Sexting Behaviors and Fear of Missing out Among Young Adults
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Sexting Types and Behaviors
1.2. The Roles of Age, Gender, and Sexual Orientation in Impacting Sexting Behaviors
1.3. Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Sexting
1.4. Aims of the Present Study
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants and Procedure
2.2. Measures
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results
Negative Binomial Regression
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions and Future Perspectives
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Albury, K., & Crawford, K. (2012). Sexting, consent and young people’s ethics: Beyond Megan’s Story. Continuum, 26(3), 463–473. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Andreassen, C. S., Torsheim, T., Brunborg, G. S., & Pallesen, S. (2012). Development of a Facebook addiction scale. Psychological Reports, 110(2), 501–517. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Beckmeyer, J. J., Herbenick, D., & Eastman-Mueller, H. (2022). Sexting with romantic partners during college: Who does it, who doesn’t and who wants to. Sexuality & Culture, 26(1), 48–66. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Benotsch, E. G., Snipes, D. J., Martin, A. M., & Bull, S. S. (2013). Sexting, substance use, and sexual risk behavior in young adults. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(3), 307–313. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Benzi, I. M. A., Fontana, A., Lingiardi, V., Parolin, L., & Carone, N. (2024). “Don’t leave me behind!” Problematic internet use and fear of missing out through the lens of epistemic trust in emerging adulthood. Current Psychology, 43(15), 13775–13784. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bianchi, D., Morelli, M., Baiocco, R., Cattelino, E., & Chirumbolo, A. (2021a). Patterns of love and sexting in teen dating relationships: The moderating role of conflicts. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2021(178), 133–155. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bianchi, D., Morelli, M., Baiocco, R., Cattelino, E., Laghi, F., & Chirumbolo, A. (2019). Family functioning patterns predict teenage girls’ sexting. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 43(6), 507–514. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bianchi, D., Morelli, M., Baiocco, R., & Chirumbolo, A. (2017). Sexting as the mirror on the wall: Body-esteem attribution, media models, and objectified-body consciousness. Journal of Adolescence, 61, 164–172. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bianchi, D., Morelli, M., Nappa, M. R., Baiocco, R., & Chirumbolo, A. (2021b). A bad romance: Sexting motivations and teen dating violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(13–14), 6029–6049. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bouffard, S., Giglio, D., & Zheng, Z. (2022). Social media and romantic relationship: Excessive social media use leads to relationship conflicts, negative outcomes, and addiction via mediated pathways. Social Science Computer Review, 40(6), 1523–1541. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Brodie, Z. P., Wilson, C., & Scott, G. G. (2019). Sextual intercourse: Considering social–cognitive predictors and subsequent outcomes of sexting behavior in adulthood. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(8), 2367–2379. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Casale, S., & Fioravanti, G. (2020). Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the fear of missing out scale in emerging adults and adolescents. Addictive Behaviors, 102, 106179. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chalfen, R. (2009). ‘It’s only a picture’: Sexting, ‘smutty’ snapshots and felony charges. Visual Studies, 24(3), 258–268. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chong, E. S., Zhang, Y., Mak, W. W., & Pang, I. H. (2015). Social media as social capital of LGB individuals in Hong Kong: Its relations with group membership, stigma, and mental well-being. American Journal of Community Psychology, 55, 228–238. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Currin, J. M., & Hubach, R. D. (2019). Motivations for nonuniversity-based adults who sext their relationship partners. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 45(4), 317–327. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Cyders, M. A., & Smith, G. T. (2008). Emotion-based dispositions to rash action: Positive and negative urgency. Psychological Bulletin, 134(6), 807–828. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Plenum Press. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Döring, N. (2014). Consensual sexting among adolescents: Risk prevention through abstinence education or safer sexting? Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 8(1), 9. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Drouin, M., Coupe, M., & Temple, J. R. (2017). Is sexting good for your relationship? It depends…. Computers in Human Behavior, 75, 749–756. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Drouin, M., & Tobin, E. (2014). Unwanted but consensual sexting among young adults: Relations with attachment and sexual motivations. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, 412–418. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Elhai, J. D., Yang, H., & Montag, C. (2020). Fear of missing out (FOMO): Overview, theoretical underpinnings, and literature review on relations with severity of negative affectivity and problematic technology use. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 43(2), 203–209. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gallucci, M. (2019). GAMLj: General analyses for linear models [jamovi module]. Available online: https://gamlj.github.io/ (accessed on 27 March 2025).
