Sexting Can Be Dangerous For Teens

Sexting Can Be Dangerous For Teens.
Sexting is sending out sexually straightforward matter messages or photos by cellphone - is fairly common among teens, a fresh Belgian study finds in Dec 2013. And peer pressure, the hunt for romance and trust that the recipient will respond positively seem to be the key factors driving sexts. Adolescents apt to take a mostly benign view of the practice, the researchers found, dwelling little on the covert for negative fallout down the road. Warnings by parents or teachers against the practice appear to fall on deaf ears, with many teens unconcerned about parental monitoring of their phones or the unrealized for blackmail or future risk to their reputation.

And "During adolescence, progeny people explore their sexuality and identity, and form different kinds of friendships, including their to begin romantic relationships," said study lead author Michel Walrave, an allied professor in the department of communication studies at the University of Antwerp. "In this environment sexting can be used to express their interest in a potential partner," to maintain intimacy while dating, to attract in "truth-or-dare" flirting or to earn bragging rights among peers. The risk of unintended consequences is the problem.

So "As words and images sent can be obviously copied and transmitted, sexting messages can instantaneously spread to audiences that were not intended by the sender of the message. This can ruin the status of the depicted girl or boy, and lead to mockery or even bullying". The study appeared online in a fresh issue of the journal Behavior and Information Technology. The researchers conducted a written look into among nearly 500 Belgian girls and boys between the ages of 15 and 18 who were attending two rare secondary schools.

More than a quarter of the kids said they had sent out a sext during the two months supreme up to the poll. Girls were found to have a generally more negative view of sexting than boys. However, boys and girls already in purportedly trusting relationships seemed relatively disposed to embrace a behavior they perceived - rightly or wrongly - as delightful and desirable among their peers, the researchers found. The bottom row is that any intervention aimed at curbing teen sexting needs to accost the overriding social environment.

That is, one in which risky, explicit communications with a high potential for blowback are viewed without by friends and romantic partners. "Our study observed that especially the influence of peers is effective in predicting sexting behavior. Why? "Adolescents may be more focused on the short-term positive consequences of sexting, such as gaining heed of a desired other, than on the possible underestimated short-term and long-term negating consequences. "Raising awareness at school could alert young people to the risks of sharing sexually china content with a romantic partner, especially if the romance sours".

Walrave also advised incorporating sexting-prevention efforts beyond sex-education programs. For exemplification it could also be addressed in programs specifically designed to target bullying and cyberbullying, given that sexts have the potency to become a bully's digital ammunition. One US expert expressed some frustration with the spirit the study was conducted.

So "Overall, this article further illustrates that sexting behaviors remain to occur among adolescents, and therefore additional education of teens regarding the potential consequences is warranted," said Justin Patchin, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center. But at the same chance the findings weren't individual enough. "I am disappointed by the way sexting was measured in this study," said Patchin, who also is a professor of unlawful justice at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

And "The researchers sparely asked teens one question: 'Have you sent sexts in the last two months?'" he said. "They didn't seek whether the teens had received sext messages, and they did not distinguish between text-based and image-based sexually forthright content. Are we talking about pictures or just naughty talk? There is a big difference".

For her part, Shari Kessel Schneider, design director for the Education Development Center in Waltham, Mass, focused on what can be done to relief teens make smarter decisions. Educators must draw attention to the permanence of images placed online, and teach children to be resistant to peer pressure in general.

Whether it's about using drugs or sending a sext, educators should daily teens understand that not all their peers are doing it. Parental involvement is important," Kessel Schneider added. "First of all, parents difficulty to inflate their effort to teach children about the meaning of a digital footprint. Secondly, they need to study their teen's phone use skinbrightener.herbalyzer.com. I just don't think a teen is as likely to send a sext if they distinguish a parent is monitoring their phone regularly".