Understanding Prevalence of Nonconsensual Sexting Among Adolescents Through a School Social Network Lens

• In Event: Critical Contexts for Adolescents: Exploring Contextual Influences on Sexting Behaviors and on the Experiences of Gender-Expansive Adolescents

Abstract

Objectives: The current study examines prevalence of non-consensual cyber-sexual harassment (i.e., sexting) in the context of social network position. Specifically, we first identified person-centered profiles of social network characteristics using Latent Profile Analysis. We then used these profiles as a categorical variable to predict engagement in sexting behavior among a sample of adolescents from 20 high schools in the Midwest US.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework: Non-consensual sexting is a highly harmful form of sexual harassment that is increasing in prevalence as society continues to shift onto cyber platforms. A qualitative study suggests that individuals sext to secure social bonds by objectifying (and thereby devaluing) another peer (Johansen et al., 2019). Further, Maheux and colleagues (2020) found that a majority of a high school sample believed that a typical popular student in their school had non-consensually sexted on at least one occasion this year. These findings suggest that sexting is a consequential form of violence that is embedded in and maintained by social dynamics of adolescent communities.

Adolescents spend a majority of their time in school, so their school-based social networks are a relevant context for understanding how social behavior manifests and changes as a function of the behavior of close others. Social network theory provides this theoretical framework in addition to analytic tools (Liu et al., 2017).

Methods & data sources: Analyses were conducted using baseline data from a larger trial evaluating a peer-led suicide and peer violence prevention program, where students (analytic sample n = 2,766) completed surveys containing psychometrically validated scales on numerous peer-violence constructs and a peer nomination task. Regarding analysis, first, characteristics that describe an individual’s position in a school-based social network (i.e., degree of isolation, coreness, reciprocity, connectedness to a trusted adult, and number of friends outside of school) were used to illuminate commonly occurring “social profiles,” with latent profile analysis. and each participant was assigned the profile grouping that they were probabilistically most likely to fit. Then, the “social profiles” were used as levels of a categorical independent variable, and each group was compared to all others on self-reported sexting behavior in a series of pairwise comparisons.

Results: Regarding profile enumeration, a 4-class solution was retained based on statistical fit indices and theoretical implications. Contrary to hypotheses, the class (11% of the sample) characterized by highest reciprocity rate and coreness in the network, and least likely to be connected to a trusted adult was significantly less likely to engage in all sexting behaviors compared to all other classes. Notably, this class was also least likely to report having friends outside of school. Descriptive and demographic analysis of classes will be provided.

Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work: From a functional behavioral perspective, understanding the social dynamics underpinning this unique aggressive can illuminate useful intervention targets.

Authors

• Katherine M. Ingram, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Dorothy L. Espelage, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Kelly Rulison, Pennsylvania State University

• Tomei Kuehl, Consulting Within Your Context, LLC

• Sasha Mintz, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

• Shiva Kothari

• Peter Wyman, University of Rochester Medical Center