1. Adolescent Sexting: The Role of Body Shame, Social Physique Anxiety, and Social Networking Site Addiction
- Author
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Manuel J. Ruiz, Laura Villanueva-Moya, Gemma Sáez, and Francisca Expósito
- Subjects
Male ,Adolescent ,Social Psychology ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Shame ,050801 communication & media studies ,050109 social psychology ,Anxiety ,Social Networking ,Developmental psychology ,0508 media and communications ,medicine ,Humans ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Applied Psychology ,media_common ,Communication ,Addiction ,05 social sciences ,General Medicine ,Computer Science Applications ,Behavior, Addictive ,Human-Computer Interaction ,Adolescent Behavior ,Female ,medicine.symptom ,Psychology - Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between body shame and participation in sexting among adolescents by examining the mediational roles of social physique anxiety and misuse of social networking sites (SNSs). Four hundred thirty-nine adolescents completed self-report measures for assessing their levels of body shame, social physique anxiety, SNS addiction symptoms, and sexting participation. Female adolescents reported higher scores in body shame, social physique anxiety, and SNS addiction symptoms, whereas male adolescents reported higher participation in sexting behaviors. In addition, gender did not moderate the relationship between body shame and higher sexting behaviors. Finally, the results showed an indirect (but not a direct) association between body shame and sexting behaviors through social physique anxiety and SNS addiction symptoms. These findings provide empirical evidence for the development of sexting prevention programs that are focused on body acceptance with the aim of reducing body shame, social physique anxiety, and SNS addiction.
- Published
- 2021