Online Sexual Risk Behavior, Victimization and Psychosocial Well-Being Among Adolescents and Young Adults

• In Event: Young People and Risky Expression Online: Where They Talk about Sex, Drugs, and Politics — and Why

Abstract

Youngsters often use online communication technologies to exchange private and intimate messages. When such personal information is misused by others, this behavior may result in harmful experiences and negative psychosocial outcomes. Accordingly, we assume online sexual risk behavior and young users’ psychosocial well-being to be connected indirectly via online sexual victimization experiences. Based on a representative sample of 1033 ANONYMIZED online users aged 14 to 20 years, we found that sexting willingness and sexy self-presentation were associated with increased online sexual victimization experiences, which, in turn, were related with more loneliness, less life satisfaction and more negative mental health of the respondents. For all proposed mediation paths, we identified considerably strong and stable indirect effects. The findings not only provide insights into mechanisms of young users’ negative online experiences, but also expand previous research on Internet usage and psychosocial well-being by focusing on sexual risk behavior.

Authors

• Ruth Festl, German Youth Institute

• Felix Reer, U of Muenster

• Thorsten Quandt, U of Muenster