Consensual and Non-consensual Sexting Behaviors in Adolescence: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Sexting is considered a practice of sending, receiving, and forwarding sexually explicit content through electronic devices. Given a lack of research distinguishing the characteristics of different forms of sexting, this systematic review aimed to analyze studies of the characteristics that might influence individuals’ engagement in consensual and non-consensual sexting behavior. This systematic review was conducted using three online databases (EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Web of Science). The search resulted in the extraction of 709 articles, of which 39 were considered eligible for inclusion. One study also was identified by a manual search, which resulted in a final sample of 40 articles published between 2012 and 2021. The results show that male adolescents are more likely to engage in both forms of sexting. Adolescents with some Big Five Personality traits (i.e., who score higher on conscientiousness, extroversion, and openness), spend more time online and are in a stable relationship were positively associated with consensual sexting. Adolescents who lack control and are more aggressive were more likely to engage in non-consensual sexting. This systematic review also revealed that there is insufficient research on the subject, mainly regarding non-consensual sexting and characteristics of who perpetrates this behavior.