Sexting Among Younger Students Linked to More Sex in Middle School

Statistics show that more younger students are engaging in sexting, otherwise known as the sending of naked photos and/or sexually explicit images via text messaging.

Yet a new study suggests something particularly concerning about the process: Younger students sending sexual messages--some as young as 12 and 14 years old, in fact--are at in increased risk of engaging in sexual intercourse or oral sex.

"We know early adolescents are using mobile phones and all forms of technology more and more and we know that early adolescence is a time when people become engaged in sexual activity," Christopher Houck, the lead study author and a staff psychologist at Rhode Island Hospital's Bradley Hasbro Children's Researcher Center in Providence said, via Reuters. "So how those two connect is an important area of study."

Based on a survey of 420 seventh grade students from five urban public middle schools in Rhode Island, students were asked to answer several yes/no questions based on their sexting history and whether they participated in a variety of sexual activities ranging from kissing to intercourse with serious romantic partners to casual acquaintances.

According to Time, results showed that 22 percent of the students sexted, while 17 percent sent text messages only. Five percent both sent texts and explicit photos.

Scientists found in particularly concerning that younger students who engaged in sexting were up to four to seven times more likely to engage in sexual activities. Worse yet were that students who admitted to sending sexual images showed even higher instances of sexual interaction between peers who also participated in sexting.

Researchers and parents alike worry that adolescents may not be mature enough to understand the consequences of sending sexually explicit messages, which could potentially make them vulnerable to sexual predators, according to study authors. "Although adolescents may be more digitally savvy than their parents, their lack of maturity and inattention to consequences can quickly lead to serious negative outcomes," the authors note.

Many suggests ways to discourage sexting can be to keep an eye on their child's social media engagements through computer and if he or she has a cell phone.

More information regarding the survey and study results can be found via the journal Pediatrics.