Joris Van Ouytsel1, Yu Lu2, Koen Ponnet3, Michel Walrave4, Jeff R Temple2. 1. Department of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, Sint-Jacobsstraat 2, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: joris.vanouytsel@uantwerpen.be. 2. Department of Ob/Gyn, UTMB Health, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555-0587, USA. 3. Department of Communication Studies, IMEC-MICT Ghent University, Korte Meer 11, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. 4. Department of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, Sint-Jacobsstraat 2, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: While adolescent sexting, or the sending of sexually explicit images, has been cross-sectionally associated with bullying and cyberbullying, there is a lack of longitudinal studies in this area. To address this gap in the literature, we examined the longitudinal link between sexting and 1) traditional, in-person, bullying victimization and 2) cyberbullying victimization. METHODS: We used data from a longitudinal study of ethnically diverse adolescents recruited from multiple public high schools in southeast Texas. Three waves of data were used (T2, T3 and T4). Cross-lagged panel analysis was performed in Mplus to analyze the data. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: Cross-lagged panel analyses identified autoregressive effects for all three variables, and cross-lagged effects for cyberbullying. Sexting was associated with subsequent cyberbullying victimization across all time points, and T3 cyberbullying victimization was associated with engagement in sexting one year later. Furthermore, T2 cyberbullying victimization indirectly associated with T4 sexting via T3 cyberbullying victimization. For traditional bullying, a cross-lagged effect was found between T3 sexting and T4 offline bullying victimization. Although T2 sexting did not directly link to subsequent traditional bullying victimization, a significant mediation effect was identified such that T3 sexting mediated the effects of T2 sexting on T4 traditional bullying victimization. Results show that sexting adolescents may be at risk for (cyber)bullying victimization and highlight the need to address both sexting and bullying in prevention and intervention efforts.
INTRODUCTION: While adolescent sexting, or the sending of sexually explicit images, has been cross-sectionally associated with bullying and cyberbullying, there is a lack of longitudinal studies in this area. To address this gap in the literature, we examined the longitudinal link between sexting and 1) traditional, in-person, bullying victimization and 2) cyberbullying victimization. METHODS: We used data from a longitudinal study of ethnically diverse adolescents recruited from multiple public high schools in southeast Texas. Three waves of data were used (T2, T3 and T4). Cross-lagged panel analysis was performed in Mplus to analyze the data. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: Cross-lagged panel analyses identified autoregressive effects for all three variables, and cross-lagged effects for cyberbullying. Sexting was associated with subsequent cyberbullying victimization across all time points, and T3 cyberbullying victimization was associated with engagement in sexting one year later. Furthermore, T2 cyberbullying victimization indirectly associated with T4 sexting via T3 cyberbullying victimization. For traditional bullying, a cross-lagged effect was found between T3 sexting and T4 offline bullying victimization. Although T2 sexting did not directly link to subsequent traditional bullying victimization, a significant mediation effect was identified such that T3 sexting mediated the effects of T2 sexting on T4 traditional bullying victimization. Results show that sexting adolescents may be at risk for (cyber)bullying victimization and highlight the need to address both sexting and bullying in prevention and intervention efforts.
Authors: Joshua H West; Cameron E Lister; P Cougar Hall; Benjamin T Crookston; Paola Rivera Snow; Maria Elena Zvietcovich; Richard P West Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2014-08-07 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Alberto Valido; Dorothy L Espelage; Jun Sung Hong; Matthew Rivas-Koehl; Luz E Robinson Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-12-17 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Joris Van Ouytsel; Michel Walrave; Mónica Ojeda; Rosario Del Rey; Koen Ponnet Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-11-03 Impact factor: 3.390