title: Longitudinal association between teen sexting and sexual behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examines the temporal sequencing of sexting and sexual intercourse and the role of active sexting (sending a nude picture) in mediating the relationship between passive sexting (asking or being asked for a nude picture) and sexual behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are from Wave 2 (spring 2011) and Wave 3 (spring 2012) of an ongoing 6-year longitudinal study of high school students in southeast Texas. Participants included 964 ethnically diverse adolescents with a mean age of 16.09 years (56% female; 31% African American, 29% Caucasian, 28% Hispanic, 12% other). Retention rate for 1-year follow-up was 93%. Participants self-reported history of sexual activity (intercourse, risky sex) and sexting (sent, asked, been asked). Using path analysis, we examined whether teen sexting at baseline predicted sexual behavior at 1-year follow-up and whether active sexting mediated the relationship between passive sexting and sexual behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The odds of being sexually active at Wave 3 were 1.32 times larger for youth who sent a sext at Wave 2, relative to counterparts. However, sexting was not temporally associated with risky sexual behaviors. Consistent with our hypothesis, active sexting at Wave 2 mediated the relationship between asking or being asked for a sext and having sex over the next year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study extends cross-sectional literature and supports the notion that sexting fits within the context of adolescent sexual development and may be a viable indicator of adolescent sexual activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch Health, Galveston, Texas jetemple@utmb.edu.
authors.forename: Jeff R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Temple
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch Health, Galveston, Texas.
authors.forename: HyeJeong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D060145:Text Messaging / Q000639:trends*
keywords: adolescents; sexual behavior; teen sexting