title: Sexting among singles in the USA: prevalence of sending, receiving, and sharing sexual messages and images.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transmission of sexual images and messages via mobile phone or other electronic media (sexting) has been associated with a variety of mostly negative social and behavioural consequences. Research on sexting has focussed on youth, with limited data across demographics and with little known about the sharing of private sexual images and messages with third parties.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study examines sexting attitudes and behaviours, including sending, receiving, and sharing of sexual messages and images, across gender, age, and sexual orientation. A total of 5805 single adults were included in the study (2830 women; 2975 men), ranging in age from 21 to 75+ years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 21% of participants reported sending and 28% reported receiving sexually explicit text messages; both sending and receiving 'sexts' was most common among younger respondents. Although 73.2% of participants reported discomfort with unauthorised sharing of sexts beyond the intended recipient, of those who had received sext images, 22.9% reported sharing them with others (on average with 3.17 friends). Participants also reported concern about the potential consequences of sexting on their social lives, careers, and psychosocial wellbeing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Views on the impact of sexting on reputation suggest a contemporary struggle to reconcile digital eroticism with real-world consequences. These findings suggest a need for future research into negotiations of sexting motivations, risks, and rewards.
authors.affiliation: The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 1165 E. Third Street, Morrison Hall 313, Bloomington, IN 47405-3700, USA.|Department of Gender Studies, Indiana University, 1020 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Ballantine Hall, Bloomington, IN 47405-3700, USA.|Corresponding author. Email: jusrgarc@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Justin R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 1165 E. Third Street, Morrison Hall 313, Bloomington, IN 47405-3700, USA.|Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 1050 Wishard Boulevard, Floor 6, Indianapolis, IN 46202-2872, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Gesselman
authors.affiliation: The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 1165 E. Third Street, Morrison Hall 313, Bloomington, IN 47405-3700, USA.|Department of Gender Studies, Indiana University, 1020 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Ballantine Hall, Bloomington, IN 47405-3700, USA.
authors.forename: Shadia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Siliman
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Indiana University, 1020 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Ballantine Hall, Bloomington, IN 47405-3700, USA.|Indiana University Network Science Institute, 1001 E. State Road 45/46 Bypass, Bloomington, IN 47408-3700, USA.
authors.forename: Brea L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 1050 Wishard Boulevard, Floor 6, Indianapolis, IN 46202-2872, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coe
authors.affiliation: The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 1165 E. Third Street, Morrison Hall 313, Bloomington, IN 47405-3700, USA.|Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, 131 George Street, Ruth Adams Building, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1414, USA.
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Fisher
keywords: new media; sext; sexual photo; sexuality; texting