Adolescents and Sexting: A review of the literature

Journal title MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL’INFANZIA
Author/s Gaia Cucci', Maria Giulia Olivari, Emanuela Confalonieri
Publishing Year 2017 Issue 2017/2
Language Italian Pages 22 P. 119-140 File size 235 KB
DOI 10.3280/MAL2017-002007
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

Below, you can see the article first page

If you want to buy this article in PDF format, you can do it, following the instructions to buy download credits

Article preview

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

Despite the increasing public concern about adolescents’ involvement in sexting, the research on this theme is at the outset and the studies are mainly explorative. This review aims at providing a description of the existing literature contributions on adolescents’ sexting. The findings reveal variability in prevalence across the countries and the association with demographic variables. Results also show that adolescent sexting is associated with a range of health-risk behaviors. The role of individual, social and cultural factors is also described. Finally sexting seems to vary in terms of meaning and motives: It can be a new mean for adolescents to explore their sexual identity but it can also lead to negative outcomes such as, cyberbullying, grooming and pornography.

Keywords: Sexting, adolescents, sexual risk behavior, review.

  1. Baumgartner, S. E., Sumter, S. R., Peter, J., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2012). Identifying teens at risk: developmental pathways of online and offline sexual risk behavior. Pediatrics, 130, e1489-e1496,
  2. Baumgartner, S. E., Sumter, S. R., Peter, J., Valkenburg, P. M., & Livingstone, S. (2014). Does country context matter? Investigating the predictors of teen sexting across Europe. Computers in Human Behavior, 34, 157-164,
  3. Bertel, T., & Ling, R. (2015). Mobile Communication Culture Among Children and Adolescents. The Routledge International Handbook of Children, Adolescents and Media (January), 37-41,
  4. Brinkley, D. Y., Ackerman, R. A., Ehrenreich, S. E., & Underwood, M. K. (2016). Sending and Receiving Text Messages with Sexual Content: Relations with Early Sexual Activity and Borderline Personality Features in Late Adolescence. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 119-130,
  5. Campbell, S. W., & Park, Y. J. (2013). Predictors of mobile sexting among teens: Toward a new explanatory framework. Mobile Media & Communication, 2, 20-39, DOI: 10.1177/2050157913502645
  6. Cooper, K., Quayle, E., Jonsson, L., & Svedin, C. G. (2016). Adolescents and self-taken sexual images: A review of the literature. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 706-716,
  7. Englander, E., & McCoy, M. (in press). Gender Differences in Pressured Sexting. In M.F. Wright (Ed.), A social-ecological approach to cyberbullying. Hauppauge: Nova Publishing.
  8. Englander, E. (2015). Coerced sexting and revenge porn among teens. Bullying, Teen Aggression & Social Media, 1, 19-21.
  9. Gámez-Guadix, M., De Santisteban, P., & Resett, S. (2017). Sexting among Spanish adolescents: Prevalence and personality profiles. Psicothema, 29, 29-34,
  10. Gómez, L. C., & Ayala, E. S. (2014). Psychological Aspects, Attitudes and Behaviour Related to the Practice of Sexting: A Systematic Review of the Existent Literature. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 132, 114-120,
  11. Hasinoff, A. A. (2013). Sexting as media production: Rethinking social media and sexuality. New Media & Society, 15, 449-465, DOI: 10.1177/146144481245917
  12. Houck, C. D., Barker, D., Rizzo, C., Hancock, E., Norton, A., & Brown, L. K. (2014). Sexting and sexual behavior in at-risk adolescents. Pediatrics, 133, e276-82,
  13. Jaishankar, K. (2009). Sexting: A new form of Victimless Crime? International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 3, 21-25.
  14. Klettke, B., Hallford, D. J., & Mellor, D. J. (2014). Sexting prevalence and cor-relates: A systematic literature review. Clinical Psychology Review, 34, 44-53,
  15. Kopecký, K. (2012). Sexting among Czech preadolescents and adolescents. New Educational Review, 28(January), 39-48.
  16. Kopecký, K. (2015). Sexting Among Slovak Pubescents and Adolescent Children. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 203, 244-250,
  17. Lee, M., & Crofts, T. (2015). Gender, pressure, coercion and pleasure: Untangling motivations for sexting between young people. British Journal of Criminology, 55, 454-473,
  18. Lucero, J. L., Weisz, A. N., Smith-Darden, J., & Lucero, S. M. (2013). Exploring Gender Differences Socially Interactive Technology Use/Abuse Among Dating Teens. International Criminal Justice Review, 23, 357-377, DOI: 10.1177/0886109914522627
  19. Ionio, C., Olivari, M. G., & Confalonieri, E. (2013). Eventi traumatici in adolescenza: Risposte psicologiche e comportamentali. Maltrattamento e abuso all’infanzia, 2, 87-99, DOI: 10.3280/MAL2013-002005
