Written by: Kalin Goble Mathis, M.S.
As the landscape of youth dating culture continues to shift, sexting has become an increasingly prevalent practice amongst adolescents (Madigan et al., 2018). As sexting becomes a more common practice among younger groups, it is important to note that associations between sexting, sexual behavior, and other mental health vulnerability factors were stronger in younger ages compared to older adolescents (Mori et al., 2019). Thus, early education around healthy technology use is an important preventative measure to cultivate safety across the span of child to youth development. Factors for providers to consider include technology use trends, risks of technology use, and how to promote healthy youth use of and experiences with technology.
Role of Providers
Professionals supporting families include those formally within the Family Advocacy Program (FAP) and Child and Youth Advocacy (CYA), as well as those informal trusted professionals who offer other support to parents/caregivers and youth. When considering how service providers may offer assistance and guidance around sexting, technology use, and other sexual behaviors children may display, factors to be aware of include:
- Legal considerations: these include both federal and state laws and processes.
- General attitudes/stigma: What does the teen think of technology use? What is important to understand about a family’s perspective, culture, and/or what safety strategies they already have in place, or where support can be bolstered.
- Parent/guardian involvement: Do families have open conversations on topics like this? What kind of conversations are adults having around technology use, including use in the home, at school, and with friends and/or their partner?
- Community response: What local support is available?
- Networks of resources: what resources are available to adults around learning how to have these conversations? What additional support may they need?
Diving Deeper
OneOp’s webinar, From Clicks to Consequences: Understanding Youth Online Sexual Behavior (https://oneop.org/learn/160103/), dives deeper into specific pathways by which youth encounter virtual sexual content and the effects of online content on social and emotional health. This session covers electronic and online sexual interactions and the impact they have as they become increasingly more critical to understand and address in children and adolescents.
References:
- Madigan, S., Ly, A., Rash, C. L., Van Ouytsel, J., & Temple, J. R. (2018). Prevalence of Multiple Forms of Sexting Behavior Among Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA pediatrics, 172(4), 327–335. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.5314
- Mori, C., Temple, J. R., Browne, D., & Madigan, S. (2019). Association of Sexting With Sexual Behaviors and Mental Health Among Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA pediatrics, 173(8), 770–779. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1658
