engleski

Relationship between sexting and psychological difficulties: prospective research

Background: Previous studies found inconsistent results regarding psychological wellbeing correlates of sexting. Some authors underlined the relationship between sexting, depression and anxiety (Dake et al., 2012 ; Van Ouytsel et al., 2014), while others found no link between sexting and psychological distress (Hudson, 2011 ; Temple et al., 2014). Therefore, this study aims to investigate, whether involvement in sexting precedes psychological symptoms or whether these symptoms precede involvement in sexting behavior. Methods: Eighteen-month longitudinal study with baseline measurements taken in June 2016 and follow-up measurements in October 2017. The study included 359 adolescents aged 11 to 15 years, who participated by filling out a self- administrated questionnaires on both occasions of data collection. Sexting was assessed with Sexting Behaviors Scale (Dir, 2012). Negative emotional states (depression, anxiety and tension/stress) were measured with Depression, anxiety, stress scale (Lovibond i Lovibond, 1995). Findings: The baseline measurement of the psychological difficulties and the follow- up measurement of the sexting outcomes were used for logistic regression analyses. The participants engaged in sexting at the baseline measurement were excluded from these analyses. Anxiety symptoms were significantly associated with the sexting. In second analysis, the predicted probability of psychological difficulties at follow-up is estimated using sexting variables from the survey at baseline. In these analyses sexting (sexters vs.nonsexters) variables at the baseline measurement were used as a predictor variables, while psychological difficulties at the follow up were defined as a criterion variables constructed as a categorical dummy variables: none and with psychological difficulties. Participants with psychological difficulties at the baseline measurement were excluded from these analyses to avoid a potential error on conclusion of relationship between sexting and psychological difficulties. Logistic analysis revealed that pupils who engaged in sexting have greater odds of depressive symptoms compared to those who are not engaged in sexting. Discussion: The results show that adolescent involved in sexting behaviour had a significantly higher risk for psychological difficulties like depressive symptoms compared with adolescent who are not involved in sexting behavior. At the same time, anxiety symptoms at the beginning of the year represent a risk factor for involvement in sexting eighteens month later.

sexting, psychological difficulties, prospective research

nije evidentirano