1.49). Participants completed a questionnaire that measured sexting behavior, PYD resources, and parental monitoring scales. Chi-squared and multivariate logistic regressions were performed. Results: Almost half of the participants (46.0%) were NS, 36.2% were PS, and 17.8% were AS. Results show that sex, age, Connection, and Child Disclosure are significant predictors of sexting behavior. Conclusions: Results highlighted that sexting can be seen as a relational activity that adolescents use to establish connections as part as their sexual exploration. A parenting approach that promotes disclosure may help adolescents explore safely their sexuality and be accountable. Results also indicate that parents need to build educational alliances with schools to promote sexual health and empowerment among teenagers while preventing risk of harm. K E Y W O R D S adolescents, parental monitoring, positive youth development, sexting behaviorsIn the age of the Internet and mobile devices, adolescents' daily lives are increasingly characterized by social media, constant connectivity and virtual communication. In such an environment, intimate communication can take place not only face-toface but via different electronic channels such as phone calls, emails, texts, photos, and videos. Sexting has been defined as "sending texts or photos, receiving texts or photos, or sending as well as receiving texts or photos of a sexual nature" (Klettke et al., 2014, p. 45). Adolescent sexting has become a subject of debate in both the academic and the public fields, raising many questions on how to decrease legal and negative psychological outcomes as well as how to promote adolescents' sexual health and empowerment. Sexting can be conceptualized as the contemporary way of manifesting adolescents' sexuality in the digital age (Döring, 2014;Yépez-Tito et al., 2019) and as intimate communication mediated by technology (Hasinoff, 2013). This perspective can be grounded in the framework of the Positive Youth Development (PYD, Lerner et al., 2005

Sexting, Self-esteem, and Social Media: A Comparison among Frequent, Occasional, and Non-sexting Italian Adolescent Girls

“…However, they are in line with the literature Davis, et al, 2016;Bianchi et al, 2016Bianchi et al, , 2017Liong & Cheng, 2019). Indeed, according to the framework of the Positive Youth Development Approach (PYD) and to the recent perception of sexting as a path of behavior which describes adolescents' development, youths could explore their sexuality through sexting and improve their understanding of their feelings related to their body image (Pistoni et al, 2023), using sexting to approach sexuality for the rst time, or to explore their sexuality within their relationship (Kosenko et al, 2017).…”

“…is nding leads to the possible interpretation that early adolescents are exploring their sexuality in a protected context. From this standpoint, as posited by the concept of Positive Youth Development (Pistoni et al, 2023), sexting can be conceptualized as the modern manner that adolescents express their sexuality in the digital age (Yépez-Tito et al, 2020), as well as in intimate communication facilitated by technology.…”

A Scoping Review of the Evidence of the 5Cs Model of Positive Youth Development in Europe

“…In this sense, if young people worry too much without having the necessary tools to manage their emotions, they may end up suffering. Regarding the relationship of the 5Cs and risk behaviors, high levels of positive relationships with others (Connection) were shown to be protective of several risk behaviors such as engaging in sexting and substance abuse [52,64].…”

“…On the one hand, in a study, it was found that high Youth 2024, 4 levels of Character and Connection were associated with lower risk behaviors such as substance abuse and delinquency, while high levels in the Confidence dimension was related to participation in these types of behaviors [52]. On the other hand, an investigation focused on the relationship of the 5Cs, sexting and parental control [64] showed that those adolescents who had a good view of themselves (Competence) and low presence of moral standards (Character) participated more in sexting. The social relationships one had with others (Connection) also played an important role, as those who were more isolated were the ones who participated more in active sexting.…”