  20. Mitchell, K. J., Finkelhor, D., Jones, L. M., & Wolak, J. (2012). Prevalence and characteristics of youth sexting: A national study. Pediatrics, 129, 13-20,
  21. Morelli, M., Bianchi, D., Baiocco, R., Pezzuti, L., & Chirumbolo, A. (2016). Sexting Behaviors and Cyber Pornography Addiction Among Adolescents: the Moderating Role of Alcohol Consumption. Sexuality Research and So-cial Policy,
  22. Rice, A. E., Rhoades, H., Rice, E., Rhoades, H., Winetrobe, H., Sanchez, M., & Kordic, T. (2012). Sexually Explicit Cell Phone Messaging Associated With Sexual Risk Among Adolescents. Pediatrics, 130, 667-73,
  23. Sànchez, V., Munoz, N., Nocentini, A., Ortega-Ruiz, R., & Menesini, E. (2014). Online Intrusiveness, online jealousy and dating aggression in young adults: A cross-national study (Spain-Italy). Maltrattamento e abuso all’infanzia, 3, 47-65, DOI: 10.3280/MAL2014-003004
  24. Ševčíková, A., Blinka, L., & Daneback, K. (2017). Sexting as a predictor of sexual behavior in a sample of Czech adolescents. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 1-12, DOI: 10.1080/17405629.2017.1295842
  25. Siegle, D. (2010). Cyberbullying and Sexting: Technology Abuses of the 21st Century. Gifted Child Today, 32, 14-17, DOI: 10.1177/107621751003300206
  26. Strassberg, D. S., McKinnon, R. K., Sustaíta, M. A., & Rullo, J. (2013). Sexting by High School Students: An Exploratory and Descriptive Study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42, 15-21,
  27. Temple, J. R., & Choi, H. (2014). Longitudinal association between teen sexting and sexual behavior. Pediatrics, 134, e1287-92,
  28. Temple, J. R., Paul, J. a., van den Berg, P., Le, V. D., McElhany, A., & Temple, B. W. (2012). Teen sexting and its association with sexual behaviors. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 166, 828-833,
  29. Telefono Azzurro & Doxa Kids. (2014). Osservatorio adolescenti. Report --(disponibile online: http://www.west-info.eu/it/vamping-e-selfie-le-ossessioni-dei-giovani-italiani/osservatorioadolescenti_report_pdf/).
  30. Telefono Azzurro & Eurispes. (2012). Indagine conoscitiva sulla condizione dell’infanzia e dell’adolescenza in Italia 2012. Documento di sintesi --(disponibile online: http://www.azzurro.it/it/informazioni-e-consigli/informazioni/ricerche-e-indagini/rapporti-nazionali-infanzia).
  31. Van der Hof, S., & Koops, B. J. (2011). Adolescents and Cybercrime: Navigating between Freedom and Control. Policy & Internet, 3, 51-78, DOI: 10.2202/1944-2866.1121
  32. Van Ouytsel, J., Ponnet, K., & Walrave, M. (2014). The associations between adolescents’ consumption of pornography and music videos and their sex-ting behavior. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 17, 772-778,
  33. Van Ouytsel, J., Van Gool, E., Ponnet, K., & Walrave, M. (2014). Brief report: The association between adolescents’ characteristics and engagement in sexting. Journal of Adolescence, 37, 1387-1391,
  34. 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, 54-69, DOI: 10.1177/1059840514541964
  35. Walker, S., Sanci, L., & Temple-Smith, M. (2011). Sexting and young people. Youth Studies Australia, 30, 8-16.
  36. Walker, S., Sanci, L., & Temple-Smith, M. (2013). Sexting: Young women’s and men’s views on its nature and origins. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52, 697-701,
  37. Walrave, M., Ponnet, K., Van Ouytsel, J., Van Gool, E., Heirman, W., & Verbeek, A. (2015). Whether or not to engage in sexting: Explaining adolescent sexting behaviour by applying the prototype willingness model. Telematics and Informatics, 32, 796-808,
  38. Weber, S. & Dixon, S. (2010). Growing up online: Young people and digital technologies. Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
  39. West, J. H., Lister, C. E., Hall, P. C., Crookston, B. T., Snow, P. R., Zvietcovich, M. E., & West, R. P. (2014). Sexting among Peruvian adolescents. BMC Public Health, 14, 811, DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-811
  40. Willard, N. (2007). Educator’s guide to cyberbullying and cyberthreats --(disponibile online: http://www.cyberbully.org/cyberbul-ly/docs/cbcteducator.pdf).
  41. Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D., & Mitchell, K. (2011). Child pornography possessors: Trends in offender and case characteristics. Sexual Abuse, 23, 22-42.
  42. Woodward, V. H., Evans, M., & Brooks, M. (2016). Social and Psychological Factors of Rural Youth Sexting: An Examination of Gender-Specific Models. Deviant Behavior, 38, 461-476, DOI: 10.1080/01639625.2016.1197020
  43. Xodo, A. (2013). Relazioni sentimentali conflittuali tra adolescenti: resoconto di un progetto di dinamica di gruppo. Maltrattamento e abuso all’infanzia, 3, 131-146, doi.org/10.3280/mal2013-003007.
  44. 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, 757-764,

