Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Sexting and sexual behavior among middle school students.

Eric Rice¹, Jeremy Gibbs², Hailey Winetrobe²

¹School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; ericr@usc.edu.

|July 2, 2014

Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Associations between Local and State Structural Stigma, Minority stress, and Mental Health in a Nationwide Sample of Sexual Minority Adolescents.

Child & adolescent social work journal : C & A·2026

Same author

Couch-Surfing and HIV Risk Behavior Among Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness.

AIDS and behavior·2026

Same author

Diagnostic accuracy of superior vena cava variability by transthoracic echocardiography as a fluid responsiveness predictor in critically ill patients.

Journal of critical care·2025

Same author

Adoption and Implementation of California State Transgender and Nonbinary Protections in Los Angeles Area High Schools.

The Journal of school health·2025

Same author

AI-Augmented Prevention Science Needs Community-Engaged Prevention Science: a Framework for Greater Accountability.

Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research·2025

Same author

Integrating CBPR and Implementation Science to Develop a PrEP-Promotion Intervention for Black Transgender Women.

Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education·2025

Sexting among middle schoolers is linked to sexual activity and risky behaviors. Pediatricians should discuss sexting to prevent STIs and teen pregnancies.

Area of Science:

Adolescent Health
Digital Communication
Sexual Behavior Research

Background:

Limited research exists on sexting's association with sexual activity in early adolescents.
Previous studies focused on high school students, leaving a gap in understanding middle school behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between sexting and sexual activity among middle school students.
To examine sexting's correlation with sexual risk behaviors, including unprotected sex.

Main Methods:

A probability sample of 1285 middle school students was surveyed.
Logistic regression analysis was used to assess sexting correlates and associations with sexual activity and risk.

Main Results:

Keywords:

adolescents cell phone middle school sexting sexual risk

Related Experiment Videos

20% of students received sexts, 5% sent sexts.
Frequent texting and sexting were associated with higher rates of sexual activity and unprotected sex.
Receiving sexts showed a strong association with unprotected sex (OR: 12.1) and condom use (OR: 5.5).

Conclusions:

Sexting is correlated with sexual activity and risky behaviors in middle schoolers.
Pediatricians should address sexting in discussions about STI and pregnancy prevention.
Sexting risks warrant inclusion in middle school sex education.