- Gassó, A. M., Klettke, B., Agustina, J. R., & Montiel, I. (2019). Sexting, mental health, and victimization among adolescents: A literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13), 2364. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gassó, A. M., Mueller-Johnson, K., Agustina, J. R., & Gómez-Durán, E. (2021). Mental health correlates of sexting coercion perpetration and victimisation in university students by gender. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 27(2), 247–263. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gámez-Guadix, M., & Incera, D. (2021). Homophobia is online: Sexual victimization and risks on the internet and mental health among bisexual, homosexual, pansexual, asexual, and queer adolescents. Computers in Human Behavior, 119, 106728. [Google Scholar]
- Gámez-Guadix, M., & Mateos-Pérez, E. (2019). Longitudinal and reciprocal relationships between sexting, online sexual solicitations, and cyberbullying among minors. Computers in Human Behavior, 94, 70–76. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Geng, J., Bao, L., Wang, H., Wang, J., Wei, X., & Lei, L. (2022). The relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescents’ cyberbullying victimization: The new phenomenon of a “cycle of victimization”. Child Abuse & Neglect, 134, 105888. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gesselman, A. N., Kaufman, E. M., Marcotte, A. S., Reynolds, T. A., & Garcia, J. R. (2023). Engagement with emerging forms of sextech: Demographic correlates from a national sample of adults in the United States. The Journal of Sex Research, 60(2), 177–189. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Gupta, M., & Sharma, A. (2021). Fear of missing out: A brief overview of origin, theoretical underpinnings and relationship with mental health. World Journal of Clinical Cases, 9(19), 4881–4889. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hilbe, J. M. (2011). Negative binomial regression. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hudson, H. K., & Marshall, S. A. (2016). Sexty southerners: Sexting content and behaviors among selected southern undergraduates. Health Educator, 48(1), 34–43. [Google Scholar]
- Hussain, S., Raza, A., Haider, A., & Ishaq, M. I. (2023). Fear of missing out and compulsive buying behavior: The moderating role of mindfulness. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 75, 103512. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kemp, S. (2024). Digital 2024: Global overview report [Internet]. Available online: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-global-overview-report (accessed on 27 March 2025).
- Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. R., & Martin, C. E. (2003). Sexual behavior in the human male. American Journal of Public Health, 93(6), 894–898. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kokkinos, C. M., & Krommida, C. (2022). Prevalence of sexting among Greek university students: A matter of relationships? The Journal of Psychology, 156(7), 459–477. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Kopecký, K. (2012). Sexting among Czech preadolescents and adolescents. The New Educational Review, 28, 39–48. [Google Scholar]
- Korn, L., & Bonny-Noach, H. (2018). Gender differences in deviance and health risk behaviors among young-adults undergraduate students. Substance Use & Misuse, 53(1), 59–69. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kosenko, K., Luurs, G., & Binder, A. R. (2017). Sexting and sexual behavior, 2011–2015: A critical review and meta-analysis of a growing literature. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 22(3), 141–160. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Madigan, S., Ly, A., Rash, C. L., Van Ouytsel, J., & Temple, J. R. (2018). Prevalence of multiple forms of sexting behavior among youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(4), 327–335. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674–697. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morelli, M., Bianchi, D., Baiocco, R., Pezzuti, L., & Chirumbolo, A. (2016). Not-allowed sharing of sexts and dating violence from the perpetrator’s perspective: The moderation role of sexism. Computers in Human Behavior, 56, 163–169. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morelli, M., Bianchi, D., Cattelino, E., Nappa, M. R., Baiocco, R., & Chirumbolo, A. (2017). Quando il sexting diventa una forma di violenza? Motivazioni al sexting e dating violence nei giovani adulti [When sexting becomes a kind of violence? Sexting motivations and dating violence among young adults]. Maltrattamento e Abuso All’infanzia, 19(3), 49–68. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morelli, M., Chirumbolo, A., Bianchi, D., Baiocco, R., Cattelino, E., Laghi, F., Sorokowski, P., Misiak, M., Dziekan, M., Hudson, H., & Marshall, A. (2020). The role of HEXACO personality traits in different kinds of sexting: A cross-cultural study in 10 countries. Computers in Human Behavior, 113, 106502. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morelli, M., Nappa, M. R., Chirumbolo, A., Wright, P. J., Pabian, S., Baiocco, R., Costabile, A., Longobardi, E., & Cattelino, E. (2024). Is adolescents’ cyber dating violence perpetration related to problematic pornography use? The moderating role of hostile sexism. Health Communication, 39(13), 3134–3144. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morelli, M., Plata, M. G., Isolani, S., Zabala, M. E. Z., Hoyos, K. P. C., Tirado, L. M. U., Gracia, M. S. R., Barbosa, C. P., Pistella, J., Zuffianò, A., & Gerbino, M. (2023). Sexting behaviors before and during COVID-19 in Italian and Colombian young adults. