title: Sexting: serious problems for youth.
abstract: Youth engaging in sexting (texting plus sex) includes behaviors such as sending, receiving, or forwarding of nude or partially nude images via cell phones. The true prevalence of tweens and teens engaging in sexting is unclear. This might be because of the general secrecy of the behavior, the rapid advances in technology, and the lack of a clear definition that accounts for the added developmental factors (e.g., peak sexual development, impulsivity). Additionally, there is a lack of recognition of the consequences and increased risks of sexting (e.g., shame and guilt, earlier sexual behavior, bullying, incarceration, substance abuse, depression, suicide) for youth as a vulnerable population. The purpose of this article is to examine sexting behaviors among youth by exploring factors specific to today's adolescent population that may influence the prevalence and outcomes of sexting behavior. Implications for nursing practice, including the assessment, intervention, and evaluation that is needed to treat adolescents affected by sexting, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: California State University, Fullerton, CA, USA. nramom@aol.com
authors.forename: Nancy R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Ahern
authors.forename: Brandy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mechling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012573:School Nursing; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060145:Text Messaging / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D055815:Young Adult