Meier Sandra, Marin-Dragu Silvia, McArthur Jennifer L, Cormier Marcus, Kelso Andronika, Dolek Simal, Blais Julie, Chorney Jill, Rosen Natalie O, Stewart Sherry H
Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, IWK Health Centre, 5850/5980 University Avenue, Halifax, NS, B3K 6R8, Canada.
Arch Sex Behav. 2025 May 22. doi: 10.1007/s10508-025-03153-y.
Sexting is a common phenomenon. Sexting has been largely negatively portrayed as being linked to increased risks for poor mental well-being, cyberbullying, dating abuse, and intimate partner violence. However, sexting can also have positive effects and increase sexual well-being and relationship satisfaction. Therefore, the current study explored whether the motivations underlying sexting might help explain the divergence in its positive or negative outcomes. In a longitudinal online study, 405 emerging adults aged 18-29 years (223 women, 171 men, and 21 individuals identifying as non-binary or another gender) participated. All participants had engaged in sexting within the past three months and were in either a casual or committed relationship; they reported their sexting behaviors, autonomous and controlled motivations for sexting, as well as both positive and negative sexting outcomes at two time points, spaced six weeks apart. Structural equation modeling revealed a direct effect of more sexting behaviors (β = 0.13, p = .02) and an indirect effect via greater controlled motives (β = 0.09, p < .001) on more negative sexting outcomes. In contrast, only an indirect effect of more sexting behaviors on more positive sexting outcomes via greater autonomous motives (β = 0.12, p < .001) was observed. Results suggest instead of proclaiming abstinence from sexting, awareness should be increased as to why emerging adults engage in sexting so they can benefit from sexting while limiting any detrimental effects.
发送色情短信是一种常见现象。发送色情短信在很大程度上被负面描述为与心理健康状况不佳、网络欺凌、约会虐待和亲密伴侣暴力风险增加有关。然而，发送色情短信也可能产生积极影响，并提高性健康和关系满意度。因此，当前的研究探讨了发送色情短信背后的动机是否有助于解释其积极或消极结果的差异。在一项纵向在线研究中，405名18至29岁的新兴成年人（223名女性、171名男性以及21名认同非二元性别或其他性别的个体）参与其中。所有参与者在过去三个月内都有过发送色情短信的行为，且处于随意或稳定的恋爱关系中；他们在两个相隔六周的时间点报告了自己的发送色情短信行为、发送色情短信的自主和受控动机，以及发送色情短信的积极和消极结果。结构方程模型显示，更多的发送色情短信行为对更多的消极发送色情短信结果有直接影响（β = 0.13，p = 0.02），并通过更强的受控动机产生间接影响（β = 0.09，p < 0.001）。相比之下，仅观察到更多的发送色情短信行为通过更强的自主动机对更多的积极发送色情短信结果产生间接影响（β = 0.12，p < 0.001）。结果表明，与其宣扬戒除发送色情短信，不如提高对新兴成年人发送色情短信原因的认识，这样他们就能在限制任何有害影响同时从发送色情短信中受益。