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 20(4), 1515–1527. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morelli, M., Urbini, F., Bianchi, D., Baiocco, R., Cattelino, E., Laghi, F., Sorokowski, P., Misiak, M., Dziekan, M., Hudson, H., & Marshall, A. (2021). The relationship between dark triad personality traits and sexting behaviors among adolescents and young adults across 11 countries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 2526. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morgan, E. M. (2013). Contemporary issues in sexual orientation and identity development in emerging adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 1(1), 52–66. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mori, C., Cooke, J. E., Temple, J. R., Ly, A., Lu, Y., Anderson, N., Rash, C., & Madigan, S. (2020). The prevalence of sexting behaviors among emerging adults: A meta-analysis. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49, 1103–1119. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Mori, C., Temple, J. R., Browne, D., & Madigan, S. (2019). Association of sexting with sexual behaviors and mental health among adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(8), 770–779. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Nappa, M. R., Bartolo, M. G., Pistella, J., Petrocchi, N., Costabile, A., & Baiocco, R. (2022). “I do not like being me”: The impact of self-hate on increased risky sexual behavior in sexual minority people. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 19(2), 737–750. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Paquette, M. M., Dion, J., Bőthe, B., Girouard, A., & Bergeron, S. (2022). Heterosexual, cisgender and gender and sexually diverse adolescents’ sexting behaviors: The role of body appreciation. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 51(2), 278–290. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Parker, T. S., Blackburn, K. M., Perry, M. S., & Hawks, J. M. (2013). Sexting as an intervention: Relationship satisfaction and motivation considerations. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 41(1), 1–12. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Popovac, M., & Hadlington, L. (2020). Exploring the role of egocentrism and fear of missing out on online risk behaviours among adolescents in South Africa. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 276–291. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841–1848. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rasmussen, E. E., Punyanunt-Carter, N., LaFreniere, J. R., Norman, M. S., & Kimball, T. G. (2020). The serially mediated relationship between emerging adults’ social media use and mental well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 102, 206–213. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Robinson, J. P., & Espelage, D. L. (2013). Peer victimization and sexual risk differences between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning and nontransgender heterosexual youths in grades 7–12. American Journal of Public Health, 103(10), 1810–1819. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Schmitz, R. M., Tabler, J., Charak, R., Cantu, J. I., Gonzales, C. M., & Schmitz, J. J. (2024). Minority stress, technology, and LGBTQ+ people’s experiences and outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Services, 36(1), 1–26. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sha, P., Sariyska, R., Riedl, R., Lachmann, B., & Montag, C. (2019). Linking internet communication and smartphone use disorder by taking a closer look at the Facebook and WhatsApp applications. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 9, 100148. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Sparks, B., Stephens, S., & Trendell, S. (2023). Image-based sexual abuse: Victim-perpetrator overlap and risk-related correlates of coerced sexting, non-consensual dissemination of intimate images, and cyberflashing. Computers in Human Behavior, 148, 107879. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Strassberg, D. S., McKinnon, R. K., Sustaíta, M. A., & Rullo, J. (2013). Sexting by high school students: An exploratory and descriptive study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42, 15–21. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Tamarit, A., Schoeps, K., Peris-Hernández, M., & Montoya-Castilla, I. (2021). The impact of adolescent internet addiction on sexual online victimization: The mediating effects of sexting and body self-esteem. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 4226. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Tamres, L. K., Janicki, D., & Helgeson, V. S. (2002). Sex differences in coping behavior: A meta-analytic review and an examination of relative coping. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 6(1), 2–30. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Tandon, A., Dhir, A., Almugren, I., AlNemer, G. N., & Mäntymäki, M. (2021). Fear of missing out (FoMO) among social media users: A systematic literature review, synthesis and framework for future research. Internet Research, 31(3), 782–821. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Temple, J. R. (2015). A primer on teen sexting. JAACAP Connect, 2(4), 6–8. [Google Scholar]
- The jamovi project. (2023). jamovi (version 2.6) [computer software]. Available online: https://www.jamovi.org (accessed on 27 March 2025).
