Sexting and sexual behaviour in Australian adolescents

Abstract

Background Previous studies have tried to determine the relationship between sexting and risky behaviour to discover whether sexting fits into a deviance or normalcy discourse. This study investigated the relationship between sexting and sexual risk behaviours, contraception use and gender. Methods The design was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the sixth National Survey of Secondary Student and Adolescent Sexual Health, collected in 2018. There were 8263 Australian adolescents (aged 14–18 years). Participants were fairly evenly split by gender, and 73% identified as heterosexual. Participants were asked a series of questions about their engagement in sexting, sexual behaviour and sexual health behaviours. Results A total of 52% of participants had sent a sext in the previous 2 months, with most being text-based sexts. Sexters were 3.29 times more likely to have engaged in anal or vaginal intercourse, and 2.88 times more likely to have gotten pregnant than non-sexters. Sexters (M = 2.76) had significantly more partners than non-sexters (M = 2.35), t(3763) = −10.99, P < 0.001. There were no significant differences in STI rates, X2(1) = 0.38, P = 0.535, or contraceptive use based on sexting status. Conclusions Sexters are more likely to have engaged in sexual intercourse and have more partners than non-sexters. Sexting is not strongly associated with other risky behaviours. Evidence for differences between sexters and non-sexters in protecting against STIs and pregnancy was not found, as there were no significant differences in contraceptive use.