Attitudes, behaviors and consequences of sexting in Mexican gay and bisexual adolescents

Abstract

Sexting refers to the reception, sending and/or forwarding of photographs, videos and / or text messages of erotic-sexual content through the telephone and/or virtual media. To identify the attitudes, behaviors and consequences of sexting in homosexual and bisexual students (LGB) of Secondary School of Nuevo León (Mexico), a quantitative investigation was carried out. Through a simple random sampling consisting of 1,186 adolescents (76 homosexuals and 82 bisexuals), The sample was analyzed using a a self-administered anonymous questionnaire composed of sociodemographic issues, the Likert scale of behaviors on sexting by Chacón, Romero, Aragón, and Caurcel (2016), the Likert scale of attitudes towards sexting by Weisskirch and Delevi (2011) and the questionnaire about the consequences of Alonso's sexting practices (2017). The results reveal that 78.73% perform passive sexting and 34.81% active sexting; on the other hand, it is evident that the frequency of the actual participation in sexting (M = 0.46; DT = 1.37) is average; and the active disposition towards sexting (M = 0.67; DT = 1.09) and Emotional expression in sexting (M = 0.64; DT = 1.52) are low. It is also identified that the perception of risk (M = 2.57; SD = 1.81) is high, the relational expectations (M = 0.84; SD = 1.78) are low; and considered as fun and / or carefree (M = 1.29; DT = 1.56) average. Likewise, it is evident that 15.82% of the sample declare to have receive coercion, 10.75% blackmail, and 8.86% teasing after having sexted. Based on these results, it is considered necessary to propose preventive measures from the educational and community level through a biographical-professional Sexual Education model. Key messages Diagnosis of the problem in Nuevo León. Basis for proposing measures.