- Tomczyk, Ł., & Szotkowski, R. (2023). Sexting, fear of missing out (FOMO), and problematic social network use among adolescents. Human Technology, 19(2), 283–301. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Van Ouytsel, J., Lu, Y., Ponnet, K., Walrave, M., & Temple, J. R. (2019). Longitudinal associations between sexting, cyberbullying, and bullying among adolescents: Cross-lagged panel analysis. Journal of Adolescence, 73, 36–41. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Van Ouytsel, J., Punyanunt-Carter, N. M., Walrave, M., & Ponnet, K. (2020). Sexting within young adults’ dating and romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 36, 55–59. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Van Ouytsel, J., Van Gool, E., Walrave, M., Ponnet, K., & Peeters, E. (2017). Sexting: Adolescents’ perceptions of the applications used for, motives for, and consequences of sexting. Journal of Youth Studies, 20(4), 446–470. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Walker, S., Sanci, L., & Temple-Smith, M. (2013). Sexting: Young women’s and men’s views on its nature and origins. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(6), 697–701. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wolak, J., & Finkelhor, D. (2011). Sexting: A typology. Crimes against Children Research Center. [Google Scholar]
- Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D., & Mitchell, K. J. (2012). How often are teens arrested for sexting? Data from a national sample of police cases. Pediatrics, 129(1), 4–12. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Yoder, J., Hansen, J., & Precht, M. (2018). Correlates and outcomes associated with sexting among justice involved youth: The role of developmental adversity, emotional disinhibitions, relationship context, and dating violence. Children and Youth Services Review, 94, 493–499. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zhang, Y., Li, S., & Yu, G. (2021). The relationship between social media use and fear of missing out: A meta-analysis. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 53(3), 273–290. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Experimental Sexting | Sexting Under Substance Use | Sexting for Emotional Regulation | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Predictors | B | SE | Exp(B) | LCI | UCI | p | B | SE | Exp(B) | LCI | UCI | p | B | SE | Exp(B) | LCI | UCI | p |
A | −0.01 | 0.02 | 1.00 | 0.96 | 1.02 | 0.48 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 1.01 | 0.98 | 1.04 | 0.39 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 1.06 | 0.08 |
BS | −0.02 | 0.02 | 0.98 | 0.95 | 0.01 | 0.26 | −0.02 | 0.01 | 0.98 | 0.95 | 1.01 | 0.17 | −0.04 | 0.02 | 0.96 | 0.93 | 0.99 | 0.00 |
SO | 0.16 | 0.03 | 1.17 | 1.10 | 1.26 | <0.001 | 0.17 | 0.03 | 1.19 | 1.12 | 1.27 | <0.001 | 0.22 | 0.03 | 1.24 | 1.16 | 1.33 | <0.001 |
FoMO | 0.01 | 0.02 | 1.01 | 0.97 | 1.04 | 0.67 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 1.07 | 0.03 | 0.07 | 0.02 | 1.07 | 1.04 | 1.11 | <0.001 |
FoMO × A | 0.01 | 0.02 | 1.01 | 0.98 | 1.05 | 0.51 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 1.01 | 0.98 | 1.04 | 0.37 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 1.00 | 0.97 | 1.03 | 0.93 |
FoMO × BS | 0.01 | 0.02 | 1.01 | 0.97 | 1.04 | 0.61 | −0.004 | 0.01 | 1.00 | 0.97 | 1.03 | 0.77 | −0.02 | 0.02 | 0.98 | 0.94 | 1.01 | 0.14 |
FoMO × SO | 0.01 | 0.03 | 1.01 | 0.95 | 1.09 | 0.67 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 1.03 | 0.97 | 1.09 | 0.34 | 0.07 | 0.03 | 1.08 | 1.01 | 1.15 | 0.03 |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Morelli, M.; Ragona, A.; Chirumbolo, A.; Nappa, M.R.; Babore, A.; Trumello, C.; Sciabica, G.M.; Cattelino, E. Sexting Behaviors and Fear of Missing out Among Young Adults. Behav. Sci. 2025, 15, 454. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15040454
Morelli M, Ragona A, Chirumbolo A, Nappa MR, Babore A, Trumello C, Sciabica GM, Cattelino E. Sexting Behaviors and Fear of Missing out Among Young Adults. Behavioral Sciences. 2025; 15(4):454. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15040454
Chicago/Turabian StyleMorelli, Mara, Alessandra Ragona, Antonio Chirumbolo, Maria Rosaria Nappa, Alessandra Babore, Carmen Trumello, Gaetano Maria Sciabica, and Elena Cattelino. 2025. "Sexting Behaviors and Fear of Missing out Among Young Adults" Behavioral Sciences 15, no. 4: 454. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15040454
APA StyleMorelli, M., Ragona, A., Chirumbolo, A., Nappa, M. R., Babore, A., Trumello, C., Sciabica, G. M., & Cattelino, E. (2025). Sexting Behaviors and Fear of Missing out Among Young Adults. Behavioral Sciences, 15(4), 454. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15040454