title: Sex-related online behaviors and adolescents' body and sexual self-perceptions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated: (1) the prevalence and development of 2 receptive (sexually explicit Internet material [SEIM] use and sexual information seeking) and 2 interactive (cybersex and general social networking site [SNS] use) online behaviors in adolescence; (2) whether development of these behaviors predict adolescents' body and sexual self-perceptions; and (3) whether parental strategies regarding adolescents' Internet use reduce engagement in sex-related online behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-wave longitudinal data among 1132 seventh- to 10th-grade Dutch adolescents (mean age at wave 1: 13.95 years; 52.7% boys) were collected. Developmental trajectories of sex-related online behaviors were estimated by using latent growth curve modeling. Self-perception outcomes at wave 4 and parental strategies predicting online behaviors were investigated by adding regression paths to growth models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Boys occasionally and increasingly used SEIM. Patterns for girls' SEIM use and boys' and girls' sexual information seeking and cybersex were consistently low. SNS use, however, was a common, daily activity for both. Higher initial levels and/or faster increases in sex-related online behaviors generally predicted less physical self-esteem (girls' SNS use only), more body surveillance, and less satisfaction with sexual experience. Private Internet access and less parental rule setting regarding Internet use predicted greater engagement in sex-related online behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although most sex-related online behaviors are not widespread among youth, adolescents who engage in such behaviors are at increased risk for developing negative body and sexual self-perceptions. Particular attention should be paid to adolescents' SNS use because this behavior is most popular and may, through its interactive characteristics, elicit more critical self-evaluations. Prevention efforts should focus on parents' role in reducing risky sex-related online behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; s.m.doornwaard@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Suzan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Doornwaard
authors.affiliation: Center on Media and Child Health, and Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bickham
authors.affiliation: Center on Media and Child Health, and Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.affiliation: Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands;
authors.forename: Ine
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vanwesenbeeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands;
authors.forename: Regina J J M
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: van den Eijnden
authors.affiliation: Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands;
authors.forename: Tom F M
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: ter Bogt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D004882:Erotica / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020407:Internet; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012736:Sex Education; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D060756:Social Networking
keywords: Internet; adolescence; development; online sexual behavior; parenting strategies; self-perceptions; social networking site