Conducta de sexting en adolescentes: predictores de personalidad y consecuencias psicosociales en un año de seguimiento

Abstract

La relación entre el sexting y la personalidad en los adolescentes ha sido escasamente investigada. Además, es notoria la escasez de estudios longitudinales que aborden los predictores y consecuencias del sexting. Este estudio analiza los datos de 624 adolescentes que fueron evaluados en dos ocasiones (T1 y T2) distanciadas por un período de un año, y a los que se administraron cuestionarios para medir el sexting, los rasgos de personalidad del modelo de cinco factores (MCF), y posibles consecuencias psicosociales del sexting (acoso/ciberacoso, bienestar emocional). Los resultados indican que mayor extraversión y menor amabilidad y responsabilidad (T1) se relacionan con sexting (T2). El estudio permite también identificar qué facetas específicas de personalidad (T1) se asocian con el sexting registrado en T2. Además, los análisis de regresión muestran que la extraversión predice aumentos en sexting entre T1 y T2. En cuanto a las consecuencias, una alta implicación en sexting T1 predice descensos en la victimización y en las emociones positivas experimentadas entre T1 y T2. Por tanto, este estudio muestra que la personalidad permite predecir los cambios en sexting a lo largo de la adolescencia; el sexting, a su vez, parece asociarse a consecuencias psicosociales relevantes en este período del desarrollo. The relationships between personality and sexting have been scarcely studied. In addition, the scarcity of longitudinal studies about predictors and consequences of sexting is notorious. This study analyzed the longitudinal data from 624 adolescents who were evaluated on two occasions (T1 and T2) separated by a period of one year, and to whom questionnaires were administered to measure sexting, the personality traits of the five factor model (FFM), as well as possible psychosocial consequences of sexting. The results indicate that high extraversion and low agreeableness and conscientiousness (T1) are related to sexting (T2). In addition, the study also allows us to identify which specific facets of personality (T1) are associated with sexting registered in T2. On the other hand, regression analyses indicate that extraversion predicts increases in sexting between T1 and T2. As for the outcomes of sexting, a high involvement in sexting T1 predicts decreases in victimization and in the positive emotions experienced between T1 and T2. Therefore, this study shows that personality allows for prediction of changes in sexting throughout adolescence; sexting, in turn, seems to be associated with relevant psychosocial consequences in this developmental period.

The role of HEXACO personality traits in different kinds of sexting:A cross-cultural study in 10 countries

“…Sexting has been found to be related to impulsivity-related traits, such as sensation-seeking and negative urgency (Dir, Cyders & Coskunpinar, 2013;Temple et al, 2014;Van Ouytsel, Van Gool, Ponnet, & Walrave, 2014). Meanwhile, a few studies investigated the role of personality traits in sexting behaviors employing the Five Factor Model as the personality theoretical framework (Alonso e Romero, 2019;Delevi & Weisskirch, 2013;Gámez-Guadix et al, 2017;Gámez-Guadix & De Santisteban, 2018;Olatunde & Balogun, 2017). Delevi and Weisskirch (2013) found that extraversion was positively related to sending sexual text messages, whilst neuroticism was positively related and agreeableness negatively related to sending sexually suggestive photos among American undergraduates.…”

Sexting Among Adolescents: The Emotional Impact and Influence of the Need for Popularity

“…Need for popularity could also be linked to impact of sexting, as suggested by Alonso and Romero (2019), although maybe not in the same way for boys and girls. Thus, girls, when participating in sexting, receive insults and rejection, experiencing negative feelings post-sexting, negative impact which is not usual in boys (Temple and Choi, 2014; Burén and Lunde, 2018).…”

Abusive Sexting in Adolescence: Prevalence and Characteristics of Abusers and Victims

“…Certain personality traits also seem to increase the likelihood of engaging in sexting: although most studies in this field were conducted with university students (see Whiteside and Lynam, 2001 ; Saulsman and Page, 2004 ; Ferguson, 2011 ; Settles et al, 2012 ; Delevi and Weisskirch, 2013 ; Dir et al, 2013 ), studies with adolescents showed relations between sexting and higher levels of sensation seeking ( Van Ouytsel et al, 2014 ), as well as impulsivity ( Temple et al, 2014 ). Similarly, a longitudinal study ( Alonso and Romero, 2019 ) with adolescents from 12 to 19 years showed that adolescents who practice sexting are more likely to score higher on depression, impulsivity, and vulnerability. Thus, it is possible that adolescents who are more emotionally vulnerable may use sexting as a way to gain acceptance from their peers.…”

“…An adolescent practice of receiving public attention is the self-production of sexual images. Sexting can be described as sending or publishing sexually provocative text messages and images, including nude or half-nude photographs or videos, via mobile phones or the Internet ( Mitchell et al, 2012 ; Cooper et al, 2016 ; Alonso and Romero, 2019 ). Sexting can also include receiving sexual texts and images of others, or exploiting image content or sexting behavior of others, by forwarding or sharing images ( Drouin et al, 2013 ; Klettke et al, 2014 ; Cooper et al, 2016 ).…”

“…From a conceptual point of view, what technically defines the presence or absence of sexual violence, as well as the nature of the interaction and relationship in question, is consent, equality, and coercion (see Rich, 2003 ; Barroso, 2016 ). Therefore, consensual sexting (voluntarily sending sexual content) has been distinguished from non-consensual or abusive sexting (when an image is incorrectly used and sent without permission), being the latter a form of sexual violence ( Walker et al, 2011 ; Alonso and Romero, 2019 ).…”