Research published this month in the Journal of American Medical Association Pediatrics reports that the percentage of pre-teens and teens who have sent a sext has been increasing in recent years–which is not surprising since sexts happen much more over cell phones than other types of screens.
The research, which comes from 39 combined studies, shows that almost 15 percent of teens report having sent explicit images of themselves and just about a third of them receive them. The research also found that 12 percent of teens have forwarded a sext without consent.
Now that digital devices are a larger part of our teen’s activities, it’s not surprising to see them experimenting more with sexts than ever before. It is natural for them to seek attention and to be intrigued by bodies and sexuality. With all this exploratory sexual behavior, there are risks – and parents, like me, often find ourselves asking “What if?”
“What if their picture is shared without consent? What if their picture ends up in the wrong hands or the authorities find out?” These are questions we want our kids to ask themselves when presented with the decision to sext.
Sending naked pictures of children is considered child pornography. It is illegal, even when the photos are sent with consent. Dr. Elizabeth Englander, a researcher who examines digital behaviors, points out, however, that emphasizing the legal consequences to kids may not be the most effective strategy to prevent sexting. "Most kids have friends who have sexted but legal consequences are so rare that it's likely this will strike them as a scare tactic. Instead, parents can emphasize that kids who send these photos often regret it, feeling scared, depressed or even traumatized. That's more likely to ring a bell and feel truthful to them."
For this TTT, bring up the subject of risky image sharing online. For younger teens, let them know that they should never send naked pictures of themselves. For older kids, help them understand the consequences of such behavior. Here are some questions to help the conversation get started.
We would love for you to share this TTT any way that works for you, whether that’s on social media or via a newsletter. If you want to send it out in your newsletter we just ask that you credit us and link to our website, and let us know at lisa@screenagersmovie.com.
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As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
Research published this month in the Journal of American Medical Association Pediatrics reports that the percentage of pre-teens and teens who have sent a sext has been increasing in recent years–which is not surprising since sexts happen much more over cell phones than other types of screens.
The research, which comes from 39 combined studies, shows that almost 15 percent of teens report having sent explicit images of themselves and just about a third of them receive them. The research also found that 12 percent of teens have forwarded a sext without consent.
Now that digital devices are a larger part of our teen’s activities, it’s not surprising to see them experimenting more with sexts than ever before. It is natural for them to seek attention and to be intrigued by bodies and sexuality. With all this exploratory sexual behavior, there are risks – and parents, like me, often find ourselves asking “What if?”
“What if their picture is shared without consent? What if their picture ends up in the wrong hands or the authorities find out?” These are questions we want our kids to ask themselves when presented with the decision to sext.
Sending naked pictures of children is considered child pornography. It is illegal, even when the photos are sent with consent. Dr. Elizabeth Englander, a researcher who examines digital behaviors, points out, however, that emphasizing the legal consequences to kids may not be the most effective strategy to prevent sexting. "Most kids have friends who have sexted but legal consequences are so rare that it's likely this will strike them as a scare tactic. Instead, parents can emphasize that kids who send these photos often regret it, feeling scared, depressed or even traumatized. That's more likely to ring a bell and feel truthful to them."
For this TTT, bring up the subject of risky image sharing online. For younger teens, let them know that they should never send naked pictures of themselves. For older kids, help them understand the consequences of such behavior. Here are some questions to help the conversation get started.
We would love for you to share this TTT any way that works for you, whether that’s on social media or via a newsletter. If you want to send it out in your newsletter we just ask that you credit us and link to our website, and let us know at lisa@screenagersmovie.com.
HOST A SCREENING to help spark change.
FIND EVENT LISTINGS
Do you organize professional development in schools? We now have a 6-hour, 3-part training module. Request more information here Professional Development.
Stay in touch with the Screenagers community on Facebook, Twitter and leave comments below.
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
In today's TTT, I have an excerpt from a new Screenagers Podcast episode where author Peggy Ornstein discusses the trend among teens of choking during sexual encounters, also known as sexual strangulation. Today's youth are exposed to highly sexualized material that previous generations never encountered. From online pornography to intense sex scenes in movies and shows like “50 Shades of Grey,” “Euphoria,” and "The Idol" as well as explicit content pushed to them on social media. This exposure has repercussions.
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In the latest episode of The Screenagers Podcast, New York Times best-selling author and adolescent psychologist Lisa Damour, Ph.D., discusses how to have healthier conflicts with our kids. For this blog, I share some of the highlights of the podcast. These are just the tip of the iceberg because, in the episode, you will hear fascinating science, issues around phones and school, Lisa’s parenting rules, and many more tips on having productive and calmer conflicts around social media, video games, and more.
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With Thanksgiving week upon us, today’s blog is about the nuanced world of family gatherings, where warmth and tension often intermingle. Moving beyond the picture-perfect imagery of Hallmark cards, I have some strategies to cope with family dynamics that can escalate holiday stress. I also share 4 joy-enhancing activity ideas.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
