Most adults who tried 'sexting' get sexual boosts: Study

Sexting is more commonly practiced among adults in a “very committed” relationship than generally thought, a new study suggests. In fact, more than eight out of 10 people admitted sending sexually or explicit text messages that boost their sexual satisfaction.

In the research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 123rd Annual Convention, participants aged between 18 and 82, who were engaged in sexting, took an online survey to assess their sexting behaviours, sexting motives, and relationship and sexual satisfaction. Researchers found in 870 people surveyed in the United States, 88 percent reported having sexted and 82 percent reported they had sexted in the previous year.

In the survey, the results showed participants gain greater sexual satisfaction with greater levels of sexting, especially for those in a relationship. Nearly 75 percent said they have sexted in the context of a committed relationship, while 43 percent said they sexted on a casual relationship.

The authors, Emily Stasko, a doctoral student in clinical psychology at Drexel University, and Pamela Geller, an associate professor of psychology and public health at the same university, explained sexting is defined as the sending or receiving of sexually suggestive or explicit content via text message, primarily using a mobile device.

The study also found people treat sexting in a fun and carefree behaviour. However, as relationship is a common factor in sexting, researchers said 26 percent of the participants were single and had significantly lower sexual satisfaction.

Prior to the study, sexting has been associated with other sexual risk-taking behaviours, with risky activities such as unprotected sex as well as negative health outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections, Stasko said. The said perspective fails to account for the potential positive effects of open sexual communication with a partner, she added.

"This research indicates that sexting is a prevalent behaviour that adults engage in for a variety of reasons" Stasko stated, and added that the findings “show a robust relationship between sexting and sexual and relationship satisfaction." However, it is still important to continue investigating how sexting plays in current romantic and sexual relationships, whether sexting has positive and negative implications to sexual health, she noted.

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