  • Sexting in adolescents: Prevalence and behaviours Mónica Ojeda, Rosario del-Rey, Michel Walrave, Heidi Vandebosch, in Comunicar /2020 pp.9
    DOI: 10.3916/C64-2020-01
  • Conoscenze e comportamenti degli adolescenti in ambito affettivo-sessuale: una ricerca esplorativa Elena Canzi, Miriam Parise, Laura Ferrari, Maria Giulia Olivari, in RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA 2/2020 pp.575
    DOI: 10.3280/RIP2020-002006
  • Catching up! The sexual behaviour and opinions of Italian students (2000–2017) Alessandra Minello, Marcantonio Caltabiano, Gianpiero Dalla-Zuanna, Daniele Vignoli, in Genus 16/2020
    DOI: 10.1186/s41118-020-00085-4
  • Lines of Action for Sexting Prevention and Intervention: A Systematic Review Mónica Ojeda, Rosario Del Rey, in Archives of Sexual Behavior /2022 pp.1659
    DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02089-3
  • What are you sexting? Parental practices, sexting attitudes and behaviors among Italian adolescents E. Confalonieri, G. Cuccì, M. G. Olivari, M. Parise, E. Borroni, D. Villani, in BMC Psychology 63/2020
    DOI: 10.1186/s40359-020-00425-1
  • The Relationship Between Trait Emotional Intelligence and Sexting in Adolescence Mara Morelli, Elena Cattelino, Roberto Baiocco, Antonio Chirumbolo, Giuseppe Crea, Emiddia Longobardi, Maria Rosaria Nappa, Federica Graziano, in Sexuality Research and Social Policy /2023
    DOI: 10.1007/s13178-023-00913-0
  • Stile genitoriale autoritario, giustificazione della violenza e messa in atto di comportamenti di Dating Aggression Maria Giulia Olivari, Gaia Cuccì, Emanuela Confalonieri, in MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL'INFANZIA 3/2017 pp.13
    DOI: 10.3280/MAL2017-003002
  • Teen dating violence e fattori post-migratori: una disamina della letteratura psicosociale Cristina Giuliani, in MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL'INFANZIA 3/2017 pp.31
    DOI: 10.3280/MAL2017-003003
  • Personality traits and the practice of sexting among Peruvian university students Julio Enrique Urrunaga Ramírez, Luzmila Lourdes Garro-Aburto, Janeth Barbaran Reategui, Sussety del Pilar Altamirano Carrasco, José Luis Aguilar Cruzado, in Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología - Serie de Conferencias /2022 pp.360
    DOI: 10.56294/sctconf2022360
  • Risk or fun? Adolescent attitude towards sexting and parental practices Gaia Cuccì, Maria Giulia Olivari, Camilla Chiara Colombo, Emanuela Confalonieri, in Journal of Family Studies /2024 pp.22
    DOI: 10.1080/13229400.2023.2189151

Gaia Cucci', Maria Giulia Olivari, Emanuela Confalonieri, Adolescenti e Sexting: una review della letteratura in "MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL’INFANZIA" 2/2017, pp 119-140, DOI: 10.3280/MAL2017-002007