Sexting common among adults

Sexting common among adults

Last updated 10 August 2015

In an age where text messaging is a common form of communication, researchers have found that eight out of ten adults have admitted to the act of ‘sexting’ over the past year.

Sexting is the practice of sending or receiving sexually explicit or suggestive text messages, usually via a mobile device.

Past studies have made a direct association between sexting and risky sexual behaviour, such as unprotected sex and sexually transmitted infections.

A team of researchers at Drexel University in Philadelphia set out to investigate the relationship between sexting and adults, including behaviours, motives, relationships and sexual satisfaction.

For the study, they recruited 870 people from the US aged between 18 and 82 years. A total of 26 per cent of the participants reported being single, while just over half were female.

It was found that 88 per cent of the participants had engaged in sexting at some point, while 82 per cent admitted to sexting in the past year.

What’s more, 75 per cent of participants said they sexted within the context of a committed relationship. In contrast, 43 per cent of participants reported sexting within the context of a casual relationship.

Emily Stasko, lead researcher of the study, said: ‘Given the possible implications, both positive and negative, for sexual health, it is important to continue investigating the role sexting plays in current romantic and sexual relationships.

‘This research indicates that sexting is a prevalent behavior that adults engage in for a variety of reasons.’

She concluded: ‘These findings show a robust relationship between sexting and sexual and relationship satisfaction.’

The research will be presented at the American Psychological Association’s 123rd Annual Convention, held in Toronto, Canada.

Sexting common among adults