Abstract
No previously published study has examined the association between sexting and having a sexual partner and sexual activity in the Iranian setting. In this cross-sectional study, a probability sample of 944 high school students was obtained via cluster strata sampling. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researcher based on previous studies and analyzed using t and chi square tests. Sending sexts was reported by 15.7% and receiving sexts reported by 34.7% of the individuals in the past 6 months. Students who send and receive sext were more likely to report having a partner of the opposite sex (p < 0.001) and indulging in sexual activity (p < 0.001). Owing to a high prevalence of and the risks associated with sexting in adolescents, the issue should be considered for inclusion in parent and adolescent education curricula in Iran.
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Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the school counselors who contribute to data collection. Our special thanks to students who trust in us.
Funding
This study was funded by Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences (Grant Number 93590).
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All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent was obtained from all participants parents included in the study.
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Ghorashi, Z. Teenage Sexting and Sexual Behaviors in an Iranian Setting. Sexuality & Culture 23, 1274–1282 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-019-09622-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-019-09622-6