The Nature of Self-Generated Intimate Images by Children Aged 7 to 10: A Scoping Review

In recent years, nude or sexual (i.e., intimate) images of children that are self-produced have been increasingly found online, particularly of children aged 7-10. To date, little appears known regarding the nature of these child self-generated intimate images (CSGII). The aim of this scoping review was to provide an overview of the current state of literature on the nature of and reasons for the self-generation of intimate images by children aged 7-10. Five electronic bibliographic databases (APA PsycInfo, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Web of Science, Scopus, and IBSS) were searched to detect relevant literature up to September 2024. The inclusion criteria consisted of (1) English or Dutch language, (2) original empirical data, (3) addressing CSGII, (4) focusing on the nature, context, and/or reasons for CSGII, and (5) including children aged 7-10 years in the sample. The scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. In total, 23 articles were included. Variation in the sample sizes and sample characteristics (e.g., age ranges) complicated the drawing of general conclusions for children aged 7-10. CSGII appeared to primarily occur in either aggravated (e.g., abusive) or explorative (e.g., sexting) contexts. Reasons for CSGII may be arbitrarily construed as non-voluntary (e.g., deception, coercion, blackmail), semi-voluntary (e.g., commercial gain, peer pressure), or voluntary (e.g., romantic partner, attention-seeking). Various related factors to CSGII were identified. The knowledge gap regarding 7- to-10-year-old children highlights an urgent need for further research. Recommendations for future research, policy, and practice are provided.