Teens Sexting Study Shows Fewer Are Sending Sexually Explicit Materials
New studies have suggested that sexting is not as prevalent among teens as previously thought.
Two separate studies have led to similar conclusions. In the first, researchers from the University of New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Research Center in Durham conducted a survey among more than 1,500 Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17. The survey asked whether they took part in sending sexually explicit images or videos through their cell phones or the Internet.
The study found that only 2.5 percent participated in sexting activities in the past 12 months. However, according to how wide the definition of “sexting” was the number then varied between 10 percent to just 1 percent.
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Co-author Kimberly Mitchell has said, “One of the takeaway messages is it's good news. It's reassuring that it's not as prevalent as we thought in past research.”
Last month at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting other researchers found that 10 percent of more than 22,000 Boston high school students had sexted in the previous 12 months.
