A Longitudinal Investigation of Observed Adolescent Text-Based Sexting and Adjustment

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Adolescent Development
• Digital Communication

Background:

• Sexting among adolescents raises concerns, but research on its impact on well-being is inconclusive.
• Existing studies often use self-report measures and cross-sectional designs, limiting understanding of longitudinal effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine longitudinal relationships between text-based sexting and psychosocial adjustment using observational methods.
• To differentiate between within-person and between-person effects of sexting on adolescent well-being.

Main Methods:

• An ethnically diverse sample of 197 adolescents had their text messages captured via smartphones over four years (grades 9-12).
• A total of 468,201 text messages were content-coded for sexting behaviors.
• Adolescents annually reported on negative (internalizing, externalizing, social problems, borderline personality features) and positive (life satisfaction, belongingness, self-perceptions) psychosocial indicators.

Main Results:

• Within-person increases in sexting were linked only to decreased group belongingness in the same year.
• For girls, higher average sexting (between-person) was associated with increased externalizing symptoms, borderline personality features, and decreased life satisfaction, belongingness, social competence, and self-worth.
• No significant within-person differences by gender or longitudinal associations were found.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent sexting's impact on psychosocial adjustment is complex and gender-specific.
• Future research and interventions should focus on the specific contexts and mechanisms linking higher sexting to negative psychosocial outcomes in girls.